School of Accountancy

(770) 423-6084

The School of Accountancy aspires to be a nationally recognized leader in influencing the accounting profession by educating our students, performing relevant research, and engaging with the profession.

The School of Accountancy offers an Accounting major that prepares students for careers in the field of Accounting. Graduate programs are also offered (described in the KSU Graduate Catalog). The State of Georgia requires everyone who wishes to be licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to have five years of education (150 semester hours), including a baccalaureate degree. Completion of 123 hours is required to earn the Bachelor’s degree; hence 27 additional hours are needed to become a CPA. While these can be undergraduate hours, the faculty recommends that prospective CPAs earn a specialized Master’s degree in Accounting to satisfy the five-year requirement.

The primary objective of Accounting is to provide useful information for economic decisions. It involves measurement, communication and analysis of financial data. Accounting provides the system for collecting and interpreting the information and reporting it to those who need it, whether inside or outside of the organization.

Upon graduation, Accounting majors have a wide range of job opportunities. Many go into public practice (CPA firms), which involves independent auditing, accounting, consulting and tax services provided to clients. This is the traditional path for becoming a CPA. Others choose private accounting, becoming financial, tax, systems or managerial accountants or internal auditors in business and industry. Still others enter the specialized fields of not-for-profit or governmental accounting. Accounting also serves as a solid background for graduate work in any business area or law. Many find rewarding lifetime careers in Accounting; others use it as a stepping-stone to high-level management positions.

All business majors at Kennesaw State University take two Accounting courses, which provide the basic understanding of accounting necessary to support any business program of study. Success in business requires an understanding of accounting. Non-business majors also benefit from taking introductory accounting courses because they learn basic concepts useful in running a business, investing and so forth. The Coles College business law faculty are also housed in the School of Accountancy. All business majors must take one Business Law class. Elective courses are offered in areas such as consumer law, real estate law, and negotiation. Minors are available in both Accounting and Business Law.