The specific courses that are required for an Accounting major are designated by the department and cannot include the introductory core courses (ACCT 6110 and ACCT 6130). Each accounting major is required to take one course in financial accounting (currently ACCT 7420). In addition, a major is required to take three additional credit units from all of the graduate courses offered by the department. Courses taken to satisfy the accounting major cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis. From time to time an individual student wishes to pursue a course of study that extends beyond the coursework offered by the department. In that case, the student will elect an independent study course. A maximum of one credit unit of independent study may be counted toward the accounting major, but only when both of the following conditions have been satisfied:
- The student has obtained the agreement of an Accounting Department faculty member to supervise the independent study.
- Written approval of the department Chair is received, indicating that the proposed project does represent: (1) a quantity and quality of work equivalent to a full semester inclass course, and (2) the subject matter is indeed advanced work not covered in regularly scheduled Accounting Department courses.
- FNCE 7070 cannot be presented for major credit in addition to an independent study.
Course Requirements – Accounting Major
Note: Core courses ACCT 6110 and ACCT 6130 do not count toward the major, but are prerequisite to all other courses in the department.
The equivalent of four credit units from the following:*
ACCT 7060 – Cost Management (0.5 course units) **
ACCT 7420 – Problems in Financial Reporting
ACCT 7430 – Accounting for Mergers, Acquisitions, and Complex Financial Structures ***
ACCT 7470 – Financial Statement and Disclosure Analysis
ACCT 7640 – Climate and Financial Markets (there are no prerequisites for this course)
Environmental Innovations Initiative’s course inventory *Will not be offered in Spring 2025*
ACCT 7900 – Accounting for Entrepreneurs
ACCT 8970 – Taxes and Business Strategy
FNCE 7070 – Valuation
*Choose any four credit units from the list. As described above, under approved circumstances, an independent study within the Accounting Department may be substituted for one of the four course units.
**Half-credit courses count as 0.5 course units toward requirements.
***Anyone planning to sit for the CPA Exam should take ACCT 7430, which covers about 20% of the Financial Accounting and Reporting section of the exam.