Establish a policy and code of conduct for the class. Because group projects and individual presentations are often key components of a managerial accounting curriculum, you want to be sure to explain in the syllabus how these will be assessed and graded.
Articulate how managerial accounting fits into a broader context For example, you might explain that the ability to perform basic accounting functions, such as evaluating cost flow, determining volume of costs or doing a budget analysis, fits into the broader business model of a company. This will help students realize the importance of the information that they will learn in the class. These strategies are employed in the curriculum at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin.
Break down the subject matter into smaller units on the syllabus. For example, the Fundamentals of Accounting course (Acctg 225) at the University of Washington breaks things down into these categories: cash flow, job order costing, overhead application, cost behavior, volume profit analysis, break even analysis, variable and absorption costing, budget preparation, budget analysis, standard costing, segment reporting, capital budgeting, cost concepts, resources and joint costs. As you break down the subject matter into smaller parts, you should keep in mind that an introduction and summary may be important to bookend your curriculum.
Make sure that your syllabus takes into account tests, group projects and the holidays of the school year. For example, you might want to lessen the homework workload when students have group projects in order to give them more time to work on them.
List the textbooks and supplemental materials that you plan to use. Consult the curricula used by reputable schools of business and management to find out which sources are considered most authoritative. Include in the syllabus any specific page numbers that you want your students to read.