Accounting Degree Programs

Higher education at Hudson Valley Community College doesn’t come with a high price tag.

The college offers a quality education at a fraction of the cost of most private colleges and universities – and each academic year, the college, and the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation are proud to offer more than 100 scholarship opportunities that make Hudson Valley even more affordable.

Whatever your course of study – from computer information systems to dental hygiene – there’s a good chance that Hudson Valley offers a scholarship that matches your interests.

Scholarship Opportunities for Incoming Students
Application Deadline is March 16, 2009

Scholarship Opportunities for Returning Students
Application Deadline is March 13, 2009

College in the High School Scholarship Opportunities

In order to prepare students for a career in accounting, Morrisville State College offers two degrees in this field; the Associate of Science (A.S.) degree and the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. Both degrees are accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

The A.S. degree program is designed to prepare students for the accounting profession in the 21st century. This program prepares students to continue their education in bachelor degree programs and to eventually take the C.P.A. exam. The A.A.S. degree program contains requirements for a minimum of 15 semester hours in accounting and also includes supporting courses in law, statistics, business organization and computer information systems. Students planning to enter accounting or business immediately upon graduation are advised to take as many accounting courses as possible while students who plan to complete a baccalaureate degree program are advised to utilize free course electives in areas other than accounting and related subjects.

Students who wish to diversify their accounting program may use free electives to build a supplemental knowledge base in computer information systems or management. Accounting is the language of business and is a key ingredient to solid career preparation.

Morrisville State College students access state–of–the–art software through a campus–wide computer network and laptop computers. They use interactive computerized programs designed as part of the Accounting Education Change Commission initiative. The networked programs allow the student to “experience” accounting with immediate, consistent feedback.

The master of science in accounting program is designed for students who wish to expand on their interest and past educational experiences in accounting and integrate those with a broad perspective in business and economics. Through the selection of electives, students can design a course of study to best fit their career objectives. Electives are available in accounting, computer information systems, finance, international business, statistics and operations management.

This program is designed for students who hold undergraduate degrees in accounting. Students who do not hold undergraduate accounting degrees generally need to complete substantial undergraduate accounting course work before entering the program. Prerequisite courses include intermediate accounting, accounting systems, auditing, economic analysis, business finance, principles of management, statistics and math analysis.

Upon completion of the MS in accounting, students may be eligible to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination. Specific requirements to sit for the CPA exam vary by state and are established by each state’s Board of Accountancy. Students who plan to take the CPA Exam should consult with the appropriate state board to determine specific state requirements that would apply.

Accounting majors prepare for a dynamic career in business. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, new and changing laws will increase the demand for accountants, and employment in this field is projected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. As the field changes and grows, so do accountants’ responsibilities. Today’s accountants do much more than bookkeeping, tax preparation and auditing – they work in all parts of the business world.

Accountants may become chief financial officers responsible for developing and managing companies’ financial plans. Other accountants work as agents and financial advisors to professional athletes and entertainers. Forensic accountants at the Federal Bureau of Investigation track down criminals and identify fraudulent activities. Financial accountants prepare financial statements and advise businesses about important decisions such as mergers and acquisitions. Management accountants focus on how companies can manage costs and become more profitable in the world’s global economy.

The Accounting Major at Heidelberg
The Heidelberg Accounting Major meets all of the recommendations of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants for a bachelor’s degree specializing in accountancy.

The program focuses on the fundamentals of accounting; students receive a solid foundation in accounting principles, information systems and management skills. Accounting majors are encouraged to broaden their studies and gain a second major or a minor in an area of the liberal arts or sciences. A dual major in Accounting and Computer Information Systems is especially recommended.

Majors focus on aspects of financial and managerial accounting; intermediate and advanced accounting; federal income tax and auditing; and a senior seminar. The senior seminar is a capstone experience that affords graduating seniors an opportunity to utilize knowledge and skills gained from previous coursework in an independent project. It is also recommended that Accounting majors complete internships during their junior and senior years. Please refer to the course catalog for specific requirements and details.

The Accounting major complies with the recommendations of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants for the initial 120 hours. Those who complete the Accounting major, and an additional 30 semester hours, are qualified to take the Ohio CPA exam.

Department of Business Administration, Accounting and Economics
The Department of Business Administration, Accounting and Economics offers Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees with majors in Business Administration Economics and Accounting and minors in Economics and Finance. The department collaborates with other departments to offer double majors and concentrations in Public Relations , Sports Management, Computer Information Systems and International Studies.

Students are encouraged to develop a second major or minor. A student may combine a wide variety of majors or minors to graduate with a dual major or minor in accordance with his or her specific abilities and interests.

Mission Statement
The Department provides students with the knowledge, skills and character to serve professional and entrepreneurial roles in business, government and society.

Learning objectives for majors
Provide students with both a theory-based and an applied business, accounting and economics education
Offer quality programs that produce graduates valued by the business and academic communities
Stimulate students to become innovative and critical thinkers and leaders able to cope with complex issues in a dynamic environment

Admission Requirements
Completed application form accompanied by a fifty dollar nonrefundable application fee.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Two courses in principles of accounting or equivalent.
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records.
Completion of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), unless the applicant is a CPA or has passed a state bar examination. Applicants will also be exempt from the GMAT if they have earned a B.S. degree in accounting from Rhode Island College or the University of Rhode Island, with a 3.00 grade point average in the major.

Course RequirementsFoundations Component
ACCT 510 Advanced AIS: Systems Modeling 3
ACCT 552 Topics in Assurance: Risk Assessment 1.5
ACCT 553 Topics in Assurance: Electronic Commerce 1.5
CIS 421 Networks and Telecommunications 3
CIS 453 Systems Analysis and Design 3
CIS 535 Data Management 3
Electives
SIX CREDIT HOURS OF COURSES at the graduate level in accounting 6
SIX CREDIT HOURS OF COURSES at the graduate level, with consent 6
THREE CREDIT HOURS OF COURSES at the graduate level in computer information systems

Course Requirements

The minor in accounting consists of a minimum of 21 credit hours (seven courses), as follows: Accounting 201, 202, 310, 311, 321, 331; and Computer Information Systems 251.

The Post-Baccalaureate Accounting Certificate is designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree in a non-accounting discipline and desire either a career in accounting or a career in a discipline (e.g. law, finance, computer information systems) where a strong accounting background can be advantageous. Courses can be arranged to provide students with the subjects needed for taking professional accounting exams such as the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and CMA (Certified Management Accounting) exams. Most students possessing a non-accounting baccalaureate in a business discipline should expect to complete the certificate in 10 courses or 30 credit hours. Students who have not taken introductory accounting should expect to complete the certificate in 12 courses or 36 credit hours.

Certificate Requirements
Completion of 150 credit hours of course work.
Completion of a minimum of 21 post-baccalaureate credit hours at Roger Williams University.
Completion of a minimum of 21 credit hours in accounting courses.
Fulfillment of certificate-required and elective courses.
Required Course of Study
ACCTG 204 Cost Accounting
ACCTG 304 Intermediate Accounting I
ACCTG 305 Intermediate Accounting I
ACCTG 308 Federal Income Tax I: Individual
ACCTG 405 Auditing
ACCTG 406 Advanced Accounting
ACCTG 415 Governmental & Non-Profit
Accounting

Required Electives
A minimum of three electives must be taken at least one of which must be in accounting. Students may take a maximum of two of the following three law courses:
LS 221 Law of Contracts
LS 340 Uniform Commercial Code
BUSN 305 Legal Environment of Business I

General Information
The Accounting major allows students to gain the basic core of knowledge and education to enter the accounting profession. The department constantly reviews the curriculum to assure that a proper blend of liberal arts, business core courses, and accounting courses are included to produce a well-educated professional.

Required Courses
Department of Business Administration

Career Opportunities
Career opportunities lie in various fields including Public Accounting (CPA), Private Industry, Health Care, governmental agencies and the not-for-profit sector of our economy. The positions can be as an Auditor, Tax Examiner, Revenue Agent, FBI Special Agent, Internal Auditor, Controller, Vice President of Finance, or a partner in a public accounting firm.

Objectives Upon completion of a degree in Accounting from York College of Pennsylvania, the student should possess the skills necessary to obtain entry level employment in either the Public Accounting field or the private sector. Also, the basic theory of the field of accounting should provide the foundation of the continual learning that will take place within the profession.

All undergraduates in the Business programs at York initially complete a common professional component which includes Accounting, Economics, Management, Marketing, Finance, and Computer Information Systems. Our graduates, therefore, enter the profession with a well-rounded background in all facets of Business Administration.

Special Opportunities
Internships are available in both Public Accounting and Private Industry. Some are available during the summer, but the majority occur during the normal school terms. These internships allow the students to learn first hand what it is like to work, for example, in a Public Accounting firm’s office during the tax season. Those in Private Industry experience what it is like to work on the receiving end of an audit, as well as the variety of analytical tasks that need to be performed to help that company generate the information that is needed to make the many decisions that are necessary.

The York College Five-Year MBA Program provides a unique opportunity for accounting students to meet the 150 credit-hour requirement for membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, which became effective in the year 2000. Many state boards of accountancy have already adopted the 150-hour requirement as a prerequisite to taking the CPA exam. More states are expected to follow this model in the future. Students should check with their State Board of Accounting to determine the requirements.

Special Facilities
The campus is continually enhancing its campus-wide network to include computer access to an ever-increasing number of resources. There are many open computer labs each comprised of 25 to 30 networked computers. The network has access to mainframe and minicomputers as well as direct Internet access. A wide variety of software is available for student use.

Description:
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in Accounting prepares students for entry level positions in public and private accounting. The state of Michigan, along with many other states, requires 150 credit hours to become a certified CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Because the Cornerstone University BA degree only requires 129 semester hours, accounting majors will need to complete additional coursework to meet the 150 hour state requirement. Some students pursue additional majors or minors in finance or Computer Information systems while others pursue graduate degrees to meet this requirement.
What types of students succeed in this program?
Students successful in accounting possess strong quantitative, financial, and communication skills. Successful professional accountants are able to communicate the implications of financial reports, with an ethical standard in mind, to managers and owners.

What can I do with this major or minor?
Accounting Majors find that they have a solid foundation that can lead into a variety of career paths. These include financial management, internal and external auditing, tax preparation and planning, cost analysis, and advisory services in information systems design and implementation.

What are some of internships or partnerships with this program?
All accounting majors are required to take at least three semester hours in an internship experiences. This experience can be in large multi-national corporations and CPA firms to small local companies, governmental organizations and a variety of not-for-profit organizations. These include the MACPA (Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants) and the IIAA (Institute of Internal Auditors).

What is the future outlook with a degree in this area?
Currently the demand for high quality accounting graduates exceeds the supply. This provides graduates with many job alternatives. Graduates should expect to develop a plan of continuous improvement of their skills and knowledge. Many will continue their education in graduate school and purse various certification programs like CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CMA (Certified Management Accountant), CFM (Certified Financial Manager), and CIA (Certified Internal Auditor).

ACCT
321, 322, 323
Intermediate Accounting
11

ACCT
331
Managerial Cost Accounting
4

ACCT
335
Personal Income Tax
4

ACCT
430
Auditing
5

ACCT
494
Cooperative Education/Internship
0
(minimum of 90 hours of co-op required)

Select 12 credits from the following:
ACCT
341
Accounting Information Systems
4

ACCT
350
Not-for-Profit and Government Accounting
4

ACCT
421
Advanced Accounting
4

ACCT
435
Advanced Income Tax
4_
36

Certified Public Accountant Examination

In most states, 225 quarter (150 semester) hours are required to write the CPA Examination. The effect of this requirement is to add 33 quarter hours above the Walla Walla University degree of 192 quarter hours. The specific education requirements to write the CPA Examination differ from state to state, so careful planning is needed to ensure that the requirements are fully met. You may generally satisfy the 225-hour requirement by completing a BBA degree with an accounting concentration and one of the following:

� Various courses such as accounting, finance, writing, etc.,
� A second BBA concentration,
� Graduate study in accountancy, taxation, computer information systems, business administration, etc.