Major in Accounting

An accounting major can open the door to a dynamic career in any area of today’s job market.

In corporate, not-for-profit and government organizations, professional accountants provide essential services in day-to-day operations and beyond.

Major Requirements

The four-year undergraduate accounting program requires the business Core Curriculum and seven additional courses. The undergraduate program requires 32 credits, or 128 semester hours.

Students are required to complete 150 semester hours of college credit to be eligible to sit for the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) examination. To meet the 150-hour requirement, a student can finish the four-year undergraduate program and then take additional undergraduate courses from the recommended list to accumulate 150 semester hours. Students choosing to take 150 semester hours at the undergraduate level should work closely with their advisor to select the most appropriate set of courses that meets their needs.

As of July 1, 2013, CPA candidates must complete these additional requirements: two semester hours of business communications and three semester hours of business ethics. Students can complete these requirements by completing designated courses at the undergraduate level at Elmhurst University.

A student specializing in accounting must take the following courses with a minimum grade of C in addition to the core curriculum.

Required Courses

  • The Core Curriculum
  • BUS 361 Intermediate Accounting I
  • BUS 362 Intermediate Accounting II
  • BUS 360 Cost Accounting
  • BUS 365 Business Law
  • BUS 366 Accounting Information Systems
  • BUS 462 Income Taxation I
  • BUS 466 Auditing

Recommended Additional Courses

  • BUS 350 Cultural Diversity in Organizations
  • BUS 441 Corporate Finance
  • BUS 470 Seminar in Special Topics
  • BUS 492 Independent Study
  • COM 315 Intercultural Communication
  • COM 319 Business and Professional Communication
  • ECO 414 Microeconomics
  • ECO 416 Macroeconomics
  • PHL 310 Business Ethics

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