Accounting programs at colleges and universities may be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) or the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Programs accredited by AACSB and ACBSP ensure the accounting instructors are professionally qualified, the curriculum reflects the current business environment and efforts are made for graduates to receive successful job placement.
Students must complete a combination of the required general education courses (university requirements), general business courses (college requirements) and core accounting courses (major requirements). General education courses are those in humanities, the sciences and the arts. General business courses include classes in other business areas such as economics, finance, marketing, accounting and statistics. Core accounting courses include intermediate and advanced financial accounting, managerial (cost) accounting, auditing and taxation. Students learn accounting principles and methods, audit procedures and the laws, rules and methods of tax accounting.
A bachelor's degree in accounting provides increased opportunities for employment. Individuals possessing a bachelor's degree in accounting may become certified public accountants (CPAs) and may be employed at varying levels of management as financial analysts, controllers, auditors, financial planners or tax accountants. They may hold positions in public accounting, government, corporations, financial institutions, education, health care and other industries.
Costs for an accounting degree vary by institution, location and other factors. As an example, the average tuition cost for an undergraduate student at University of Chicago each year is $41,000, while the cost for attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,000 for Illinois residents and $28,000 for out-of-state residents. Students should apply for scholarships prior to enrollment and complete an application for financial aid to offset program costs.