Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting

NU’s online accounting degree will prepare you to seek a wide range of careers in fields such as public and corporate accounting, internal auditing, and accounting in not-for-profit organizations. Accountants are also needed at state and local government agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, Defense Contract Audit Agency, FBI, and others.According to Emsi Labor Analyst data*, job postings for positions in accounting exhibit a higher-than-average posting intensity. This indicates a strong market for:

• Accountants
• Financial Analysts
• Staff Accountants
• Controllers
• Accounting Managers

Regarding potential employers, you can expect an ongoing need for accountants at banks, tax preparation firms, and retailers, with significant demand at business consulting firms, finance organizations, insurance companies, and manufacturers, all of whom need accounting professionals with skills in:

• Financial Analysis
• Accounts Payable
• Accounts Receivable
• Strategic Planning
• Excel spreadsheets

Click here to learn more about career opportunities in accounting.

*SOURCE: Emsi Labor Analyst- Report. Emsi research company homepage at https://www.economicmodeling.com/company/ (Report viewed: April 6, 2022. DISCLAIMER: The data provided is for Informational purposes only. Emsi data and analysis utilizes government sources to provide insights on industries, demographics, employers, in-demand skills, and more to align academic programs with labor market opportunities. Cited projections may not reflect local or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Current and prospective students should use this data with other available economic data to inform their educational decisions.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for accountants and auditors was $73,560 in May 2020. Salaries can vary by industry as follows:

Finance and insurance:	$78,600
Management of companies and enterprises:	$76,230
Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services:	$73,180
Government:	$72,260

To receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, students must complete at least 180 quarter units as articulated below, 45 of which must be completed in residence at National University, 76.5 of which must be completed at the upper-division level, and a minimum 69 units of the University General Education requirements.

In the absence of transfer credit, additional general electives may be necessary to satisfy total units for the degree. The following courses are specific degree requirements. Refer to the section of undergraduate admission requirements for specific information regarding admission and evaluation. All students receiving an undergraduate degree in Nevada are required by State Law to complete a course in Nevada Constitution.

Students who have completed the California Community College Associate in Science in Business for Transfer (AS-T) degree by completing the Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) for business, will have completed the lower division requirements of the University General Education requirements and the Preparation for the Major.”

Preparation for the Major (6 courses; 27 quarter units)

Course	Description	Quarter Units
MNS205 or MTH215	Intro to Quantitative Methods* College Algebra & Trigonometry* Prerequisite: MTH 12A and MTH 12B, or Accuplacer test placement evaluation	4.50 4.50
ECO 203	Principles of Microeconomics*	4.50
ECO 204	Principles of Macroeconomics*	4.50
LAW 204	Legal Aspects of Business I	4.50
ACC 201	Financial Accounting Funds	4.50
ACC 202	Managerial Accounting Funds Prerequisite: ACC 201	4.50

*May be used to meet General Education requirements ^ Eligible for Credit-by-exam waiver: Contact Academic Program Director

Prerequisite for all Accounting Courses

Students must have completed ACC 201 or its equivalent with a minimum grade of “C” within two years of taking any of the following accounting courses, unless a grade of 75 or better is received on an appropriate challenge exam.

Requirements for the Major (17 courses; 76.5 quarter units)

Business Requirements (4 courses; 18 quarter units)

Course	Description	Quarter Units
BIM 400	Info Management in Organizations	4.50
MGT309	Principles of Management & Organizations	4.50
FIN 310	Business Finance Prerequisite: ACC 201	4.50
MKT302A or IBU 430	Marketing Fundamentals or Survey of Global Business Prerequisite: ECO 203 and ECO 204	4.50
MNS407	Management Science** Prerequisite: MNS 205 and MTH 210	4.50

** Recommended for students considering the CPA or CMA designation.

Accounting Requirements (13 courses; 58.5 quarter units)

Course	Description	Quarter Units
ACC410A	Intermediate Accounting I Prerequisite: ACC 201	4.50
ACC410B	Intermediate Accounting II Prerequisite: ACC 410A	4.50
ACC410C	Intermediate Accounting III Prerequisite: ACC 410B	4.50
ACC 431	Advanced Accounting Prerequisite: ACC 410C	4.50
ACC432A	Taxation-Individual Prerequisite: ACC 431	4.50
ACC432B	Taxation-Business Prerequisite: ACC 432A	4.50
ACC 433	Managerial Accounting Prerequisite: ACC 202	4.50
ACC 434	Government and Nonprofit Accounting Prerequisite: ACC 201	4.50
ACC 436	Applied Tech for Accountants Prerequisite: ACC 201	4.50
ACC 515	Accounting Ethics	4.50
ACC 555	Data Analytics	4.50
ACC435A	Auditing I Prerequisite: ACC 431	4.50
ACC435B	Auditing II Prerequisite: ACC 435A	4.50

For details and course listings for these concentrations, please visit our catalog.

While job seekers can enter the accounting profession with only a small number of accounting courses, accounting careers with higher levels of responsibility and pay tend to go to professionals with certain specializations. Each accounting specialization serves different purposes and has its own certification exams and licensing requirements. Three common accounting specializations are CPA, CMA, and CIA. NU’s online Bachelor of Science in Accounting is structured to prepare you to sit for the CPA exam.A certified public accountant (CPA) provides assurances to external parties about a company’s financial information and health. Often employed by a public accounting firm, a CPA examines a company’s financial statements and attests to their integrity. CPAs also prepare and file taxes for companies and individuals. Many CPAs hold high-level positions within corporations and government organizations.

Click here to learn more about specializations in accounting.

Many NU students pursuing their bachelor’s in accounting degree choose to continue their studies and enhance their credentials by earning an MBA. A master’s degree can open up more senior-level career opportunities and, as a result, higher salary expectations. National University offers you a faster path to earning this credential.Students who are currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Accounting program, have at least a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and are within six courses of graduation may register for the BSACC/MBA transition program, allowing them to take up to three MBA classes as electives during the BSACC. Students can select any three graduate-level accounting courses for which required course prerequisites (if any) have been met, or may select from the following MBA core courses: ECO 607, IBU 606, and MGT 605.

Students must complete graduate-level coursework taken as part of the BSACC degree with a grade of B or better. This coursework, which counts as electives in the BSACC, will not transfer as graduate-level credit to National University or any other institution as it is part of an undergraduate degree program. Grades earned in graduate-level courses will be calculated as part of the student’s undergraduate grade point average.

Students must apply for and begin the MBA program within six months after completing their final BSACC course. The number of courses required to earn an MBA degree for transition program students is reduced from 14 to as few as 11 courses, depending on classes selected and grades earned. Students must complete their MBA program within four years, with no break exceeding 12 months.

All coursework in National University’s BS in Accounting can be taken online. Most online courses offer one or two live voice/visual evening sessions per week, in which instructors orally explain important concepts, visually illustrate problem-solving techniques, and respond to student questions. These sessions are recorded so that students who are unable to attend at the scheduled time can play back the video recording at a convenient time.