Accounting

All programs offered by the Foster College of Business Administration, Bradley University, are accredited by the AACSB International: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

FACULTY: Professors Gillett (chair), Petravick, Raiborn; Professor and Executive in Residence Krull; Associate Professor Troutman; Assistant Professor Kerr; Temporary Instructors Johnson, Wayvon.

Accounting Major

The mission of the Department of Accounting is to prepare students for productive and satisfying careers. The highest priority of the department is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to commence and continue their careers. Our undergraduate program meets the needs of students seeking accounting careers in private industry and the public sector and, additionally, lays the foundation for those seeking careers in public practice. Our Master of Science in Accounting program is designed both for students entering public practice and for experienced accountants desiring to further their education. Graduates should be productive, act ethically, and be responsible citizens in social and economic communities, which are becoming increasingly dynamic and interdependent.

Accounting is an extremely flexible major. Our students not only learn about accounting principles but also study business and technology concepts. This broad training opens diverse career paths. Many of our graduates accept positions with public accounting firms and corporations. However, an accounting degree will also allow movement into finance, information systems, management, or consulting positions. One recent graduate became part of a team that is designing a bank which will operate on the Internet. Other graduates go directly to consulting firms, designing and installing computer systems. After several years in traditional accounting positions, another alumnus started his own business, a bank that has grown to $100 million in assets in three years. An accounting degree helps a student look beyond the numbers to assist both people and businesses with shaping their financial futures.

To ensure that tomorrow’s professionals can meet the challenges of these new roles, many professional organizations have revised educational requirements. For example, nearly all states now or will require CPA exam candidates to have 150 hours of education. In response to these changes, the Department of Accounting has identified three paths to obtain at least 150 hours : (1) graduate with 150 undergraduate hours, (2) graduate with a Master of Science in Accounting, or (3) graduate with a Master of Business Administration. See the Graduate Catalog or the Foster College of Business Administration’s web site (bradley.edu/fcba) for information about the Master of Science in Accounting or the MBA.

The Department of Accounting also offers an integrated Bachelor‘s (BS or BA) and Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree. In this integrated program (commonly referred to as a 3:2 program), students can take coursework after they have senior status and designate to which degree that coursework will apply. Courses can be used in only one degree, and only appropriate courses can be applied to the MSA. Combining pursuit of the BS or BA degree with the MSA degree offers students three major advantages: greater availability of financial aid, earlier guarantee of admission to the graduate program, and more flexibility in the sequencing of classes

Admission to the 3:2 program is available when students are initially admitted to Bradley University or during their junior year. The Graduate Catalog provides a complete description of the 3:2 program’s requirements.

Whether a student is in the 3:2 program or not, to complete an undergraduate degree with a major in accounting, a student must earn 25 semester hours of accounting course credit beyond the Foster College of Business Administration’s requirement of ATG 157 and ATG 158.

Courses required for all accounting majors (25 hours of accounting)

• ATG 201 Accounting Principles—Accounting Techniques
• ATG 204 Cost Accounting
• ATG 301 Intermediate Accounting I
• ATG 302 Intermediate Accounting II
• ATG 383 Accounting Systems and Control
• ATG 401 Advanced Accounting I
• ATG 457 Auditing
• ATG 477 Federal Taxes I
• Accounting Elective (3 hours)

Courses which may be used to fulfill the remaining 3-semester-hour accounting elective

• ATG 485 Special Topics in Accounting
• ATG 501 Advanced Accounting II
• ATG 514 Advanced Managerial Accounting
• ATG 526 Fraud Examination
• ATG 547 Internal Auditing
• ATG 561 International Accounting Issues
• ATG 583 Accounting Information Systems
• ATG 585 Contemporary Issues in Accounting
• ATG 590 Professional Accounting Problems
• BMA 345 Law of Business

Accounting majors also must satisfy the following requirements:

1. A 2.0 GPA in all accounting courses beyond ATG 157, 158, and 201.
2. A minimum of 9 semester hours of upper-level accounting course work in residence.

Students are advised to seek and follow faculty recommendations concerning the selection of courses to meet their career objectives.

Suggested Course Sequencing

A recommended course sequence for accounting, Foster College of Business Administration, and basic skills courses is as follows. Elective courses should be chosen with care to ensure that the University general education and FCBA requirements are met. Accounting majors have very little opportunity for additional electives in business within the required 124 hours since 62 hours are required outside of FCBA (ECO 221, 222, QM 262, 263, and the junior ECO elective count as hours outside of FCBA). Please note that 6 hours of PSY and/or SOC are needed to fulfill the FCBA behavioral science requirement.

• Freshman Year

• Fall
• BUS 100 Contemporary Business 3
• ENG 101 English Composition 3
• MTH 115 or 121 Calculus I 4
• General Education Courses 5
• Complete BMA 172 / Competency Exam 1
• 16 hours
• Spring
• ATG 157 Accounting Principles – Financial 3
• COM 103 The Oral Communication Process 3
• General Education Courses 10
• 16 hours

• Sophomore Year

• Fall
• ATG 158 Accounting Principles – Managerial 3
• BUS 210 Team Dynamics 1
• ECO 221 Principles of Microeconomics 3
• QM 262 Quantitative Analysis I 3
• General Education Courses 6
• 16 hours
• Spring
• ATG 201 Accounting Principles – Accounting Techniques 1
• ATG 204 Cost Accounting I 3
• ECO 222 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
• QM 263 Quantitative Analysis II 3
• General Education Courses 6
• 16 hours

• Junior Year

• Fall
• ATG 301 Intermediate Accounting I 3
• ATG 383 Accounting Systems and Control 3
• BMA 352 Managing in Organizations 3
• FIN 322 Business Finance 3
• MTG 315 Principles of Marketing 3
• Junior/Senior Electives and Remaining General Education Requirements (outside the FCBA) 1
• 16 hours
• Spring
• ATG elective 3
• ATG 302 Intermediate Accounting II 3
• BMA 342 Legal Environment of Business 3
• BMA 372 Management Information Systems 3
• BUS 220 Career Planning Strategies 1
• IB 306 Introduction to International Business 2
• 15 hours

• Senior Year

• Fall
• ATG 477 Federal Taxes I 3
• ATG 457 Auditing 3
• BMA 353 Operations Management 3
• ECO 300/400-level Elective 3
• Junior/Senior Elective (outside the FCBA) or Remaining General Education Requirements 3
• 15 hours
• Spring
• ATG 401 Advanced Accounting I 3
• BMA 452 Strategic Management & Business Policy 4
• Junior/Senior Elective Classes 4
• Junior/Senior Elective (outside the FCBA) or
• Remaining General Education Requirements 3
• 14 hours

Junior/Senior Year Elective Courses

• Structured Electives

• Accounting Electives
• (3-4 hours selected from the following courses. A maximum of 26 hours in accounting course credit above the College requirement (ATG 157 and ATG 158) may be used to satisfy graduation requirements. Students graduating with more than 124 hours may take additional accounting courses.)
• BMA 345 Law of Business 3
• Senior Year Elective Courses
  • ATG 485 Special Topics in Accounting 1-3
  • ATG 501 Advanced Accounting II 3
  • ATG 514 Advanced Managerial Accounting 3
  • ATG 526 Fraud Examination 3
  • ATG 547 Internal Auditing 3
  • ATG 561 International Accounting Issues 3
  • ATG 583 Accounting Information Systems 3
  • ATG 585 Contemporary Issues in Accounting 1-3
  • ATG 590 Professional Accounting Problems 3

• Other electives/requirements

• Junior/Senior Economics Elective Course 3
• ENG 300, 301, 304, 305, or 306 Advanced Writing 3
• Unstructured Elective Hours 11
  (At least 10 hours must be outside the Foster College of Business Administration.)

Additional Professional Preparation

Students majoring in accounting are permitted to use a maximum of 26 semester hours in accounting courses beyond the basic Foster College requirement (ATG 157 and ATG 158) to satisfy the 124-semester-hour graduation requirement. Many students, however, graduate with more than 124 semester hours. These students may take additional accounting credit hours in accounting elective courses.

Requirements for Professional Certification

The bachelor's degree provides the educational background for many entry-level accounting positions. Students with this degree will have the necessary educational requirements for the CMA and CIA exams. Students will also have earned 124 hours of the 150 hours needed to sit for the CPA exam in those states requiring 150 credit hours. Students may earn the remaining hours needed for the CPA exam by obtaining a Master of Science in Accounting degree or other graduate degree, such as the Master of Business Administration, or by taking additional undergraduate classes. Students should consult with their advisors and their State Boards of Accountancy for the exact requirements.

Student Organizations

Membership in the Bradley Accounting Club (BAC) is available to all accounting majors. This organization conducts a variety of social and educational activities uniting accounting students, faculty, and staff. Beta Alpha Psi, the national honorary accounting fraternity, strives to promote scholastic and professional achievement through lectures, career-oriented events, campus and community service, and social activities. A minimum GPA is required. See the Beta Alpha Psi advisor for information.

Internship and Co-op Programs

Opportunities are available for qualified students to obtain on-the-job experience in either industrial or public accounting through internship and co-op programs. The programs involve multiple work experiences and are generally started during the student’s sophomore or junior year. Students interested in the programs should contact the Foster College of Business Administration Co-op Coordinator as early as possible.