Future Students

Academics

Accounting

College of Business


 

QUICK JUMP
  Accounting
  Requirements and Core Courses
  Scholarships and Financial Aid
  Careers
  Salaries
  Student Involvement: Organizations and Activities
  Related Fields of Study That Might Interest You
  Contact Information

Accounting

The accounting program is one of only three in the Northwest and approximately 165 worldwide that have earned the prestigious separate AACSB Accounting Accreditation for the undergraduate major (BA), the master of accounting degree (MAcc), and the doctoral degree (PhD). The accounting major is the largest undergraduate program in the College of Business, attracting high quality and ambitious students.

After attaining the bachelors degree, many students continue their accounting education by entering the MAcc program. The MAcc program features more advanced accounting courses, and graduates meet the 150-hour requirement of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination.

• Offered at WSU: Bachelor of arts in business administration with a major in accounting
• Available at: Pullman, Vancouver, Tri-Cities

Requirements and Core Courses

To certify as an accounting major:
After taking 60 credit hours, completing 10 specified courses (EconS 101 and 102, Engl 101, Acctg 230 and 231, B Law 210, MgtOp 215, Math 201 and 202, MIS 250), and earning a 2.5 GPA, students can certify into a specific major within business, such as accounting.
• NOTE: Certification is required for enrollment in all 300- and 400-level business courses.

In addition to University general education requirements, students in this major must take the following:

Business core requirements
EconS 101—Fundamentals of Microeconomics
EconS 102—Fundamentals of Macroeconomics
Engl 101—Introductory Writing
Acctg 230—Introduction to Financial Accounting
Acctg 231—Introduction to Managerial Accounting
B Law 210—Law and the Legal Environment of Business
MgtOp 215—Statistics
Math 201—Intro to Finite Math for Business & Econ
Math 202—Intro to Math Analysis for Business & Econ
MIS 250—Managing Information Technology
MgtOp 340—Operations Management
Fin 325—Finance
MgtOp 301—Principles of Management & Organization
Mktg 360—Marketing
Engl 402—Technical and Professional Writing
     or Engl 403—Technical and Professional Writing ESL
MgtOp 491—Business Strategy and Policy
     or 492—Small Business Policy
ComSt 102 or ComSt 235, or HD 205
PolSci—any three-credit class
Any [D or SD] class in Soc or Psych

Accounting requirements
Acctg 330—Intermediate Accounting I
Acctg 331—Intermediate Accounting II
Acctg 335—Introduction to Taxation
Acctg 338—Cost Accounting
Acctg 433[M]—Accounting Systems and Auditing
Acctg 438[M]—Advanced Cost Accounting and Management
     or Acctg 439[M]—Auditing

Three of Group A:
Acctg 420 – Accounting and Culture
Acctg 430 – Advanced Accounting
Acctg 435 – Individual Income Tax
Acctg 438[M]—Advanced Cost Accounting and Management
     or Acctg 439[M]—Auditing
Acctg 443 – Business Processes and Controls
B Law 487 – Business Ethics
EconS 305 – Theory of Firm and Market Policy

NOTE: See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements. All students must meet course requirements as outlined in the General Catalog in order to graduate.

Be sure to contact the academic department before you register for classes — they can help you with planning your courses, getting the prerequisites you need to certify into the major, and general advising.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Students majoring in accounting qualify for scholarships from the Department of Accounting and may also be eligible for scholarships from WSU’s College of Business.

You may also be eligible for a variety of federal, state, and University-sponsored scholarships and financial aid. To find out more, visit the Costs & Financial Aid section of the WSU Web site.

Careers

Job placement of WSU MAcc graduates is outstanding, annually approaching 100%. Graduates of the WSU accounting program also experience exceptional success on the CPA exam.

WSU accounting majors typically have job offers and accept professional positions before graduation.

Accounting graduates have a diversity of career opportunities, and can work as auditors, consultants, and tax professionals. Accounting careers are characterized by rapid increases in salary and responsibility.

WSU accounting graduates have an extremely strong track record of obtaining career positions in public accounting firms, consulting firms, financial institutions, high tech and start-up companies, manufacturing, agribusiness, communication, government, and health care organizations.

Graduates can boost their opportunities and salary potential by attaining professional certification as a CPA (certified public accountant), CMA (certified management accounting), and CIA (certified internal auditor). With experience, accounting graduates can become chief financial officers, partners in public accounting firms, and controllers in organizations of all sizes around the world.

Salaries

Entry-level accountants report salaries ranging from $45,000-60,000. Master’s and doctoral degrees as well as professional certifications can greatly impact an accountant's future salary growth.

Student Involvement: Organizations and Activities

There is a dynamic student club that will interest Accounting students: Beta Alpha Psi (the Accounting Honorary Society).

Beta Alpha Psi meets frequently and allows students to network with professionals who share their interests. The club hosts alumni and executive guests who share their real-world experiences and discuss technical issues, career opportunities, and special topics like ethics, liability, and job interviews.

Beta Alpha Psi also helps connect student members to internship and job opportunities, coordinates field trips to firms, and sponsors activities on campus.

Related Fields of Study That Might Interest You

Accounting and Information Systems
Economics
Finance
Management and Operations

Contact Information
Department of Accounting
Washington State University
Todd Hall, Room 242
PO Box 644729
Pullman, WA 99164-4729
(Fax: 509-335-4275)
accounting@cb.wsu.edu
509-335-8541
 

Strengths of the Program

  • AACSB International accounting accreditation for the undergraduate, master's and doctoral accounting programs.
  • Accounting faculty are award-winning teachers, work closely with students, and take a personal interest in your success
  • Beta Alpha Psi is a premier student organization, providing students the opportunity to interact weekly with top-tier accounting professionals and executives.
  • Outstanding placement: WSU accounting graduates work in Big 4 international and national public accounting firms, corporations, and government agencies.
  • WSU accounting students experience exceptional success on the CPA examination, resulting in national rankings for the Department of Accounting.
Office of Enrollment Management, PO Box 641067, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-1067, 888-GO TO WSU (888-468-6978), Contact Us