The accounting concentration is designed to prepare students for accounting careers in public practice, industry, finance, government and non-profit organizations. The accounting field provides excellent career opportunities; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 2012 and 2022 our economy will grow 50,000 or more new accounting jobs. These positions will pay a median salary ranging from $55,000 to $74,000.
A factor that sets the SCSU concentration in accounting apart is that 36 credit hours in accounting are required for our undergraduate degree, which satisfies the requirement to be licensed as a Certified Public Accountant “CPA.” Accounting courses offered include International Accounting, Fraud and Forensic Accounting, Accounting Internships, a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) course, and an Accounting Capstone course. Students may complete the overall 150- hour educational requirements to be a licensed CPA while at SCSU by earning an additional 30 credits in general education courses; a graduate degree is not a requirement. Many of our students actually do accomplish this by stockpiling extra courses through high school Advanced Placement or summer classes; CPA firms prefer to hire graduating seniors meeting CPA educational requirements.
SCSU accounting students are frequently placed at Deloitte; PwC; E & Y; KPMG; RSM; Blum Shapiro; Dworken, Hillman, Lamorte & Sterczala, P.C.; Marcum; Webster Bank; and dozens of other organizations, both large and small. Every year we hold an Accounting and Finance Career Fair to help our students meet potential employers. In addition, the SCSU Accounting Society regularly hosts speakers from accounting professionals employed in public, private, and governmental accounting positions. The Society’s activities also include an annual awards banquet, and community service projects.
Finally, the SCSU accounting program boasts a highly respected collection of 10 full-time accounting faculty with either doctoral qualifications or significant practical experience as former “Big Four” firm partners. Faculty members have accomplished significant research projects in the form of scholarly journal articles and presentations on cutting-edge topics.