| Department: | Accounting, Finance and Economics | Rankin College of Business |
| Hours Required: | 120 |
| Categories: | Major, Minor, Undergraduate |
| Delivery: | On-Campus |
Accounting degrees open a world of possibilities in the job market. Every business, large or small, needs accountants to summarize the company’s operations and to communicate it to decision makers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts this field will continue to grow at a faster rate than other fields. Accounting degrees also open up access to management and the directing of operations for a business.
Topics Covered
In the first two years, students take a broad range of classes both in the Rankin College of Business and across campus. Upper-level courses focus on developing accounting knowledge and skills.
- Classes include areas related to: Financial, Managerial, Auditing, Tax, Fraud, and others.
- Accounting students are encouraged to have an internship.
- Students are assigned a member of the accounting faculty as an advisor to help with class scheduling, professional mentoring, and career placement.
Careers
Accounting career opportunities are available in the fields of public, private, or governmental/non-profit accounting.
Public
Public accounting involves accountants who work with a variety of clients (individuals and companies) providing them with audit, tax, fraud, and consulting services. Career paths in this field involve titles as partner and staff accountant. Visit the AICPA website for more career path information. Career path information.
The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure is not required for employment as an accountant but may be an expectation in many firms offering accounting services to the public. The Rankin College of Business offers curriculum that meets the educational requirements for CPA licensure in Arkansas. Find out more about the requirements.
Private
Private accounting involves accountants who work for a single business capturing and communicating information for top management decision making. Career paths in this field involve titles as chief financial officer, cost accountant, internal auditor, and financial analyst. Visit the Accounting.com website for more career path information.
Government and Non-profit
Governmental and non-profit accounting involves accountants who work for the public interest in a local, state, or federal government agency or business capturing and communicating information for decision-making and society analysis. Career paths in this field involve titles as comptroller, internal auditor, and accounting manager. Visit the Accounting.com website for more career path information.
- For more information on career opportunities and salary information check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Student Engagement
- Opportunities to compete in state and national events with FBLA/PBL. Students routinely earn top placements in competitions.
- Students can participate in the, Accounting Society, for opportunities to meet other students, network with accounting professionals, and learn outside the classroom.
- Students are invited to attend the ASCPA Student Career Fair and CPA Chapter meetings.
- Field trips to places as the FBI Headquarters in Little Rock, manufacturing plants, and accounting firms.
Faculty Expertise
- Our experienced accounting faculty are all CPAs, having a wealth of private and public experience.
- Our faculty have owned their own small accounting practices and worked for corporations including: Deltic Timber Corporation, KPMG, Murphy Oil Corporation, and International Paper Company.
- Our faculty are strong scholars, researching and publishing topics as fraud, auditing, accounting information systems, and accounting education.
- Our faculty are professionally involved with our state society of CPAs and local CPAs.
Learning Goals
- Graduates from the College of Business can communicate effectively.
- Our graduates are prepared to be socially responsible citizens.
- Our graduates can think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions.
- Our graduates can use technology effectively in their fields.
- Our graduates have content knowledge in their chosen fields and the necessary skills to be successful.
Major in Accounting (BBA)
120 hours
Students earning a BBA with a major in accounting complete 120 hours, including the following specific requirements:
University Requirement (2 hours)
GSTD 1002 – Freshman Seminar
General Education (35 Hours)
(ECON 2103 – Principles of Microeconomics is required.)
Business Core Curriculum (54 hours)
ACCT 2113 – Survey of Accounting
ACCT 2003 – Principles of Accounting
FIN 2003 – Personal Finance
ECON 2203 – Principles of Macroeconomics
GBUS 2003 – Legal Environment of Business
GBUS 2013 – Statistics and Analytics I
IS 2053 – Business Information Systems
MGMT 2003 – Business Communications
Admission to the College of Business is required to enroll in the following courses:
FIN 3003 – Financial Management
GBUS 3183 – Statistics and Analytics II
IS 3023 – Introduction to Data Visualization
IS 3053 – Managing Information Systems
MGMT 3023 – Organizational Theory and Behavior
MGMT 3073 – Professional Communication Strategies
MGMT 4063 – Operations and Supply Chain Management
MGMT 4093 – Management Strategy and Policy
MKTG 3033 – Principles of Marketing
Select one of the following:
MGMT 4043 – International Business
MGMT 4313 – International Studies and Field Experience
MGMT 4101 – International Studies and Field Experience and MGMT 4102 – International Studies and Field Experience
Accounting Curriculum (27 Hours)
ACCT 3003 – Intermediate Accounting I
ACCT 3013 – Managerial Accounting
ACCT 3023 – Individual Income Tax
ACCT 3063 – Accounting Information Systems
ACCT 3103 – Intermediate Accounting II
ACCT 4003 – Auditing
9 hours selected from the following:
ACCT 3101 – VITA Experience
ACCT 3133 – Fraud Examination and Prevention
ACCT 3983 – Business Internship in Accounting
ACCT 4013 – Accounting Data Analytics
ACCT 4033 – Oil and Gas Accounting
ACCT 4043 – Advanced Financial Accounting I
ACCT 4053 – Advanced Financial Accounting II
ACCT 4063 – Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting
ACCT 4123 – Advanced Taxation
Unrestricted Electives (2 Hours)
Total Hours – 120
Professional Examination Requirements
Students planning to take a professional examination, such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam, may need to complete additional courses to meet state eligibility requirements.
Students preparing to take the CPA examination in Arkansas should follow the 120-hour curriculum and complete an additional 30 hours of electives to satisfy the state’s 150-hour academic eligibility requirement. Within the 150 hours, the student must include 30 hours of upper-level accounting courses with grades of C or better in each course. Students may choose from a variety of options to meet the 150-hour educational requirement. For example, a student may (1) complete an additional minor area of emphasis in business; (2) complete a minor in a non-business field, such as English or political science; or (3) complete an individualized supplementary plan of study developed with the faculty advisor. Students preparing to take the CPA examination should consult with their faculty advisor about other requirements that may relate to selected electives.
Minor Requirements:
Minor in Accounting – 15 hours
ACCT 3003 Intermediate Accounting I*
Plus 12 hours of upper-level accounting courses
*(ACCT 2003 and ACCT 2103 are prerequisites to ACCT 3003)
AACSB International business and accounting accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review process.
