This page is not intended as a substitute for the catalog.
Please consult with your advisor and the catalog for the year in which you were admitted.
The School of Accounting offers both a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree and a Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.) degree. The 120 credit-hour undergraduate degree consists of the four-year major in accounting, leading to the B.B.A. degree.
During your junior year, you can choose to meet with your adviser to discuss enrolling in the graduate program, which leads seamlessly to the award of the B.B.A. degree after four years, followed by the M.S. degree at the end of five years and 150 hours of study.
B.B.A. Upper-Level Core:
- COB 300A – Integrated Business: Management
- COB 300B – Integrated Business: Finance
- COB 300C – Integrated Business: Operations
- COB 300D – Integrated Business: Marketing
- COB 318 – Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Note: COB 318 must be taken before COB 487. - COB 487 – Strategic Management
Major Coursework:
- ACTG 305 - Spreadsheet Skills and Data Analysis for Accounting Information
- ACTG 310 - Data Analytics for Accountants
- ACTG 313 – Accounting Information Systems
- ACTG 343 – Corporate Financial Reporting I
- ACTG 344 – Corporate Financial Reporting II
- ACTG 377 – Federal Income Tax Accounting
- ACTG 410 – Auditing and Assurace
- One ACTG elective
- ACTG 413 - Cybersecurity and Accounting Information Protection Strategies
- ACTG 475 - Strategic Cost Accounting and Analytics
- ACTG 491 - Advanced Data Analytics and Emerging Technologies in Accounting and Forensics
B.B.A.
Students who choose to complete the four-year undergraduate program will have the requisite accounting, business and general education to pursue a variety of career opportunities in accounting and business.
M.S.
Students are advised that 150 hours of college education are required to be licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in all states. The M.S. in Accounting program is therefore recommended for those electing a career in public accounting. The professional program allows the student to concentrate in the areas of taxation or auditing; it also provides a well-rounded background in accounting and other related business disciplines. A student must be admitted to the M.S. program in order to enroll in graduate courses, and admission to the M.S. program is competitive. Students may apply following their junior year and early application for admission is encouraged. For more information on the M.S. degree, please refer to the Graduate Catalog.
- Sophomore - Second Semester: COB 242, ACTG 305
- Junior - First Semester: COB 300, ACTG 310
- Junior - Second Semester: ACTG 343, ACTG 377, COB 318
- Senior - First Semester: ACTG 313, ACTG 344
- Senior - Second Semester: ACTG 410, ACTG Elective, COB 487
Some students may be prepared to take COB 300 at the end of their sophomore year, particularly those with numerous AP and dual enrollment hours.
Many graduates desire to gain certifications in their selected area of specialization. The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is the best known of these certifications. Students seeking CPA licensure in Virginia must meet a 150- hour education requirement, including 30 credits in accounting and 24 in business. All fifty states require students to meet the 150-hour educational requirement. The Master of Science in Accounting degree is highly recommended for those electing a career in public accounting. In addition to the CPA exam, graduates of our program sit for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam, the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam, the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam and others.
- ACL
- Advanced EXCEL
- IDEA
- Tableau
- General-Purpose Accounting Software
Pre COB 300
Ted Browning, accounting advisor
ZSH 3051
(540) 568-4375
browniet@jmu.edu
School of Accounting
Post COB 300
Amanda Reedy, academic advisor
ZSH 3124
(540) 568-3250
reedyaj@jmu.edu
School of Accounting