GORDON COLLEGE

ECB121: EXCEL – BUSINESS APPLICATIONS

Semester: 2016-17SummerDate: May 22 – June 17, 2017

Professor: Alice S. Tsang, MBA, CFALocation:N.A., On-line course (asynchronous)

E-mail:

Office Hours: Meeting through Skype, byappointment only

COURSE OVERVIEW

Objectives:

This course teaches students how to use Microsoft Excel 2013 as a tool for both reporting and modeling to make informed business decisions. Itcovers basic to intermediate Excel functions, and includes a number of useful tips and shortcuts to enhance user efficiency. Students will learn how to organize data, create spreadsheet models and tools for presenting and analyzing data. The course also discussesMonte Carlo simulation which is a commonly used tool to analyze the effect of uncertainty on business decision-making.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

  • Access to: Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Modeling On-Line Course: Excel 2013
  • Software: Microsoft Excel 2013 or newer edition (Available from CTS)
  • Computer: Preferably PC

Since Excel is a Microsoft product and this course is based on Excel 2013, students will work more efficiently with PCs than with Macs or an older edition of Excel. Even though Macs are used in many schools and colleges, PCs are more common in the workplace so it will be important that students familiarize themselves with PCs to better prepare themselves for the workplace.

Excel Tutorials and Assignments:The course will begin with a pretest to assess students’ mastery of Excel functions and give students a preview of what they may expect to learn in the course. During the 4 week term,students will log onto the HBS Spreadsheet Modeling On-Line course to learn from tutorials on assigned topics and work on exercises. Students are required to complete and submit all exercises/assignments associated with the assigned topics on Wednesday and Friday of that week. It is very important that students stay disciplined and manage time effectively to complete all tutorials and assignments on time. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Depending on students’ experience with Excel, they should prepare to spend 1.5-2 hours each day to ensure course materials are well learned and retained.

Class Discussion: Students may share comments and insights on course materials with other students through the discussion board on BlackBoard.

COURSE EVALUATION

Students will be required to demonstrate their comprehension of course concepts and application of skills learned through on-time completion of assignments and a final exam.

Student grades will be determined as follows:

Homework Assignments / 70% / Wednesdays and Fridays of week for assigned topics. No late work will be graded.
Final Exam / 30% / Comprehensive (6/16/2017)
Total Points / 100%

COURSE ACCOMMODATION

In accordance with Section 504 or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the College’s intent is to provide students with disabilities access that will allow them an education equivalent to that of their nondisabled peers. Gordon provides support services and reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Any student who intends to request services must provide written, comprehensive, clinical documentation from a specialist. This should be done prior to registration.

Documentation must be current (e.g., completed within the past three years), provide clear and specific evidence and identification of the disability, and verify accommodation needs with specific academic recommendations (e.g., extended test time, reduced course load). Accommodations must be arranged each semester. The student should obtain a Faculty Notification Form from the Academic Support Center for any class in which accommodations will be requested. The student must submit the form to faculty within the first week of the course and discuss specific requests with each instructor. The Academic Support Center works interactively with students and faculty to resolve any accommodation issues.

Any questions or disputes about accommodations should be immediately referred to the Academic Support Center. For additional information contact the registrar or the Director of the Academic Support Center.

Note: Since this is an on-line course, students with disability will be able to take the time they need to complete their assignments and exercises each day. They can also take the time needed to complete their final exams.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Academic dishonesty is regarded as a major violation of both the academic and spiritual principles of this community and may result in a failing grade or suspension. Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, (see Plagiarism in Student Handbook), cheating (whether in or out of the classroom), and abuse or misuse of library materials when such abuse or misuse can be related to course requirements.

Students in this course should commit to learning from the on-line materials and doing the exercises themselves to acquire the Excel skills taught by this course. STUDENTS MAY NOT SHARE THEIR EXCEL HOMEWORK WITH THEIR CLASSMATES.

LIBRARY RESROUCES STATEMENT

Students are responsible for obtaining any library resources assigned for this course. Questions about library resources should be directed to librarians in the Jenks Library. Librarians are available to assist you from the library reference desk, by e-mail at , or by phone (978) 867-4878.

ECB1212016SUMMER / EXCEL: BUSINESS APPLICATIONS –On-Line Course Schedule
Week of / Topic
5/21-5/27/2017 / Pretest
Introduction
The Excel Environment
Working with Data: Basic Techniques
5/28-6/3/2017 / Increasing Spreadsheet Readability
Excel Formulas
Useful Excel Functions
6/4-6/10/2017 / Charts
Importing Data into Excel
The Art of Spreadsheet Modeling
6/11-6/17/2017 / Using Excel Solver
Three-Dimensional Formulas, the Table Feature and Circular References
Monte Carlo Simulation
6/16/17 / Final Exam Introduction - Final Exam