Business Foundations Certificate

Emphasis on nature of accounting as a system of information for decision making. Specific topics include basic financial statements, the accounting cycle, forms of business organization, financial assets, inventories, and depreciation. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Elective)

Study of accounting is continued through specific topics, including liabilities, stockholder’s equity, statement of cash flows, financial statement analysis, and global and management accounting. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Elective)

Establish a foundation in accounting procedures within the traditional framework of a sole-proprietorship and explore the financial use of accounting information. Coverage of basic principles expanded by presenting partnership, corporation, and managerial accounting concepts. This class may include students from multiple sections.

Learn the fundamentals of Quickbooks Pro, a popular general ledger software package for small and medium sized businesses. Coverage of vendors and customers transactions, inventory activities, bank transactions, financial reports, end of period procedures, payroll and other key accounting procedures.  This class may include students from multiple sections. 

College mathematics used in professional and technical programs. Content includes mathematical modeling and applications employing numerical operations; measurements; geometry; linear and nonlinear equations; exponent, radical, and polynomial operations; functions; formulas; plane analytical geometry with graphing; and an introduction to trigonometry. This class may include students from multiple sections. 

Introduction to business systems, processes, and the general business environment. Students explore marketing, management, finance, accounting, business law, information technology, human resources, entrepreneurship, and emerging business topics. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Elective)

Introduction to the fundamentals of business law and the principles of the American legal system including criminal, tort, and business law, contracts, sales, Uniform Commercial Code, and employment. Familiarity with Washington’s RCWs (Revised Codes of Washington) and WACs (Washington Administrative Codes) emphasized through researching regional business law cases. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Elective)

An introduction to management concepts, including topics of planning, organizing, leading, managing, and motivating available human resources and business assets to optimally and ethically accomplish performance goals. This class may include students from multiple sections. 

This course introduces the fundamental considerations of starting and growing a business. Topics include entrepreneur readiness, operational planning, market planning, and cash flow forecasting. This class may include students from multiple sections.

A study of current payroll and Washington State excise tax laws, record keeping requirements, preparing payrolls, payroll reporting, and accounting procedures. Addresses such issues as excise tax and business taxes, employee vs independent contractor, Fair Labor Standards Act, and statutory federal and state reporting requirements. Uses computer-simulation software. This class may include students from multiple sections.

Examines the role of marketing in general business activities. Students will learn the marketing process that develops products and services, methods and techniques of market research, target markets, market segmentation, product planning, distribution, pricing, and promotion. This class may include students from multiple sections.

Active reading, effective writing, and critical thinking, using subjective and objective approaches. Introduction to research techniques. This class may include students from multiple sections. (Communication Skills)

Create general and/or targeted employment resumes, using functional and chronological formats. Includes information about effective resume presentation style and approaches to use for a particular employment objective.