Accounting

Accounting is the language of business in that it captures, organizes, and presents financial information in a standardized way. The accounting program focuses on the process of analyzing, recording, communicating, and interpreting financial information about economic entities for the purpose of external and internal reporting and decision making. Our students integrate knowledge from other disciplines within the school: management, economics and computer information systems, to enter into organizations with both a functional and enterprise perspective.

Accreditation: The Accounting major is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Goals

Build a solid foundation of accounting concepts, skills, and practical applications to prepare yourself for a wide array of professional opportunities.

This major provides students with the ability to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of and application of accounting principles and procedures,

• Employ technology tools related to the area of accounting,

• Analyze alternatives to complex accounting problems,

• Utilize and integrate accounting information in business decision-making.

Careers for this Major

Accountants are employed in a wide variety of positions in public practice, business, industry, not-for-profits (hospitals, colleges and universities, charitable organizations, and voluntary health and welfare entities), education, and governmental units from the federal to the local level.

Accountants employed by public accounting firms may be employed as:

• Auditors

• Tax preparers, consultants, and planners

• Management consultants

• Forensic accountants

Accountants in business, industry, not-for-profit may be employed as:

• Financial accountants

• Managerial and cost accountants

• Tax accountants

• Financial and budget analysts

• Internal and EDP auditors

Accountants in government may be employed as:

• Tax auditors

• Regulatory compliance auditors

• Regulatory and contract analysts

• Budget analysts

• Law enforcement officers in cases of fraud or other white-collar crime

Professional Credentials

Credentials are awarded based upon meeting specific educational, examination, and experiential requirements.  Certified Public Accountants (CPA) are licensed by a state to provide accounting services to the public (see CPA requirements below).  Accountants engaged in business, industry, or not-for-profit entities may obtain the Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Global Chartered, Management Accountant (CGMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), or Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designations granted by professional associations for those fields.

CPA Requirements
In addition to successfully completing the CPA examination, licensing requirements address specific educational, experiential, and/or residential requirements. See the requirements of the State Board of Accountancy or other licensing body for the correct state or the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (https://nasba.org/stateboards/).

Generally, students are required to have completed 150 credits to be qualified to sit for the CPA examination. State educational requirements may be general or highly specific as to the number and nature of courses and credits required in accounting and in other business or business-related disciplines to meet that state’s particular educational requirement for the exam; some states may even address the method and locations of course delivery.

Although the completion of the requirements of the Norwich University accounting major, either singly or in combination with a double major in management, provides a solid foundation in preparation for the CPA examination, it may not fully meet a particular state’s requirements. In such cases, students are encouraged to complete graduate-level education in accounting, taxation, or business to fulfill the necessary requirements.

Residential programs admission. There are no additional criteria to declare this major.