Accounting (B.S.)

Our B.S. in Accounting program prepares you with the background for successful follow-up study in our professional M.S. in accounting program. If you stay and complete our separate M.S. graduate degree, you will be eligible to sit for the CPA examination. Our graduates boast some of the best CPA exam pass rates in the state!

Professional. Substantial. Career-oriented.

Our academic program leads graduates to success in passing New York's certified public accountant exam and in career placement at some of the top national and international public accounting firms. You'll have ample opportunity to test your skills through cocurricular activities such as internships, community service, and student organizations with an accounting focus. In short, this program is a well-regarded point of entry into a profession that is consistently in high demand.

Academic Program

Once in the program, you’ll receive a thorough grounding in accounting and business principles necessary for entry into the accounting profession, including financial, managerial, tax, assurance, and consulting. Our courses expose you to a wide range of issues in the reporting and interpretation of financial information. For example, the capstone course in the graduate program considers recent developments and emerging issues, such as how international financial reporting standards will affect U.S. companies. Another course addresses legal aspects of fraud investigation in forensic accounting.

Liberal arts courses and electives round out this professional core. Another plus: The undergraduate program gives you the flexibility to do a second minor or concentration in order to meet your personal and professional goals.

Internships and Professional Experience

We recognize that internships are a great way for students to gain professional experience. In fact, all business students take part in experiential learning as part of their requirements to graduate. This work may take the form of an internship or community service relevant to the business degree.

Cocurricular Activities

You will practice real-world skills, too, with cocurricular activities such as the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which provides income tax assistance to local participants. During spring break, several VITA students travel to Alaska to provide the same services to native Alaskans in isolated towns and villages. Our student organizations and professional associations are an excellent way to learn professional development and leadership: our clubs and campus chapters -- for example, the Beta Alpha Psi honor society, the Ithaca College Accounting Association, and the National Association of Black Accountants -- consistently earn top awards for leadership and professionalism.

Careers

The benefits are tangible: Our alumni occupy top positions and leadership roles at national and international accounting firms, such as PriceWaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Grant Thornton, BDO, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte; they also work in significant positions in accounting and auditing at prestigious corporate and not-for-profit organizations, including the McGraw-Hill Companies, eBay, JP Morgan, and Deerpath Capital Management. Whether you pursue the B.S. or M.S. track, you will be prepared to provide auditing, consulting, and income tax services to nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals. All in all, an Ithaca accounting degree is an excellent way to advance your career in accounting.