As an accounting student at KU, you will prepare to work in a variety of fields upon graduation including industry, nonprofit, government, higher education or public accounting. You will receive a well-rounded education in business as well as specified training in accounting. You can supplement your major with a concentration which will give you specialized training in an area of interest and will make you more competitive in the job market. The accounting major requires a total of 120 credit hours, including general education classes, which meet the requirements of the KU Core and additional courses including MATH 115, PSYC 104 and a natural science with lab. You will also take 20 credit hours in foundation business classes and 18 credit hours of core business classes. For your accounting major you will take 19 additional hours of accounting classes as well as six credit hours of any business course No. 320 or higher. Your career in the business school will culminate in a capstone course, Business Policy & Strategy (MGMT 498), where you will apply the skills you acquire in the business school toward case studies and projects. As a KU business student, you will be required to complete an International Dimension Requirement (IDR). You can meet this by taking foreign language classes or proving equivalent proficiency through the fourth level (intermediate II). You can also fulfill this requirement by completing six credit hours through any approved Study Abroad program or through classes in contemporary regional/international studies or international business. Following graduation, you will be qualified to work in accounting positions at organizations and public accounting firms. The undergraduate accounting program builds a strong foundation for graduates to pursue a successful career or graduate degree. Most states require 150 credit hours for public accounting positions, which also fulfills the requirements for the Master of Accounting degree. You will leave the accounting program with a well-rounded education, prepared to enter the workforce as a competitive candidate for any type of accounting job.

Accountants are pivotal to the success of every company, particularly in heavily regulated industries and industries with an emphasis in financial transactions. As an accountant your job opportunities can be divided into two types: accounting departments within a company or public accounting firms. While an internal accounting department monitors activity for one corporation, a public accounting firm performs various services for a client. Accountants in both fields monitor the company’s financial activity and account for the corporation’s costs and sales to manage prices and maximize profitability. Public accounting firms also make sure that the client stays in compliance with laws as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission. As an accountant, you will have plenty of room for advancement. Many accounting graduates start as an auditor. In an internal marketing department, you can move from there to audit director, controller, vice president of finance and even chief financial officer. To get an accounting position, it is important to get internships and network during your time here at KU. Making connections is imperative to make your job search easier and more successful.