West Springfield High School - Business & Information Technology Courses

WSHS BUSINESS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Standard and Optional Course Descriptions

ACCOUNTING	DESIGN, MULITMEDIA AND WEB TECHNOLOGIES
ADVANCED ACCOUNTING	FINANCE
ADVANCED INFORMATION SYSTEMS	INFORMATION SYSTEMS
BUSINESS LAW	PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT	PROGRAMMING
COOPERATIVE OFFICE EDUCATION (COE)	WEBPAGE DEVELOPMENT

*Click on the desired course for course description or scroll down to browse all course descriptions.

Accounting offers students the opportunity to learn about the financial operations of modern business enterprises and prepares students to make better financial decisions for the future. Students study accounting concepts for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations to understand the fundamental accounting equation, the business transaction analysis process, and the elements of financial reporting. Interpretation of accounting information is mastered through decision making and problem solving approaches that include source documents, case studies, and simulations. Technology integration and related accounting software applications are used to enhance skills to analyze and evaluate financial situations. Internet learning activities are used to reinforce research, communication and team building skills. Course topics include forms of ownership, accounts receivable/accounts payable systems, payroll, taxes, and banking activities. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to complete an accounting cycle from transactions to financial statements.

COE: students may take this course in conjunction with the Cooperative Office Education (COE) program.
Industry Certification: industry certification may be available as part of this course.
Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.
Sequential Elective: students successfully completing this course in conjunction with another one credit course within the same program area will satisfy the sequential elective requirement for the Standard or Modified Standard diploma.
Verified Credit: successful completion of this course in conjunction with a corresponding industry certification may qualify for a student selected verified credit.

Prerequisite: Accounting (632000)
(Selected sites or transportation may be provided to Marshall Academy)

Also available online: visit the Online Campus at http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/onlinecampus/ for details and to register.
Students continue to master accounting principles and procedures, adding new topics about managerial accounting, cost accounting, financial analysis, and business ethics. Content areas include property, plant and equipment, corporate investments, bonds, notes payable and receivables, amortizations, cash flow statements and ratio analysis for the corporate structure. Spreadsheet analysis and accounting software applications provide the opportunity for higher-level thinking skill activities and authentic simulations enhance teamwork, decision making, and communication skills. Students also develop an understanding of career opportunities as they complete career exploration activities. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of decision making, problem solving and critical thinking, and apply them to both business and personal financial situations.

Students completing Advanced Information Systems (661300) with a grade of "B" or better may be eligible to articulate three credits with Northern Virginia Community College.
COE: students may take this course in conjunction with the Cooperative Office Education (COE) program.
Industry Certification: industry certification may be available as part of this course.
Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.
Sequential Elective: students successfully completing this course in conjunction with another one credit course within the same program area will satisfy the sequential elective requirement for the Standard or Modified Standard diploma.
Verified Credit: successful completion of this course in conjunction with a corresponding industry certification may qualify for a student selected verified credit.

Prerequisite: Information Systems (661200) or equivalent skill/instructor approval)

Advanced Information Systems provides students with opportunities to develop professional skills in a project-oriented approach through the use of Microsoft Office 2003. Students apply problem-solving skills to real-life situations. Instruction includes units in operating systems, networking and hardware principles, presentation tools, spreadsheets and charts, relational databases, technical writing and desktop publishing projects, and basic web publishing using Office 2003. Completion of this course may prepare students for the certification exam for Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS).

Students completing Advanced Information Systems (661300) with a grade of "B" or better may be eligible to articulate three credits with Northern Virginia Community College.
Industry Certification: industry certification may be available as part of this course.
Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.
Sequential Elective: students successfully completing this course in conjunction with another one credit course within the same program area will satisfy the sequential elective requirement for the Standard or Modified Standard diploma.
Verified Credit: successful completion of this course in conjunction with a corresponding industry certification may qualify for a student selected verified credit.

Business Law provides students with the basic knowledge to become a better informed citizen, employee, and consumer. The course offers students the opportunities to study the nature and function of our legal system, courts, and procedures. Topics include contracts, sales agreements, torts, constitutional law, criminal law, and family law. Students focus on consumer rights and responsibilities, examine legal aspects of employment, research careers in law, and discuss the impact of laws on travelers and those living abroad. Enriched with student projects, debates, mock trials, field trips, guest speakers, and Internet activities, the course helps student understand the laws affecting businesses and consumers.

Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.

Students study basic management concepts and leadership styles as they explore business ownership, planning, economics, international business and human relations issues such as employee motivation and conflict resolution. Through engaging software simulations students learn to utilize efficiently and effectively the basic management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling and their impact on human and capital resources. Upon completion of this course students will develop a business plan for a real or simulated business.

Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.

*COOPERATIVE OFFICE EDUCATION (COE) (679920)
Grades: 11-12 Credits: one or two Back to Top

COE allows students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to the real world. The COE work experience combines an advanced business course with employment in a business-related field that reflects the student’s current career interests. The program offers valuable work experience, enhances employment skills, and develops marketable skills. This course, taken in conjunction with another business course, will earn one to two units of credit. Students who successfully complete 396 hours of supervised on-the-job training in a related occupation will earn one credit. Students who successfully complete 720 hours of supervised on-the-job training in a related occupation will earn two credits.

*DESIGN, MULITMEDIA AND WEB TECHNOLOGIES (663000)
(Formerly Desktop/Multimedia Presentations) Back to Top
Grades: 10-12 Credit: one

Prerequisite: Information Systems (661200) or equivalent skill/instructor approval

This product-oriented course introduces the student to multimedia presentations, desktop publications, and web page creation. Hands-on activities are used as students develop skills, master techniques, and prepare products for a client-based environment. Students learn to create professional slideshow presentations using animation, sound, and videos. Students also create brochures, flyers, business advertisements, and many other useful documents using Adobe Products. The course also introduces students to document construction for publishing on the World Wide Web using authoring software. Units of instruction include design and layout, typeface selection, electronic scanners and scanned images, image editing, digital cameras and images, and video capturing. Internet research and copyright laws are emphasized.

COE: students may take this course in conjunction with the Cooperative Office Education (COE) program.
Industry Certification: industry certification may be available as part of this course.
Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.
Sequential Elective: students successfully completing this course in conjunction with another one credit course within the same program area will satisfy the sequential elective requirement for the Standard or Modified Standard diploma.
Verified Credit: successful completion of this course in conjunction with a corresponding industry certification may qualify for a student selected verified credit.

This course is designed to introduce the student to the basic concepts of personal finance and its increasingly important impact on consumers. Units of study cover the basic principles needed for effective personal financial management and the practical applications of banking, planning and budgeting, taxes, credit, insurance, housing, investments, and retirement planning. Students will also develop a keen understanding of consumer rights, responsibilities, and protection related to the units of study. Finance offers the students the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to manage personal finances and make sound financial decisions through a variety of methods that include the Internet, math applications, financial publications, financial software applications, hands-on activities, and group projects.

COE: students may take this course in conjunction with the Cooperative Office Education (COE) program.
Industry Certification: industry certification may be available as part of this course.
Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.
Sequential Elective: students successfully completing this course in conjunction with another one credit course within the same program area will satisfy the sequential elective requirement for the Standard or Modified Standard diploma.
Verified Credit: successful completion of this course in conjunction with a corresponding industry certification may qualify for a student selected verified credit.

Keyboarding instruction will be a component of this course based on student need. This computer-based course teaches students to use technology efficiently and effectively to gather and organize information and problem solve tasks. Through a series of software applications and activities, students will establish a strong foundation in keyboarding techniques and proficiency, manage computer systems, produce word processing documents, develop spreadsheets, databases, and multimedia presentations; and work with telecommunications and networks. Integrating lessons with real-life business applications and cross-curricular learning activities will enable the students to become better prepared for life-long learning and problem solving.

Students completing Information Systems (661300) with a grade of "B" or better may be eligible to articulate three credits with Northern Virginia Community College.
COE: students may take this course in conjunction with the Cooperative Office Education (COE) program.
Industry Certification: industry certification may be available as part of this course.
Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.
Sequential Elective: students successfully completing this course in conjunction with another one credit course within the same program area will satisfy the sequential elective requirement for the Standard or Modified Standard diploma.
Verified Credit: successful completion of this course in conjunction with a corresponding industry certification may qualify for a student selected verified credit.

Students study the American business system as part of our total economic environment and become skillful in selecting and using goods and services to manage their personal and business affairs. Topics covered are banking, insurance, financial management, credit, savings and investments, consumer decisions, labor and management relations, and usage of computers in business and industry. This course is an excellent introduction course for IB Business and Management.

Industry Certification: industry certification may be available as part of this course.
Diploma Seal: students successfully completing this course may be eligible to earn a Career and Technical Education Diploma Seal.
Sequential Elective: students successfully completing this course in conjunction with another one credit course within the same program area will satisfy the sequential elective requirement for the Standard or Modified Standard diploma.
Verified Credit: successful completion of this course in conjunction with a corresponding industry certification may qualify for a student selected verified credit.

Students learn to write programs using the Microsoft Visual Basic.net programming language. Programs include decision and looping structures, graphics, sound, animation, and Microsoft Access databases. Students also learn to create web pages using HTML and JavaScript.

Prerequisite: Information Systems (661200) or equivalent skill/instructor approval

This course provides students the opportunity to study, develop and design sophisticated web pages comparable to sites used by organizations and businesses. Students are provided with instruction in Dreamweaver MX and Photoshop. The importance of copyright laws is emphasized. Introductory HTML, DHTML, scripting, and the use of authoring software are covered. Students are also provided instruction in preparing and editing Web page images, applying advanced design techniques and features, creating vector animations, and managing website directory structures. Skill development will be achieved through hands-on activities that help students to design web pages for various audiences and uses.