Accounting

Accounting Fundamentals

Accountants provide an array of financial services to businesses, nonprofit corporations, governments, industry and even private citizens.

The curriculum is based on broad theoretical principles and applied practices. You will study:

• core business fundamentals such as finance, marketing, management principles, quantitative business analysis, business law and strategy
• financial reporting
• cost management
• accounting transaction cycles and business processes
• business risk, internal controls and auditing
• information systems risk, security controls and assurance
• taxation

Professional Preparation 

The School of Accountancy’s undergraduate accounting degree prepares you to pursue such certifications as certified public accountant (after completing the state-mandated 150 semester hours of college credits), certified management accountant, certified internal auditor, and certified information systems auditor. We offer an Accelerated B.S./M.S. in Accounting degree as a seamless path toward obtaining the 150 semester credit hours needed to sit for the certified public accountant examination.

Our Faculty 

• are innovative
• are passionate about their teaching and students’ learning
• are experts in their areas of teaching
• bring the business world to life through case studies, seminar presentations and discussions, problem-solving and skills performance

Akron Advantage

All College of Business Administration programs are accredited at the highest possible level by AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). In addition, the CBA is one of only 171 schools that have earned separate accounting accreditation. The College has been consistently rated as one of the best business schools in the nation by the Princeton Review and ranked in the top 100 of all undergraduate programs by BusinessWeek magazine.

Our close ties to regional businesses provide many benefits for our students. Business executives share their expertise as mentors and guest lecturers in classes, and provide valuable advice on program and course content, helping to keep our curricula fresh, relevant and rigorous. Students gain valuable hands-on experience through group projects that assign them to solve problems for local businesses and by participating in co-op and internship programs at regional companies.

We are able to provide our students with training in cutting-edge technology as a result of our academic alliances with technology vendors such as SAP, Microsoft, and Oracle.

Our active student organizations enable our students to enrich their college experience by providing opportunities for them to apply knowledge and skills gained in the classroom, and by opening doors to new friendships, networking, professional growth, and even jobs.  Many of our student organizations have excelled in regional and national competitions, often against highly regarded colleges and universities across the country.

Real-world Experience

Gain practical professional experience through paid internships and UA's optional cooperative education program. 

Representatives from about 40 public accounting firms, corporations and other organizations visit campus each fall to meet accounting majors during our Evening with the Accountants. This event, held on the third Tuesday of September, starts the job recruitment season for accounting majors. Many are placed in internships and full-time positions by the end of the fall semester.

Recent placements include:

• Apple Growth Partners
• Brockman, Coats, Gedalian & Co.
• Cohen & Company
• Deloitte & Touche
• Ernst & Young
• KPMG
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• SS&G
• FirstEnergy
• The J.M. Smucker Company
• Walt Disney World

Accounting Student Organizations

• Accounting Association
• National Association of Black Accountants
• Institute for Management Accountants
• Beta Alpha Psi — the national honorary organization for financial information students and professionals
• Information Systems Audit & Control Association — University of Akron Student Group
• Student Toastmasters

Sample Curriculum

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

 * These are recommended electives for students who wish to sit the CPA exam. Students who satisfy the admission requirements for the Accelerated B.S./M.S. program should talk to an adviser about taking these courses and Information Systems Security at the 500 (graduate) level. Students accepted into the Honors College will complete the honors distribution instead of the general education classes listed (see your honors adviser for additional guidance).