The Accounting major curriculum is designed with a concentration of accounting and tax-related courses. Students may opt to complete elective course work in a related area such as finance, business management or information technology. The undergraduate accounting program may consist of basic accounting, introductory financial and managerial accounting courses. Students must complete intermediate financial accounting, cost accounting, taxes and decision making, communication, systems and business, and auditing courses. You can obtain additional professional credentials by passing a series of accounting exams and getting your CPA.
Professionals holding a bachelor in accounting may work in public accounting, corporate accounting, management accounting, government accounting and internal auditing. Accountants and auditors are responsible for a business's tax reporting obligations. They analyze financial information for government and municipal agencies, or work with individual clients. Accounting professionals prepare financial reports and provide accurate tax information for corporations and government agencies. Auditors review a company's bookkeeping and records to ensure accuracy.
Finance majors fall under the School of Business. Students majoring in finance must complete core courses supplemented by elective choices. Finance majors study investments, corporate finance, cost accounting, management decisions and financial reporting. Electives include corporate finance working-capital management, corporation financial strategy, and governance. Investment options include security trading and market management, behavioral finance, equity and fixed income investments, derivatives securities and corporate risk management. Additional options include international finance, money banking and capital markets, and venture capital and entrepreneurial finance. Some finance majors tailor their coursework to the real-estate industry. You may take courses in real-estate law, real-estate appraisal, and real-estate analysis.
Those holding a bachelor's degree in Finance may pursue a job as a financial analyst, financial manager, investment analyst, securities trader, or portfolio manager. Financial analysts provide investment advice to companies and individual clients. They are employed by insurance companies, banks and securities firms. Security traders may work on the stock market and handle investments. Portfolio managers research specific companies and provide advice on the viability and volatility of stock offerings.