Accounting
Program Details
Accounting—also known as the language of business—is the process of measuring, processing and communicating financial information for companies and individuals. As an accounting major at Xavier, you'll build the skills to get the numbers right, solve tax problems and make ethical decisions on behalf of companies and people. You’ll also prepare for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam and graduate ready for an impactful career in accounting, information systems, cost management, taxation or auditing.
Courses in the accounting major are taught in the Jesuit tradition, which emphasizes ethics, values and professional responsibility. Upon completing the Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree requirements, you’ll be eligible to earn a Master of Science in Accountancy (MACC) degree at Xavier and satisfy requirements for the CPA exam within five years.
Xavier University, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, is nationally recognized as a top university by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Forbes. 98 percent of our students, including those in the accounting major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduation (Class of 2021).
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Accounting major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- MATH 140: Concepts of Calculus............ 3cr.
- ENGL 101: English Composition or 115: Rhetoric............ 3cr.
- PHIL 100: Ethics as Intro to Philosophy............ 3cr.
- Second Language I............ 3cr.
- CORE 100: First Year Seminar (not with THEO 111)............ 3cr.
- CORE 101: First year co-curricular............ 0cr.
- BUAD 101: The Business Professions I............ 0cr.
Spring
- Microeconomic PrinciplesECON 200: Microeconomic Principles............ 3cr.
- Historical Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- Second Language II............ 3cr.
- Scientific Perspectives or Natural Sciences Elec............. 3cr.
- THEO 111: Theological Foundations............ 3cr.
- CORE 102: First Year co-curricular............ 0cr.
- BUAD 102: The Business Profession I............ 0cr.
Fall
- ACCT 200: Introductory Financial Accounting............ 3cr.
- ECON 201: Macroeconomic Principles............ 3cr.
- BAIS 220: Management of Information Technology............ 3cr.
- PHIL 200+: Philosophical Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Humanities Elective............ 3cr.
- STAT 210: Statistics for Business I............ 3cr.
- BUAD 201: The Business Profession II............ 0cr.
Spring
- ACCT 201: Introductory Managerial Accounting............ 3cr.
- ACCT 307: Financial Accounting & Reporting I............ 3cr.
- STAT 211: Statistics for Business II............ 3cr.
- THEO 200+: Theological Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- Scientific Perspectives or Natural Science Elec............. 3cr.
- BUAD 202: The Business Profession II............ 0cr.
Fall
- ACCT 308: Financial Accounting & Reporting II............ 3cr.
- ACCT 311: Introduction to Taxation............ 4cr.
- FINC 300: Business Finance............ 3cr.
- MGMT 300: Managerial Behavior............ 3cr.
- MGMT 201: Managerial Communications............ 3cr.
- BUAD 301: The Business Profession III............ 0cr.
Spring
- ACCT 304: Accounting Information Systems............ 3cr.
- ACCT 309: Financial Accounting & Reporting III............ 3cr.
- Business Elective or VITA I............ 3cr.
- ECON 300: International Trade & Business Environment............ 3cr.
- MKTG 300: Principles of Marketing............ 3cr.
- BUAD 302: The Business Profession III............ 0cr.
Fall
- ACCT 490: Auditing............ 3cr.
- Accounting Elective (ACCT 385, 415, or 425)............ 3cr.
- BLAW 300: Legal Environment............ 3cr.
- MGMT 302: Quality and Product in Operations............ 3cr.
- ENGL 205: Literature and Moral Imagination............ 3cr.
- BUAD 401: The Business Profession IV............ 0cr.
Spring
- Accounting Elective (ACCT 385, 415, or 425) ............ 3cr.
- MGMT: Business Capstone Course............ 3cr.
- General Elective or VITA II............ 3cr.
- Creative Perspectives Elective............ 3cr.
- BUAD 402: The Business Profession IV............ 0cr.
Sample Courses
Xavier is known for providing an education that's both challenging and personal. Here are some courses that are part of the accounting major at Xavier:
Accounting Information Systems (ACCT 304) - An explanation of how technology enables key accounting activities. A business process approach is used to illustrate how information flows through an organization and its effect on information system integration risk and internal control. Students learn how to document, evaluate and analyze enterprise based systems.
Financial Accounting and Reporting 1 (ACCT 307) - Study of financial accounting theory and principles applicable to the accumulation, analysis, measurement, reporting, and interpretation of selected economic events. The first of a two course sequence.
Introduction to Taxation (ACCT 311) - An introduction to individual tax law as well as the tax implications of business formation, income and expenses, and distributions for Sole Proprietorships, C-corporations, Partnerships and S-corporations. This course includes compliance, planning, tax research and ethical issues.
Nonprofit and Governmental Accounting (ACCT 415) - An introduction to financial reporting for nonprofit organizations as well as governmental entities at the municipal, state and federal level.
Auditing (ACCT 490) - Study of the integrated audit process from the perspectives of standards, audit planning, internal controls, ethics and the application of sound judgment in the decision making process.
Student Clubs
The following clubs are popular choices for students in the accounting major at Xavier University.
Xavier Accounting Society
The mission of the Xavier Accounting Society is to provide information about the field of accounting and the many alternative career paths within it. The Accounting Society connects its members with professionals in the areas of public, private, governmental, forensic and other areas of accounting. Additionally, the Accounting Society provides opportunities to network and develop professionally via interactions with professional organizations such as the Institute of Management Accountants, the Ohio Society of CPAs, the Institute of Internal Auditors, and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. A final goal of the Accounting Society is to serve the university and the greater community by participating in events such Accounting for Kids Day, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, and other service opportunities that arise.
National Association of Black Accountants
The mission of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) is to address the professional needs of the members and to build leaders that shape the future of the accounting, finance and other business professions.
Women In Business (XWIB)
Preparing and empowering women to be tomorrow’s leaders through professional training, personal development workshops, mentoring and service.
Career Outcomes
98% of Xavier students, including those in the accounting major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2021). Students in the accounting major graduate ready for impactful careers in accounting, information systems, cost management, taxation and auditing.
Top Jobs: Staff Accountant, Internal Auditor, Consultant, Budget Analyst
Top Companies: Deloitte, Fifth Third Bank, KPMG, Kroger, EY, GE-Aviation, Grant Thornton, Cassady Schiller, Western and Southern, Cohen and Company, Cintas
Take the Next Step
Community Engagement for Accounting Majors
Students in the accounting major work with Xavier's annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and gain experience preparing tax returns for community members while earning academic credit. First, the customers make an appointment. Then, undergraduate students help prepare the taxes, while master’s students step in for the final review and approval before electronic filing.
Master of Science in Accountancy Option
At Xavier, students in the accounting major can earn a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree along with a Master of Science in Accountancy degree and satisfy requirements for the CPA exam within five years. Graduates of the Accountancy Combined Undergraduate and Graduate Program join 18,000 alumni with graduate business degrees.
Cincinnati: A City of Opportunity for Accounting Majors
Cincinnati, Ohio features some of the largest companies in the world, which means students in the accounting major have countless opportunities for careers, internships and mentorships at places like Kroger, Procter & Gamble, Fifth Third Bancorp, American Financial and Western & Southern Financial group. The city is ranked the #1 Best City for College Graduates (smartasset.com) and the #15 Best Place to Start a Career (WalletHub).
Reaching the Top With Margaret Weidner
How one Xavier student used her connections at Xavier to land two internships, a research trip to the Indian Himalayas and launch her career with one of the largest financial accounting firms in the world.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The Smith Scholars Honors Program offers business students a more innovative, challenging curriculum in a cohort setting. This highly-selective program emphasizes experiential learning through funded global travel, work-study opportunities and close connections and support from professors and peers.
Accounting Major at Xavier University
Accounting is an academic major with a long and proud tradition at Xavier University. The BSBA in Accounting is a four-year program that is a step toward fulfilling the 150-hour requirement (mandated by Ohio and other states) to sit for the CPA examination. The Master of Science in Accountancy is a five-year program that enables a student to earn a BSBA in Accounting and an MBA while satisfying the 150-hour requirement for the CPA exam. Students are allowed to seek admission to the MBA program during their senior year.
Xavier University's Williams College of Business is accredited by the AACSB. AACSB-accredited schools offer students a relevant and challenging curriculum, the highest quality faculty and career opportunities that are not found at other business schools.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."