ACCOUNTING MAJOR

David L. McKenna Hall
206-281-2970
www.spu.edu/depts/sbe/

Ross E. Stewart, Contact Person
206-281-2900

FACULTY:  Tanya Nicole Boyd, Denise  Daniels, Jonathan Charles Deming, Douglas Allan Downing, Albert M Erisman, Randal S Franz, Dan W Hess, Gary L Karns, William  Kauppila, Herbert E Kierulff, Ryan Craig LaBrie, Grant LeRoy Learned, Henry L Petersen, Joanna Krystyna Poznanska, James F Rand, Kimberly M Sawers, Regina Pefanis Schlee, Gerhard  Steinke, Ross E Stewart, Donald B Summers, Lisa Klein Surdyk, Jeffrey B Van Duzer, Kenman  Wong

For a complete overview of degree requirements in the School of Business and Economics, visit the School of Business and Economics page in this Catalog.

Graduates with majors in accounting have careers in private industry, not-for-profit organizations, and in public accounting. The program balances sound theoretical foundations with relevant applications. This provides the necessary current knowledge for the student to launch a career, and it also prepares the student to respond to the changing future environment and needs for accounting information. Students who successfully complete the program will be eligible to take both the certified public accountant (CPA) and the certified management accountant (CMA) examinations.

Requirements for the Major
104 credits
Students desiring to major in accounting must follow the application process described above. To be awarded a degree with a major in accounting, students must meet the major requirements in effect at the time declaration of a major was made and have a minimum of 45 credit hours in the major at SPU.

Students who plan to obtain any of the professional designations such as certified public accountant (CPA), certified management accountant (CMA), or certified internal auditor (CIA) should contact an accounting faculty member for advising. Students who plan to take the CPA exam must have completed 225 quarter hours (equivalent to five years) of college coursework. Students may meet this requirement by earning a second bachelor’s degree, or by taking 45 additional undergraduate credits (which may be in any discipline and do not necessarily lead to a degree). However, CPA-bound students are encouraged to apply for admission to a graduate program in the School of Business and Economics, either the master of business administration (M.B.A.) or the master of science in information systems management (I.S.M.). Students interested in this program should do the following:

1. Participate in a cooperative education program with an accounting firm for at least one year.
2. Take the GMAT exam (for the M.B.A.) or the GRE exam (for the I.S.M.) in Autumn Quarter of their senior year.
3. Apply for admission to the graduate program in the Winter Quarter of their senior year.
4. Commence taking three graduate courses per quarter in the summer following completion of their senior year, and four more quarters (five quarters in total).

General Core
Note: Demonstration of computer competency is required. This is documented by passing CSC 1123, or by passing a competency exam covering the equivalent.

Note: ACCT 3353 Advanced Accounting is strongly recommended for students intending to take the CPA exam.

Need to know when a course is being offered? Check the 2008-09 Time Schedule.

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