Accounting Major (ACC)

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The BUA department strives to prepare students to take their places in society and to thrive in whatever roles they choose. The successful student who completes the program will:

be able to analyze problems and formulate appropriate solutions using accounting concepts, procedures, and methods;
be able to effectively develop, measure, and communicate interpretation of financial information;
demonstrate knowledge of the functional areas of business: accounting, economics, finance, management, and marketing;
demonstrate knowledge of the basic content of accounting (principles, concepts, vocabulary, methods).

The department is committed to providing a broadly oriented professional education to prepare students for careers in business, government, and not- for-profit organizations. Our major in Accounting contains a large number of required core courses that provide our students with basic skills in the quantitative and qualitative aspects of business administration. In addition to this broad introduction to the primary functional areas of business, the accounting courses in the major provide a solid preparation for students who seek careers in accounting or related fields.

All majors require a senior comprehensive experience. Accounting majors complete a written exam in their last semester. Majors are notified of the details of these exams during their second to last semester. The student and the Office of the Registrar are notified of exam results by the Department Chair.

Many students who major in Accounting are interested in becoming a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Earning the CPA opens the door to a variety of very attractive careers in public accounting (auditing, tax advice, or consulting), in non-accounting firms (accountant, comptroller, or chief financial officer), and in private practice (tax preparation or business consulting, for example).

In order to become a CPA, one must complete at least 150 semester hours of college (or higher level) classes, pass the CPA exam, and obtain one year of work experience that can be verified by a CPA.

The biggest hurdle for college graduates who seek this certification is the CPA exam. Students who complete the Accounting major at Georgetown College can satisfy all the requirements to take the CPA exam in Kentucky by the time they graduate. To take the exam, one must have a college degree (our B.S. in Accounting qualifies); one must complete at least 12 semester hours of related business classes (our Accounting major requires more than 12 hours in this category); and one must complete at least 27 semester hours of Accounting classes (our major requires 24 Accounting hours, but we offer a 3-hour Accounting elective annually for students who want to reach 27 and take the CPA exam, so one can graduate with the required number of Accounting hours.)

There are a few options for accumulating the 150 semester hours needed to become officially certified as a CPA. One option is to enroll in a Masters program, usually in Accounting or Business, to earn the additional hours needed. Georgetown College does have an agreement with the University of Kentucky Masters in Accounting program that can help students who pursue this route. The alternative route for amassing 150 hours is to take additional courses beyond the minimum required for graduation. Some take those classes at Georgetown College, while others take them at other institutions. Interested students should consult with an Accounting advisor as soon as possible to obtain some useful guidance on these possibilities.

Please note: Additional tuition charges are waived for students taking greater than 18 hours when all of the following conditions are met:

The student is required to take credit hours in excess of what is needed for graduation in order to meet professional certification requirements (ex: CPA exam).
The student is a senior.
The student meets the standard academic requirements for overload approval.
The academic dean approves.

Students interested in pursuing the CMA certification are encouraged to seek the guidance of an accounting academic advisor. The number of hours required for the CMA is 120 college credit hours.