Accounting
Recording, analyzing, and reporting how organizations use money.
Accounting trains you to track and report the financial activity of an organization accurately and in line with regulatory standards, whether that's a public company's audited statements or a small business's books. Coursework moves from financial and managerial accounting basics into taxation, auditing, and accounting information systems.
Most programs are structured with an eye toward professional certification (like the CPA exam in the U.S.), so expect a fairly standardized, rules-heavy curriculum compared to other business majors.
Typical courses you might take
- ✓Financial Accounting
- ✓Managerial Accounting
- ✓Intermediate Accounting I & II
- ✓Auditing
- ✓Federal Taxation
- ✓Accounting Information Systems
- ✓Cost Accounting
- ✓Business Law
Sample four-year plan
Illustrative, not a registration planOne possible way these courses could be sequenced alongside general education and elective credit. Real programs vary in order, pacing, and prerequisites by school, use this to get a rough sense of the arc, not to plan actual registration.
- ✓Financial Accounting
- +General education requirement
- ✓Managerial Accounting
- +General education requirement
- ✓Intermediate Accounting I & II
- +General education requirement
- ✓Auditing
- +Free elective
- ✓Federal Taxation
- +Free elective
- ✓Accounting Information Systems
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Cost Accounting
- +Elective in the major (or minor coursework)
- ✓Business Law
- +Capstone, thesis, or culminating project (common in many programs)
Skills you'll build
This major might be a good fit if you...
- ★Detail-oriented and comfortable with rules and precision
- ★Likes numbers but also structured, logical systems
- ★Interested in how organizations track and report money
- ★Doesn't mind a curriculum aimed at professional certification
Common minors & double-major pairings
Finance · Information Systems · Business Law
Roles this major could lead to
Factual, day-to-day descriptions from our Career Role Encyclopedia, not a guarantee this major leads to any specific job.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Accounting major?
Recording, analyzing, and reporting how organizations use money.
What courses do Accounting majors take?
Typical coursework includes classes like Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting I & II, among others, see the full course list above for this major's typical lineup.
What skills do you build in a Accounting program?
Accounting coursework typically builds skills like Financial statement preparation and analysis, Attention to detail and accuracy under regulation, Understanding of tax and audit principles, Accounting software proficiency.
Is Accounting a good major for me?
It tends to be a good fit if signals like "Detail-oriented and comfortable with rules and precision" or "Likes numbers but also structured, logical systems" describe you. See the full "good fit if you..." list above for more.
What can you do with a Accounting degree?
Majors in this field often go on to roles like Financial Analyst, Accountant. See our Career Role Encyclopedia for more, a major shapes what you study, not a guarantee of any specific job.
What other majors pair well with Accounting?
Common minor or double-major pairings include Finance, Information Systems, Business Law.
How is Accounting different from Finance?
They're related but distinct. Accounting: Recording, analyzing, and reporting how organizations use money. Finance: How money, risk, and investment decisions work. Use the compare tool to see courses and skills side by side.
How long does it take to earn a Accounting degree?
Most bachelor's degrees, including this one, are designed to be completed in about four years of full-time study. Exact timing depends on your school, course load, transfer credit, and any changes of major along the way.
From our guides
Printed from majoratlas.com/majors/accounting