Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Description and Outcomes

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting program is designed to prepare you for entry into the accounting profession. You will learn how to apply the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to business applications and acquire knowledge of management tools to formulate information for assets, liabilities, equities, revenues, and expenses of business entities. This program will also provide you with skills to categorize business and personal taxation, as well as the ability to analyze financial reports. This program is aligned with the content of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination® (CPA), so students who complete the degree will be on their way to meeting the educational requirements to be eligible to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information. Refer to the Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams section for additional program disclosure information.

Concentrations

In addition to the required core and major courses, you can further specialize your degree by choosing one of four concentrations: public accountancy, managerial accountancy, tax accountancy, or auditing/forensic accountancy.

Program Length

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting program consists of a minimum of 180 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a bachelor of science degree.

Program Outcomes

Discipline-Specific Outcomes

  1. GAAP Application: Apply the conceptual framework of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to business applications.
  2. Management Tools: Formulate information for assets, liabilities, equities, revenues, and expenses of business entities.
  3. Taxation: Categorize taxation of individuals and businesses.
  4. Financial Reports: Evaluate financial reports.
  5. Communication: Compose communications required for accounting professionals.

General Education Literacies and Professional Competencies

In addition to the discipline-specific outcomes, general education literacies and professional competencies are integrated throughout your academic program. You can review the general education literacies and professional competencies associated with your academic program in the General Education and Professional Competency Requirements section of this Catalog.

Program Availability

For program availability, please refer to the U.S. State and Other Approvals section and Program Availability Information.

Policies

Progression Requirements

Accelerated CPA Track Option

The Bachelor's of Science in Accounting degree, along with additional master's-level coursework, can help prepare you for professional certification exams, like the CPA Exam. Completion of the Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree alone does not prepare students to be eligible to sit for the CPA Exam or to become licensed certified public accountants. 

The Accelerated CPA Track Option is designed to offer you an accelerated path to complete the required coursework to sit for the CPA Exam. If you graduate from the Bachelor of Science in Accounting program, apply for entry and are accepted into Master of Science in Accounting program, and enroll within 7 weeks of completing the bachelor’s degree, GB512 🌐 Business Communications will be waived from your master’s degree requirements.

To sit for the CPA Exam in most states, there is an educational requirement of 150 semester credit hours (225 quarter credit hours). The Bachelor of Science in Accounting program is 180 quarter credit hours. The Master of Science in Accounting program is 52 quarter credit hours. You may need to complete both Purdue Global's Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Science in Accounting, or their equivalents, to meet eligibility requirements.

Licensing requirements to sit for the CPA Exam vary from state to state. You must review your state's educational requirements by visiting Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site. For additional information about the CPA Exam, you should visit the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy website, as well as your state's CPA licensing requirements, which can be found at the Accountancy Licensing Library. See Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams for more details.

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams

Certain state certification and licensure boards have specific educational requirements for programs to lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment in a recognized occupation. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Unless otherwise specified, Purdue Global's programs are not designed to meet any specific state’s licensure or certification requirements. Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.

You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.