Accounting and Finance
Accounting and Finance
Chair: Steven Welch
Faculty: Robert Bell, Warren Bostrom, Jaclyn Gabrielson, Wei Huang, Mary Jepperson, Janean Kleist, Gregory Liyanarachchi, Lauri Miller, Tonya Schmidt, Benjamin Trnka, Steven Welch, David Zoeller
The accounting and finance department offers a curriculum designed to meet the needs of various student interests. The major provides the student the opportunity to develop a solid conceptual foundation as well as the skills required for positions in public accounting, private and governmental accounting and finance. In addition, it allows students to prepare for graduate programs in such areas as business, finance and law.
The disciplines of accounting and finance require that students develop an ability to think analytically and to organize and categorize a mass of data. It further requires the student to develop an ability to synthesize the information and present it in a summarized fashion understandable to others. Citizens in a highly developed economic society must understand economic descriptions of its complex organizations and financial instruments. As accountants or finance professionals, our graduates will be expected to present and interpret financial information, both in writing and orally, to others in organizations and to the public.
Students majoring in accounting have a choice of three tracks:
- Accounting major (no concentration)
The accounting major (no concentration) provides a broader, more general view of accounting. This concentration is ideal for students interested in understanding the language of business, but who are planning to explore entrepreneurial opportunities, are looking for a career in a business' accounting department, or have planned a different route to prepare them for the CPA examination. - Public accounting
Students in this concentration take classes in all the major accounting and business disciplines, which prepare them for success in passing the different sections of the CPA exam, as well as assist them in choosing a career path within the accounting industry. Virtually all states' rules require applicants for a license as a CPA to have accumulated 150 higher education credit hours, as recommended by the AICPA. These hours must include 24 upper division accounting course credits and 24 credit hours of business-related or certain other accounting courses. Students should also be aware that many employers of CPAs require their job applicants to have accumulated 150 credit hours prior to beginning their employment. - Finance concentration
This concentration, particularly with its strong accounting core, prepares students who wish to pursue careers in a variety of finance-related positions or who plan to attend graduate school. This concentration is designed for students with a strong interest in learning about corporate finance, international finance, investments in the stock market, securities analysis, derivatives and similar topics.
Acceptance to Major Requirements
Course Requirements: ACFN 111 and 112
Minimum Grade and/or GPA for required courses: 2.0 in ACFN courses
Major (60 to 74 credits, based on concentration)
Required Courses for each accounting concentration:
111, 112, 210, 325, 335. Required supporting courses include any CSCI 100-level course, MATH 124, and ECON 111.
Required Additional Courses for Accounting Program:
326, 331, 338, 340, 341, and 355; one course from ACFN 310, GBUS 201, or any 300-level ECON course; one course from ACFN 342, 343, and 344; and Math 119 or 125.
Required Additional Courses for Public Accounting Concentration:
310, 326, 331, 333, 338, 340, 341, and 355; GBUS 201; Math 119 or 125; and eight credits from the following courses of which two credits must come from 342, 343, or 344; 315, 318, 330, 342, 343, 344, 353, GBUS 330, GBUS 341, or a 300-level ECON elective.
Required Additional Courses for Finance Concentration:
310, 315, 318, 333 and 395; MATH 119; and 12 credits from the following courses, of which four credits must come from 360, 361, 362 or 363 and four credits must come from ECON. The final four credits may come from: ACFN 326, 341, 342, 343, 344, 360, 361, 362 or 363, or any 300-level ECON course, or GBUS 201, 330, or 341, or POLS 334, 353 or 355.
Special Requirements:
A passing score on the Senior Exit Exam is required for Accounting Graduates in each concentration.
Suggestions:
Students wanting to minor in economics should take MATH 119.
Minor (20 credits)
Required courses:
111, 112, 325, and 8 additional accounting courses from the following: 326, 331, 340, 341, 342, 343, and 344.