Accounting majors are required to complete 9 accounting courses and 9 interdisciplinary courses as part of their core accounting curriculum. The curriculum provides the basic educational background needed to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and/or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) examinations.

Business Core (8 Courses)

Upper Level (9 courses)

The following electives are available to supplement the major requirements listed above. None of these courses is required to meet the undergraduate degree requirements but will assist in fulfilling the educational requirements for certification.

Course Descriptions

• Academic Catalog & Advising Guide
• Major in Accounting Course Descriptions

Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.) candidates should note that all states have adopted some version of what has come to be called the 150 hours rule. This rule requires 150 semester hours of a university education as a condition either to take the Uniform C.P.A. Examination or to become certified as a C.P.A. In Massachusetts, the requirement to take the C.P.A. exam is 120 semester hours of university education, and then 150 hours of education are required to obtain certification (the C.P.A. license). While the requirement does not specifically call for a graduate degree, 30 additional semester hours (150 hours less the 120 hours required in our undergraduate Accounting program) does represent a full year of study after the Bachelor’s degree. Assumption has designed a Six-in-Five Accelerated CPA track M.B.A. program to enable our C.P.A. candidate majors to begin their graduate studies during their senior year, satisfy the additional credit hour requirement, and receive both a B.A. and M.B.A. degree in five years instead of the six years these two degrees customarily require. Students planning to sit for the Uniform C.P.A. Examination should consult with the Accounting faculty no later than fall of their junior year. This will allow the student to devise a strategy for meeting the educational requirements.

Students who wish to apply for certification in Massachusetts after successful completion of the C.P.A. Examination should take the following courses to fulfill the specific requirements for certification:

At Least One Course in Each Area

Area 1

Area 2

Any business or economics course not required for the accounting major

Assumption’s CPA Track MBA program is designed to enable accounting majors who are likely CPA candidates to begin their graduate studies during their senior year. They satisfy the additional 30-hours requirement and receive both a BA and MBA degree in 5 years.

 Candidates should apply to the program during the spring of their junior year and no later than April 1 of their senior year. Accounting majors who are accepted into the program may substitute two MBA courses during their senior year to meet graduation requirements.

Required Courses (3)

Electives (4)

Course Descriptions

• Academic Catalog & Advising Guide
• Minor in Accounting Course Descriptions

In today’s society fraud is increasingly a public concern. From corporate malfeasance to embezzlement, improper business practices damage the economy, destroy businesses and ruin lives. Therefore, it’s no surprise that area of forensic accounting and fraud examination is currently the fastest growing niche in the accounting profession.

By combining accounting financial knowledge with investigative skills, forensic accountants help ensure compliance at all levels of the economy. As part of a growing field, forensic accountants find employment in diverse in fields such as criminology, cybersecurity, and strategic risk with organizations that include the FBI and the Big 4 public accounting firms.

Required Courses (7)

Course Descriptions

• Academic Catalog & Advising Guide
• Minor in Fraud Examination & Forensic Accounting Course Descriptions