Accountancy Undergraduate Programs
Find out how far you can take your career in accounting and consulting with an undergraduate, master's or doctoral degree or certificate in accounting.
#23
national ranking for public undergraduate accounting programs
U.S. News & World Report 2024
70%
CPA exam pass rate for accounting graduates in first attempt
(49% national average)
#3
national ranking for accounting PhD graduates' publication record
Accounting Rankings, BYU
A Rigorous Four-year Accounting Program
Selecting the Accounting major is the foundation for a dynamic and robust business career. Accounting is at the core of every business decision and goes beyond “keeping the books”. Accountants analyze financial information, provide solutions to difficult problems through critical thinking, and communicate information and strategies in a way that helps all stakeholders make well informed decisions.
The Undergraduate Accounting Program requires professional admission to the Eller College of Management. This process is separate from the admission to the University of Arizona.
Accounting Curriculum
The Accounting major requires a minimum of 21 accounting units and 30 professional core units. Students will take five required accounting courses along with a mandatory capstone course during their final semester. Additionally, students will choose one elective class from a selection of upper division accounting course options to earn 21 units of accounting.
Professional core units can be taken in the areas of Business Communication, Economics, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Quantitative Financial Management, Organizational Management, Business Ethics, Information Systems, Operations Management and Marketing.
Why Choose Eller Accounting?
Interested in pursing a degree in accounting? Some of our undergraduate students share what they enjoy most about the program, what they plan to do after graduation and why the career opportunities with an accounting degree are endless.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
To become a CPA, you must be declared eligible for the examination by the Board of Accountancy in the jurisdiction you desire to become licensed in. According to the Arizona State Board of Accountancy, to sit for the CPA exam, you must present satisfactory evidence that you have successfully obtained a baccalaureate or a higher degree from an accredited institution or a college or university that maintains standards comparable to those of an accredited institution. The evidence must show (1) at least 24 semester hours of non duplicative accounting courses of which 12 semester hours are upper level courses, and (2) shall also include at least 18 semester hours in related courses. Completion of a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Accounting at Eller will satisfy the requirements to sit for the CPA exam in Arizona.
All states and territories require 150 credit hours for licensure; therefore, the BSBA with a major of Accounting alone does not meet the educational requirements for licensure as a CPA. The required additional coursework can be completed at the University of Arizona through a graduate accounting program. In certain states, such as Arizona, applicants may have the option to sit for the CPA examination while completing their additional coursework. For further information and a list of state professional licensing boards please visit: http://nasba.org/stateboards/
Summer Accounting Emphasis Program
Priority Application Deadline: March 15
The Dhaliwal-Reidy School offers an Accounting Emphasis Program for (non-Accounting) Eller College undergraduates. The accounting emphasis helps students create value in any type of business, non-profit or government organization. The program will broaden a student’s learning experiences and professional opportunities by providing training in accounting topics and analysis.
The 9-unit program is designed so that all admitted students will complete the accounting emphasis coursework during one summer.
You will learn how to analyze and interpret financial statements, how managers analyze accounting data and make important decisions, and gain a broad perspective on federal taxation, along with how individuals are taxed. This accounting emphasis is intended to sharpen your accounting knowledge and will differentiate you from others in your business major.
Course Requirements
Prerequisite Requirements:
Students must have met the requirements for Eller admission and been accepted into an Eller major other than accounting. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required.
Required Courses:
This course begins with an overview of the theoretical basis of financial accounting and a review of the four principal financial statements. The course then examines valuation, measurement, and reporting issues related to selected financial statement items, with an emphasis on assets and revenues. Students are expected to understand the accounting theory and concepts that underlie the accounting issues covered in class as well as to become technically proficient with respect to the accounting principles governing the reporting of financial statement items.
Units: 3
Offered: 7 Week Session II, July 1 - August 16, online
This course is an intermediate accounting course that examines the valuation, measurement and reporting issues related to selected financial statement items, with an emphasis on liabilities and stockholders' equity. It is assumed that students have a strong accounting background since this is a 2nd Intermediate class. There are two main goals of the class. The first is to become technically proficient in financial reporting. The second is to understand how, why and where any given transaction affects the firm's financial statements.
Units: 3
Offered: 7 Week Session I, May 13 - June 28, online
Elective Courses (choose one):
This course covers the principles of federal taxation, with an emphasis on how individuals are taxed. The course integrates tax compliance, tax planning, financial accounting, economics, and finance. Mastering the material in this course will allow students to apply the framework learned to personal and business decisions, assess potential compliance and planning ramifications of current and prospective tax rules, understand tax computations for individuals and business entities, and devise strategies that minimize taxes and maximize after-tax wealth.
Units: 3
Offered: 7 Week Session I, May 13 - June 28, online
Cost and Managerial Accounting covers concepts and analytical procedures necessary in the generation of accounting data for management planning control. Topics covered in this class include cost volume profit analysis, job costing, process costing, standard costing, allocating support costs, budgets, and the decision making process.
Units: 3
Offered: Not currently offered in summer - If you wish to take this course, there may be room in fall or spring
TOTAL: 9 units minimum
Admission
The priority application deadline was March 15 for the upcoming summer. Applicants will be notified by the end of March of the admission decision. For the students applying after March 15, decisions will be made on a rolling basis. Applicants are notified within two weeks of submitting their application of the admission decision.
Several criteria will be considered in the application process: your application essay, grade point average, resume, etc.
Scholarships
The following scholarship opportunities apply to students studying accounting:
Award: Competitive merit-based awards up to $5,000. Awarded per academic year.
Website: http://www.aicpa.org/Career/DiversityInitiatives/Pages/smas.aspx
Requirements: Available only to full-time undergraduate and graduate minority students. Granted primarily based on merit (academic and personal achievement); financial need is evaluated as a secondary criteria. Minorities are defined as Black, Native American/Alaskan Native or Hispanic.
Award: $5,000
Website: https://na.theiia.org/about-us/about-ia/Pages/Academic-Relations-Resources-for-Students.aspx
Requirements: Must have taken internal audit courses at the undergraduate level and enrolled in a graduate program in internal auditing with completed course work in an internal auditing program before March 30 of the submission year. In addition must have written and submitted an original manuscript of 3000-5000 words on a topic related to internal auditing.
Deadline: March 1
Award: The award amount ranges from $1,500 - $2500, with limited scholarship awards for top candidates up to $10,000.
Website: https://www.hsf.net/en_US/scholarships
Requirements: Must be of Hispanic background, a US citizen or legal permanent resident, be pursuing a degree in an accounting or finance related field, have a minimum cum. GPA of 3.0, have completed at least 15 undergrad credits and be attending a US accredited community college or university full-time.
The IMA sponsors a number of scholarship programs to help students who are members of IMA.
Website: http://www.imanet.org/students/scholarships-and-awards
Deadline: Variable
Award: $10,000, $5,000, $2,500 $1,000
Website: http://www.acfe.com/Scholarship/
Requirements: Undergraduates must be enrolled in 9 semester hours per term at an accredited four-year college or university w/declared major or minor in accounting, business administration, finance or criminal justice and demonstrate a desire to pursue a career in fraud examination or similar anti-fraud professions.
Deadline: February 4
Additional scholarship information is available at the UA Scholarship Resources website.