Program Overview

Accounting, Bachelor of Science (online)

Program Description

The major in accounting is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in accounting. This program will qualify graduates to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination in Virginia. However, certification requires 150 hours of college credits. Most public accounting firms give hiring preference to applicants who have completed the full 150 hours prior to starting work.

Career Opportunities

Accountants examine and prepare financial records. They are responsible for confirming accuracy, ensuring the records comply with local, state, and federal laws, and typically are called upon to make recommendations based on that financial data.

There are several types of accountants:

• Public accountants are generally employed by firms and serve as an independent third party to review, attest to other organizations' or individuals' financial documents, and may gain experience working with a variety of industries.
• Private or corporate accountants are employed by a company and typically develop management accounting expertise in their individual companies and industries.
• Government accountants examine and prepare the financial records of various government agencies.

Job Titles

Bachelor-level Job Titles

• Accounting Technician
• Audit Accountant
• Audit Associate
• Auditor
• Cost Accountant
• Financial Analyst
• Junior Accountant
• Staff Accountant
• Tax Accountant
• Tax Associate

Graduate and Professional Level Job Titles

• Audit Director
• Chief Financial Officer
• Controller
• Director of Accounting

Admission Requirements

• Completion of associate degree
• Minimum GPA of 2.5
• All courses must be completed with a minimum grade of "C"

Degree Requirements

• Highest level of math required: MATH 200 or BUSN 212, SCMA 301
• Science required: Natural Sciences requirement only
• Foreign language requirements: No
• Additional tuition/fees: Yes
• GPA requirements: 2.5+ cumulative GPA to declare, 2.0+ cumulative GPA to graduate, 2.0+ major GPA to graduate

Curriculum

Campus Courses

The following courses are part of the Associate of Arts in Business Administration:

• BUSN 105: Introduction to Business
• COLL 100: College Success
• ENGL 125: English Composition
• COLL 120: Presentation Skills
• ENGL 200: Advanced Composition
• GE 150: Introduction to Logic & Critical Thinking
• BUSN 160: Principles of Marketing
• COLL 121: AI for Business
• CPTR 125: Spreadsheets & Databases
• MATH 125: Quantitative Reasoning
• BUSN 210: Entrepreneurship
• BUSN 130: Microeconomics
• BUSN 150: Business & Professional Ethics
• ACCT 100: Financial Accounting I
• BUSN 180: Macroeconomics
• BUSN 205: Principles of Management
• ACCT 200: Financial Accounting II
• BUSN 200: Digital Marketing
• GE 110: American Government
• BUSN 215: Business Law
• BUSN 220: Modern Finance
• BUSN 230: Small Business Management
• BUSN 250: Business Communications
• BUSN 275: Strategic Management
• GE 125: Environmental Science & Ecological Living
• MATH 200: Calculus I

VCU Courses

The following courses are part of the Bachelor of Science in Accounting at VCU:

• ACCT 301: Federal Income Taxation for Individuals
• ACCT 303: Intermediate Accounting I
• ACCT 304: Intermediate Accounting II
• ACCT 305: Intermediate Accounting III
• ACCT 306: Cost Accounting
• ACCT 307: Accounting Systems
• ACCT 406: Auditing
• ACCT 408: Data Analytics for Accountants
• Select one of the following: INFO 320, MKTG 350, SCMA 302, or SCMA 303
• Approved accounting/analytics electives
• BUSN 301: Career and Professional Development
• BUSN 323: Legal Environment of Business
• BUSN 499: Business Knowledge Exam
• FIRE 311: Financial Management
• MGMT 303: Creativity and Ideation
• MGMT 310: Managing People in Organizations
• MGMT 434: Strategic Management
• MKTG 301: Marketing Principles
• SCMA 301: Business Statistics I
• SCMA 320: Production/Operations Management
• REAL: The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved "REAL" co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4.

Credits

• Campus credits transferred to VCU: 64
• Credits completed at VCU: 58
• Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree: 120