ACCOUNTING
Disciplinary Major or Minor - http://www.uwgb.edu/busadmin/
OVERVIEW OF ACCOUNTING:
Accounting at UW-Green Bay provides both in-depth knowledge and the broad business background necessary to understand the role of accounting in the business world and be an effective Accounting practitioner.
The program provides considerable exposure to the liberal arts and develops the critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal communication, quantitative, and computer skills needed by graduates to successfully serve as leaders within modern organizations. The program also addresses contemporary organizational issues in specific classes and throughout the curriculum, such as the role of accounting in continuous quality improvement, implementation of computer technology and advances in accounting information systems and accounting ethics.
UW-Green Bay Accounting graduates have secured careers in the fields of Public Accounting, Industry, Government, and the IRS to name a few. In addition, many graduates have become CEO's and Controllers, and to a lesser extent in non-profit organizations. Mainly the Accounting major prepares students for careers in the fields of private or public Accounting
TIPS FROM THE PROF:
(from Dr. Marilyn Sagrillo, Associate Professor of Business Administration)
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For high school students: Take the academic track in high school, not the business track. You'll be better off taking as much math and other academic courses rather than taking accounting or other business courses in high school. You'll learn what you need about business in college, but you really need the academic background high school provides.
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For college students: Plan on spending large amounts of time studying. Accounting is a very challenging (and rewarding!) discipline, but it takes work. If you can avoid it, don't try and take a full load of courses and work 30-40 hours a week. You won't have time to accomplish everything you'll need to.
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Also, do an internship if possible. View it as a career opportunity, and not just another part-time job. Often internships turn into full time employment after graduation.
WHO SHOULD BE AN ACCOUNTING MAJOR:
The following qualities are needed for students interested in Accounting: Good problem-solving skills, Ability to communicate, Ability to explain complex concepts to others, Ability to make connections among ideas- Accountants take financial statements and other financial information and help people make connections among the various items and interpret them.
There are several career paths, and they all need similar types of qualities:
- For a career in "Auditing": You have to have a high degree of organizational skills, attention to detail, etc.
- For a career in "Tax Preparation": You have to like to do taxes! :)
- For a career in "Industry": An understanding of how business processes work (If you are going to work in a manufacturing environment, you need to have a sense of manufacturing processes). Willingness to work as part of a management team, and ability to "speak the language" across disciplines (You've got to work with folks from all parts of the organization and be able to communicate with them).
The Accounting graduate automatically receives a Business minor with the Accounting major. If a student wants another minor, it will be in addition to the Business minor.
WHO SHOULD BE AN ACCOUNTING MINOR:
Sometimes Business students use it as a minor. Any student who has Accounting as a minor needs to have a fairly good background in business. There are few students who combine an Accounting minor with majors other than Business . Recently, the number of students pursuing the Accounting minor has increased significantly.
WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS MAJOR AT UW-GREEN BAY :
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BREADTH. Accounting students complete a Business minor which provides the student with additional diversity to their education.
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GUIDANCE. Each student works with a faculty adviser to plan a program which meets the student's personal and professional goals.
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INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE. Extensive opportunities are available to meet business professionals and gain practical experience. An active Accounting student organization supports these efforts and helps students to meet others with like interests. Faculty members encourage participation in the internship program, through which students learn while working in real business settings.
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SUCCESS. More than 90 percent of UW-Green Bay Accounting graduates typically find employment in their chosen careers within six months of graduation.
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EXCELLENCE. Alumni surveys indicate that alumni perceive the Accounting program very favorably, their program of study prepared them extremely well for their careers, the quality of the accounting faculty is "excellent," and they would definitely recommend the program to others. Also, graduates of the program do very well on professional examinations like the CPA exam.
SKILLS & ABILITIES GAINED WITH THIS MAJOR:
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PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION. The Accounting curriculum is a rigorous and problem-focused program comprised of three integrated elements: supporting, core, and major courses. The supporting and core courses provide breadth and introduce each student to the foundations of business knowledge, including communications, economics, statistics, computers, accounting, finance, management and marketing. The major courses provide depth and prepare each accounting student thoroughly for a professional career.
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CERTIFICATION. Graduates are qualified to take professional accounting examinations, including the CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CMA (Certified Management Accountant), and CIA (Certified Internal Auditing) examinations. Recent surveys suggest that well over 30 percent of the accounting graduates pass all four parts of the CPA exam during their first sitting; of those who take it a second time, 75 percent pass all four parts. These figures compare very favorably with the national averages, where the first time pass rate is approximately 20 percent. It should be noted that all students wishing to take the Wisconsin CPA exam are now required to have a minimum of 150 college credits prior to doing so.
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH A MAJOR IN ACCOUNTING:
The following list represents just a few of the career titles for Accounting majors. Use it as an idea list, and remember that it represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you might consider in Accounting.
Commodities Trader, Industrial Buyer, Professor, Assistant Controller, Computer Programmer, Internal Auditor, Public Accountant, Auditor, Consumer Credit Officer, International Trade Specialist, Securities Broker, Bank Examiner, Controller, Inventory Control Specialist, Stockbroker, Benefits Administrator, Cost Accountant, IRS Investigator, Systems Analyst, Budgetary Control Analyst, Credit and Collection Specialist, Loan Administrator, Tax Lawyer, Certified Public Accountant, Entrepreneur, Loan Officer, Tax Specialist, Chief Cost Accountant, Estate Planner, Management Consultant, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer, FBI Agent, CIA Agent, Financial Analyst, Claims Adjuster, Payroll Manager, Underwriter, Commercial Banker, Personal Financial Planner...
The following list represents a few of the kinds of businesses and institutions that employ Accounting majors:
CPA firms, private industry, manufacturers, health care industry, state and federal government, banks and other financial institutions, nonprofit agencies…
Want to know more about the nature of the work, working conditions, earnings, training, and job outlook? Then check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook @ http://stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm
LINKS TO GRAD PROGRAMS FOR ACCOUNTING STUDIES :
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Graduate School Guide. The comprehensive on-line guide to doctoral, masters, and professional programs. http://www.schoolguides.com
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Gradschools.com. The most comprehensive online source of Graduate School Information. http://www.gradschools.com/
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Peterson’s.com. The most comprehensive and heavily traveled education resource on the web. http://www.petersons.com/
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Or you can try any of the following search engine sites for information on the graduate school program of your choice! http://www.yahoo.com, http://www.infoseek.com, or http://www.snap.com
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For information on accredited programs in business, contact: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Homepage @ http://www.aacsb.edu
LINKS TO WEB SITES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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American Institute of Certified Public Accountants , Harborside Financial Center, 201 Plaza III, Jersey City, NJ 07311-3881. Homepage @ http://www.aicpa.org
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Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants (WICPA) , P.O. Box 1010 - Brookfield, WI 53008-1010. TEL 414/785-0445, 1-800/772-6939 (WI/MN). Homepage @ www.wicpa.org
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American Accounting Association http://http://aaahq.org/index.cfm
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The Accounting & Finance Jobs Web features National employment opportunities for accounting and finance professionals, accounting resume info, and employer profiles. Homepage @ http://www.financialjobsweb.com/
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Information on careers in management accounting and the CMA designation may be obtained from: Institute of Management Accountants, 10 Paragon Dr., Montvale, NJ 7645-1760. Homepage @ http://www.imanet.org
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Information on the Accredited in Accountancy/Accredited Business Accountant, Accredited Tax Advisor, or Accredited Tax Preparer designations may be obtained from: National Society of Accountants and the Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation, 1010 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Homepage @ http://www.nsacct.org/
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Information on careers in internal auditing and the CIA designation may be obtained from: The Institute of Internal Auditors, 249 Maitland Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32701-4201. Homepage @ http://www.theiia.org
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Information on careers in information systems auditing and the CISA designation may be obtained from: The Information Systems Audit and Control Association, 3701 Algonquin Rd., Suite 1010, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008. Homepage @ http://www.isaca.org
LINKS FOR MORE HELP:
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For course listings and descriptions for Accounting and other disciplines, check out UW-Green Bay’s Programs of Study page @ http://www.uwgb.edu/catalog/undrgrad/programs.htm
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More help is available on-campus at the Career Services Office at SS 1600, 465-2163. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/careers
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Contact Academic Advising at SS 1600, 465-2362. Homepage @ http://www.uwgb.edu/advising
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Another service for UW System students on the Web is UW HELP On-Line. This service provides in-depth information on the programs of the UW System. You can find them at @ http://www.uwhelp.wisconsin.edu
Revised 8/08
