Accountancy
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business
What is Accountancy?
Accountancy is the language of business, providing a way to describe and report business transactions. Accountants organize, analyze, and interpret the business information necessary to make decisions and plan for the future. They prepapre profit and loss statements, balance sheets, cost studies, and tax reports, and they advise clients on other accounting and tax problems.
What are the features of Miami's program?
Top national ranking: The Public Accounting Report ranks Miami's undergraduate accountancy program 11th in the nation for 2007. Miami's Farmer School of Business has been ranked as one of the top 50 undergraduate business programs in the country. It is fully accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the sole accrediting agency for programs in business administration and accounting. Only 22 percent of American business schools have all of their programs accredited by the AACSB.
Skills-oriented program: Miami's accountancy program focuses on the skills that result in highly recruitable graduates. The program is designed to emphasize oral and written communication, computer technology, critical thinking and problem solving, professional research, and working in teams.
Target school for recruitment: Miami has traditionally been a target school for Fortune 500 companies and the Big Four accounting firms. More than 92 percent of Miami business students secure employment within months of graduation, while five percent continue with graduate education. Our alumni prove the quality of their career preparation. More than 2,000 Miami business graduates are presidents, CEOs, or owners of companies.
First-rate facilities: In recognition of its national reputation, firms and individuals have made significant financial contributions to the department. Corporations and public accounting firms such as Baxter International, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Deloitte & Touche LLP, and KPMG LLP have provided classroom furnishings and technology. Ernst & Young LLP funds a tax library containing current resources on tax laws (updated each year).
Are there special admission requirements?
Admission to the Farmer School of Business is limited, and the criteria for admission are subject to change as enrollment demands vary.
Entering freshmen who are admitted to and participate in the School of Business Honors Program are afforded regular business standing upon initial enrollment. All other entering freshmen are admitted to the School as "pre-business" majors and advance to regular business upon successful completion of all admission requirements. These requirements include 60 semester hours in courses such as Calculus, Introduction to Financial Accounting, and Business Statistics. A 3.0 g.p.a. in all business core courses and Miami Plan Foundation courses is also necessary.
What courses would I take?
The accountancy major begins with courses in the principles of accounting. Then you will take courses in financial and managerial accounting, accounting systems, and taxation and auditing.
The State of Ohio has adopted legislation that requires you to have 150 hours of education to become a CPA. Similar legislation has been adopted in almost all other states. To meet these requirements, Miami's accountancy program offers a five-year program consisting of a four-year bachelor's degree and a one-year master's degree. Five-year program students graduate at the end of four years with a bachelor's degree and continue on for a fifth year to earn a master's degree. (You must apply to the Graduate School for admission to the Master of Accountancy program during your senior year.) Alternately, students may graduate at the end of four years with a bachelor's degree and find employment with accounting firms, corporations, and nonprofit organizations where undergraduate education is sufficient. You may also choose to continue your graduate education elsewhere or in the MBA program at Miami, or build toward 150 hours of undergraduate education.
What can I do with this major?
Accountants have a variety of career paths from which to choose. Within public accounting, you can work for any size firm, ranging from a large international CPA firm to a small, local accounting practice. Approximately 45 percent of our accountancy majors are hired by the Big Four firms—Deloitte & Touche LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, KPMG LLP, and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. You can also work for any type of business, from a corporate giant to a small operation. Miami graduates have gone on to work for companies such as Baxter International, Cinergy, General Electric, JPMorganChase, the Kroger Company, National City Bank, Procter & Gamble, and Sherwin-Williams. Accountants can also work for nonprofit organizations or federal, state, or local government.
Who can I contact for more information?
For general information about Miami University, please contact:
Office of Admission
301 S. Campus Ave.
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056-3434
513-529-2531 (v/t)
www.muohio.edu/requestinfo
For specific information on the Accountancy major, please contact:
Academic Advising Office
Farmer School of Business
1022 FSB
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-1712 (v/t)
www.fsb.muohio.edu/advising
