Major in Accounting

Students may seek either an academic major or minor in accounting.

The accounting major combines theory and practice to prepare students for analysis of and reporting on the economic activities of organizations and communication of that information to decision makers. Students develop skills in managerial accounting, budgeting, accounting systems, internal controls, financial analysis, financial reporting, internal and external auditing, taxation, and international accounting. The major prepares students for a range of accounting careers in profit, not-for-profit, and government organizations.

Articulation Agreement

An articulation agreement between UMUC's Undergraduate School and Graduate School allows eligible students who complete their undergraduate degree at UMUC with a major in accounting to reduce their total coursework for the graduate degree by 6 credits (two courses) and complete both degrees with a total of 150 credits of coursework. More information is available in the Articulation Agreement.

Intended Program Outcomes

The student who graduates with a major in accounting should be able to

• Work effectively with interdisciplinary professionals and diverse stakeholders.
• Communicate with financial and nonfinancial audiences in a clear and concise manner, by making appropriate decisions about relevancy, reliability, and medium.
• Research, prepare, analyze, and review financial and business data by applying accounting and business management principles and standards to produce financial and business reports.
• Proficiently use current technology and analytical tools to perform business functions, work collaboratively, and facilitate decision making.
• Employ analysis, critical thinking, and problem solving to identify, test, and validate processes, systems, and financial data to advise stakeholders.
• Define, develop, and demonstrate ethical business practices and accountability by identifying and addressing current and emerging ethical and regulatory issues.
• Develop professionally by collaborating, training, mentoring, negotiating, solving problems creatively, and participating in networking activities to demonstrate and develop leadership skills.

Degree Requirements

A degree with a major in accounting requires the successful completion of 120 credits of coursework, including 54 credits for the major and mandatory minor in business administration, 41 credits in general education requirements, and 25 credits in electives and other requirements. At least 18 credits in the major and 9 credits in the minor must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above).

Requirements for the Accounting Major

Coursework for a major in accounting, with a mandatory minor in business administration, includes the following:

• Required core courses (21 credits): ACCT 220, 221, 310, 311, 321, 323, and 422
• Supplemental major courses (12 credits): Any upper-level ACCT courses
• Required capstone course (3 credits): ACCT 495
• Required minor courses (18 credits): STAT 230 (or 200); ACCT 411 (or BMGT 496); BMGT 364 and 380; FINC 330; and MRKT 310
• Required related courses (9 credits), which may be applied anywhere in the degree: IFSM 300 and ECON 201 and 203

Recommended Sequence

The following course sequence will fulfill all the requirements for the BS in accounting. Coursework for the major is indicated by . Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may make it necessary to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Students should consult an advisor whenever taking advantage of other options.

Accounting Degree Courses

First Courses (to be taken within the first 18 credits)

Note: Placement tests are required for math and writing courses.

• EDCP 100 Principles and Strategies of Successful Learning (3)
  (strongly recommended as first course)
• LIBS 150 Introduction to Research (1)
• WRTG 101 Introduction to Writing (3)
  or WRTG 101S Introduction to Writing (3)
• MATH 106 Finite Mathematics (3)
  or a higher-level math course
• BMGT 110 Introduction to Business and Management (3)
  (strongly recommended elective for students with no prior business experience)
• ACCT 220 Principles of Accounting I (3)

Introductory Courses (to be taken within the first 30 credits)

• ACCT 221 Principles of Accounting II (3)
• ECON 201 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
  (related requirement for the major; also fulfills the first behavioral and social sciences requirement)
• BIOL 103 Introduction to Biology (4)
  or other biological and physical sciences lecture and laboratory course
  
• WRTG 293 Introduction to Professional Writing (3)
  or other writing course
• IFSM 201 Concepts and Applications of Information Technology (3)
  prerequisite to requirements for major

Foundation Courses (to be taken within the first 60 credits)

• HUMN 100 Introduction to Humanities (3)
  or other arts and humanities course
• STAT 230 Introductory Business Statistics (3)
  or STAT 200 Introduction to Statistics
• ECON 203 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
  (related requirement for the major)
• BEHS 103 Technology in Contemporary Society (3)
  or other behavioral and social sciences course (discipline must differ from first)
• NSCI 100 Introduction to Physical Science (3)
  or other biological and physical sciences lecture course
• ACCT 310 Intermediate Accounting I (3)
• HIST 125 Technological Transformations (3)
  or other arts and humanities/historical perspective course (discipline must differ from other humanities course)
• ACCT 321 Cost Accounting (3)
• COMM 202 Media and Society (3)
  or other communication, writing, or speech course
• IFSM 300 Information Systems in Organizations (3) 
  (related requirement for the major; also fulfills the computing requirement)

Additional Required Courses (to be taken after introductory and foundation courses)

• BMGT 364 Management and Organization Theory (3)
• ACCT 311 Intermediate Accounting II (3)
• ACCT 323 Federal Income Tax I (3)
• ACCT 411 Ethics and Professionalism in Accounting (3)
  or BMGT 496 Business Ethics
• ACCT 422 Auditing Theory and Practice (3)
• WRTG 394 Advanced Business Writing (3)
  or other upper-level advanced writing course
• ACCT 410 Accounting for Government and Not-for-Profit Organizations (3)
  or other upper-level ACCT course (supplemental major course)
• ACCT 425 International Accounting (3)
  or other supplemental major course
• FINC 330 Business Finance (3)
• ACCT 433 Audit and Control of Information Technology (3)
  or other supplemental major course
• BMGT 380 Business Law I (3)
• ACCT 427 Advanced Auditing (3)
  or other supplemental major course
• MRKT 310 Marketing Principles (3)

Capstone Course for Major (to be taken in the last 15 credits)

• ACCT 495 Contemporary Issues in Accounting Practice (3)

Additional Elective Courses (16)
(to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses)

Recommended Electives

• ACCT 326 Accounting Information Systems (3)
• ACCT 424 Advanced Accounting (3)
  (highly recommended for those who wish to sit for the CPA exam)
  

Total credits for BS in accounting: 120

Accounting Degree Planning Worksheet