Program Overview

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Accounting Bachelor of Science Degree

Overview

RIT’s BS accounting degree covers financial and managerial accounting disciplines, while introducing you to the technology used within the profession, developing account management and service skills, and exposing you to courses in the liberal arts, sciences, and management.

Why Pursue an Accounting Bachelor’s Degree at RIT

• Strong Career Paths: Network with professionals from the Big Four and regional accounting firms when you join RIT's student chapter of the Next Generation of Accountants.
• Pursue Your CPA: Get started on the right path to completing specific requirements of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification.
• Alumni Relationships: Connect with Saunders alumni and key professionals through the Accounting Advisory Board.
• Career Connections: Attend RIT’s accounting career fair to connect with representatives in finance and banking, and interview directly for open co-op and permanent employment positions.
• Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Available: Earn both your bachelor’s and your master’s in less time and with a cost savings, giving you a competitive advantage in your field.

What is Accounting?

Accounting is a key function to all businesses. It’s the collection, organization, and analysis of data that can reveal the financial state of a business. It can tell a company how well its products and services are performing, and if the products are making a profit. Financial data can help accountants make short- and long-term projections and estimate an organization’s tax liabilities.

Explore RIT’s Accounting Degree Curriculum

RIT’s BS accounting degree covers financial and managerial accounting disciplines, while introducing you to the technology used within the profession, developing account management and service skills, and exposing you to courses in the liberal arts, sciences, and management.

Accounting Certifications: How to Become a CPA

The accounting bachelor’s degree starts you on the right path to completing specific requirements of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification. Additional graduate work is required in order to fulfill New York State CPA exam requirements.

Furthering Your Education in Accounting

RIT’s Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees enable you to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as five years, giving you a competitive advantage.

• The Accounting BS/Accounting and Analytics MS: In this accelerated dual degree, you'll combine a BS degree in accounting with an MS degree in accounting and analytics to gain a solid accounting background while enhancing your knowledge of the accounting technologies that will help you analyze an organization's data so you can gain significant insights, predict future outcomes, and ascertain risk.
• +1 MBA Early Acceptance Pathway: Successful RIT applicants who are offered admission into the accounting bachelor’s degree as an incoming first-year student may also be offered conditional early acceptance into the +1 MBA Early Acceptance Pathway. This option enables you to earn both your BS degree and an MBA in as little as five years of study.
• +1 MBA: Students who enroll in a qualifying undergraduate degree have the opportunity to add an MBA to their bachelor’s degree after their first year of study, depending on their program.

Careers and Experiential Learning

Typical Job Titles

• Accountant
• Auditor
• Credit Card/Cashless Accountant
• Financial Specialist
• Junior Accountant
• Senior Auditor
• Tax Accountant

Industries

• Accounting
• Financial Services
• Insurance

Curriculum

Accounting, BS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • ACCT-110: Financial Accounting
  • ACCT-210: Management Accounting
  • ECON-101: Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON-201: Principles of Macroeconomics
  • INTB-225: Global Business Environment
  • MATH-161: Applied Calculus
  • MGIS-130: Information Systems & Technology
  • MGMT-101: Business 1: Introduction to Business Communication, Planning & Analysis
  • MGMT-102: Business 2: Business Planning and Professional Development
  • STAT-145: Introduction to Statistics I
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
• Second Year
  • ACCT-305: Accounting Profession
  • ACCT-360: Intermediate Financial Accounting I
  • ACCT-365: Intermediate Financial Accounting II
  • BLEG-250: Law, Business, and Society
  • COMM-253: Communication
  • FINC-220: Financial Management
  • MGMT-215: Organizational Behavior
  • MKTG-230: Principles of Marketing
  • STAT-146: Introduction to Statistics II
• Third Year
  • ACCT-420: Personal and Small Business Taxation
  • ACCT-430: Cost Accounting
  • BANA-255: Data Literacy, Analytics, and Decision Making
  • DECS-310: Operations Management
  • MGMT-340: Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
• Fourth Year
  • ACCT-490: Auditing
  • MGMT-560: Strategic Management

Accounting Electives

• ACCT-440: Advanced Taxation
• ACCT-489: Seminar in Accounting
• ACCT-550: Accounting for Government and Not-for-profit Organizations
• ACCT-560: Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination
• FINC-320: Professional Financial Planning and Management
• FINC-361: Financial Institutions and Markets
• FINC-420: International Finance
• FINC-425: Stock Market Algorithmic Trading
• FINC-470: Introduction to Options and Futures
• FINC-489: Seminar in Finance
• FINC-559: Financing New Ventures
• FINC-580: Financial Analytics

Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees

Accounting, BS degree/Accounting and Analytics, MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • ACCT-110: Financial Accounting
  • ACCT-210: Management Accounting
  • ECON-101: Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON-201: Principles of Macroeconomics
  • INTB-225: Global Business Environment
  • MATH-161: Applied Calculus
  • MGIS-130: Information Systems & Technology
  • MGMT-101: Business 1: Introduction to Business Communication, Planning & Analysis
  • MGMT-102: Business 2: Business Planning and Professional Development
  • STAT-145: Introduction to Statistics I
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
• Second Year
  • ACCT-305: Accounting Profession
  • ACCT-360: Intermediate Financial Accounting I
  • ACCT-365: Intermediate Financial Accounting II
  • BLEG-250: Law, Business, and Society
  • COMM-253: Communication
  • FINC-220: Financial Management
  • MGMT-215: Organizational Behavior
  • MKTG-230: Principles of Marketing
  • STAT-146: Introduction to Statistics II
• Third Year
  • ACCT-420: Personal and Small Business Taxation
  • ACCT-430: Cost Accounting
  • BANA-255: Data Literacy, Analytics, and Decision Making
  • DECS-310: Operations Management
  • MGMT-340: Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
• Fourth Year
  • ACCT-490: Auditing
  • MGMT-560: Strategic Management
• Fifth Year
  • ACCT-710: Tax Analysis and Strategy
  • ACCT-738: Information Systems Auditing and Assurance Services
  • ACCT-740: Comparative Financial Statement Analysis
  • ACCT-745: Accounting Information and Analytics
  • ACCT-796: Accounting Capstone Experience
  • FINC-780: Financial Analytics
  • MGIS-650: Introduction to Data Analytics and Business Intelligence

Admissions and Financial Aid

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong academic background that includes:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of social studies and/or history
• 3 years of math is required and must include algebra, geometry, and algebra 2/trigonometry. Pre-calculus is preferred.
• 2-3 years of science

Transfer Admission

Transfer applicants should meet these minimum degree-specific requirements:

• A minimum of college algebra is required. Pre-calculus or calculus is preferred.

Accreditation

Saunders College of Business undergraduate and graduate programs are fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the premier accrediting organization for business schools. Less than five percent of the institutions granting business degrees have received this accreditation.