No organization can survive without managing its money. That‘s
just one of the reasons the accountant is a vital member of the
management team. Scorekeeper, advisor, public watch dog, the accountant
fills many roles. An accounting degree offers career opportunities
in a number of different areas, including:
- Public Accounting (Consulting, Auditing, Tax)
- Managerial Accounting (Manufacturing, Retail, Service)
- Governmental Accounting (Municipal, State, Federal)
- Not for Profit Accounting (Education, Charitable, Health Services)
- Forensic Accounting (FBI, IRS)
- Information Systems (Computer Consulting, Implementation,
Training, Internal Auditing)
Each accounting degree at Tri-State is “tailor-made” according
to the student's interests. Accounting can be coupled with another
major, minor, or even another degree. A student wishing to sit
for the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam, for example, must
complete 150 credit hours. If that student is interested in forensic
accounting, the additional 30 credit hours could go toward a second
degree in criminal justice. A double accounting-finance major
would be a good fit for a student interested in banking, investing,
or financial planning. An accounting-management match may appeal
to someone interested in working for a small business; there are
many possibilities. An accounting degree can also help a student
achieve a certification. The CPA is the premier accounting certification,
but there are many others, including:
- CMA (Certified Management Accountant)
- CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)
- CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner)
- CFP (Certified Financial Planner)
Tri-State accounting students get practical, hands-on experience
in and outside of the classroom. Students regularly use software
applications, such as Peachtree, Quickbooks, ACL, ProSeries, and
TurboTax. Cost accounting students visit area manufacturing companies
to see ERP software in action. These students also complete a
class project working with corporate accountants to understand
their cost accounting systems. Other projects accounting students
have worked on include:
- Mock "mini-audit" of an organization with a presentation
of findings and recommendations to managers
- Software selection and implementation project for local, not-for-profit charitable organization
- Participation in forensic accounting game contest sponsored
by the American Institute of CPAs
- Participation in annual Indiana CPA Society Community Day
of Service
These projects help students develop leadership and communication
skills, as well as help them develop personally. It's all a
part of how a Tri-State accounting degree prepares students
for a successful and rewarding career.
