There are four levels of accounting degrees and hundreds of institutions offering the accounting degrees. Each institution has specific admission requirements to enter their program and specific requirements which must be successfully completed to earn an accounting degree from their institution. The admission and graduation requirements vary depending on the level of the accounting degree you are seeking and the institution offering the degrees mission. ISU offers many accounting programs. The Accounting Department at Illinois State University offers premier undergraduate and graduate programs in accountancy with a national reputation for excellence.
The department offers four undergraduate sequences in accountancy, a degree in business information systems, a master of science program, and a unique integrated 150-hour bachelor of science/master of professional accountancy program. The BS/MPA program is primarily oriented toward preparation for careers in professional accountancy. The BS/MPA program is strongly recommended for students interested in a plan of study designed to integrate accounting technology, information systems, and eligibility to sit for the CPA examination.
Requirements
Associate Degree
To be admitted into most programs offering an associate degree in accounting you need a high school diploma or a GED. Associate degrees are offered primarily at vocational schools or community colleges and through online institutions and these types of institutions typically have open admissions policies. Once admitted to an associate degree program you will have to successfully complete about 60 quarter hours of classes. About half of those credit hours will be general education classes and the remainder will include accounting, finance, and business classes.
Bachelor's of Accounting program
The requirements for admission to a bachelor’s of accounting program vary greatly depending on the mission and ranking of the institution to which you are applying. Most of the highly ranked traditional accounting programs admit students to their accounting programs on a selective basis. These programs admit students with strong high school GPA’s and college admissions test scores. Many institutions also look for students with considerable extracurricular activities. Some selective admission institutions will admit student’s who don’t initially qualify to enroll directly into the accounting programs based on their current grades and test scores into the general university with the chance of being admitted into the accounting program in their junior year if they maintain a specified GPA in their freshman and sophomore coursework.
A bachelor’s in accounting degree typically requires the successful competition of 120 credit hours. Of the 120 credit hours about half are general education courses. The core accounting classes in most bachelors’s programs typically include basic, intermediate and advanced accounting practices and specialized accounting courses in taxation, auditing, and governmental and managerial accounting. In addition, students may take courses in statistics, probability and calculus, finance, business management and economics.
Master's Degree
At the master’s level students may chose to specialize or earn a general accounting degree in one of four degree designations: Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Accountancy (MAcc) or an MBA with a concentration in accounting. Most master’s programs are selective admissions programs. Admissions are based on your undergraduate GPA’s, graduate school exam scores, academic references and in some cases work experience.
Courses
Complete, with a grade of C or better, the following tool courses: ACC 131, 132; BUS 100; ECO 105; MQM 100 (or ECO 138 or GEO 138 or POL 138 or PSY 138); MAT 121 or 145. Prove computer competency (spreadsheet usage, pre- sentation software, and Web page construction) through completion of the following: (ACC 167 and 168; IT 150; IAI BUS 902). Accountancy and Business Administration majors must earn a minimum B/C grade combination between ACC 131 and 132, including transfer courses. Accountancy majors must also earn a minimum B/C grade combination between ACC 230 and 231.http://illinoisstate.edu/catalog/pdf/acc.pdf
Departments
Department contact
Department of Accounting State Farm Hall of Business Room 301 Illinois State University Campus Box 5520 Normal, Illinois 61790-5520 http://business.illinoisstate.edu/about/departments/accounting/contact.shtml
Faculty members
The faculty members at ISU is really great. http://business.illinoisstate.edu/faculty_staff/accounting.php
State Farm Hall of Business
On the south end of the campus, the State Farm Hall of Business building embraces the best features of the nation's most prominent business schools, while retaining the spirit of personalized, student-centered education that is the hallmark of Illinois State University.http://maps.illinoisstate.edu/locations/state_farm_hall_of_buisness_sfhb.shtml
Internships
Background of Potential Interns
Students who are interested in internships range from students who have completed their junior year to seniors and graduate students who may be a semester away from graduating. These students will have completed two semesters of introductory accounting, two semesters of intermediate accounting, one semester of managerial/cost accounting, one semester of statistics, and have shown competency in MS Office programs such as Excel. They will have completed a number of Illinois State ’s general education courses, including courses in composition (writing) and speech communication. In addition, they will most likely be taking, or have recently completed, business core courses in finance, law, management, and marketing.http://business.illinoisstate.edu/accountancy/internships/employers.shtml
GPA and other Screening Requirements
Generally we encourage students with a 3.0 or better GPA to consider an internship experience, but we also know many talented students do not achieve that standard. The internship coordinator will work with you to pre-screen potential internship applicants so students who apply will meet your criteria: in terms of GPA, course background, time commitment to your firm and the internship, or any other criteria you desire. A 2.8 is required for the junior level internship (ACC 398) and a 3.2 is required for the senior and graduate level internship (ACC 498)http://business.illinoisstate.edu/accountancy/internships/employers.shtml
What You Should Expect from an Intern
Student interns will be motivated to work hard and learn from their experience. They realize that interning helps make them attractive to employers when they are looking for their first post-baccalaureate job; that good references from their internship will assist their job search; and, of course, should they enjoy the internship and if the employing firm rates them highly, that, budget permitting, their first post-baccalaureate job may be at their internship firm. Having not yet completed their coursework, the knowledge base and skills of an intern will likely not be the same as someone with a bachelor’s degree. But they should have the skills to assist your needs (this is where the internship coordinator’s pre-screening can help) and will have the eagerness to learn and grow into their duties.http://business.illinoisstate.edu/accountancy/internships/employers.shtml
