Accounting (BSBA, Minor)
Accounting (BSBA, Minor)
Program Description
An accounting degree from Rockhurst University sets students up for a successful accounting career through rigorous coursework and the application of fundamental concepts.
Students pursuing an accounting major within the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) program learn not only fundamental accounting concepts, but also learn to use key accounting and statistical software necessary for success in accounting, such as SAGE 50, Quick Books, R, and Microsoft Dynamics GP. While not a traditional accounting bachelor's degree, a business degree with an accounting concentration from Rockhurst prepares graduates to engage in the discourse and application of information and achieve the certifications necessary to be vibrant members of the accounting community—CPA through embedded Becker curriculum and accelerated MBA.
As an accounting major, students complete two innovative sequences as part of the BSBA core curriculum. Both the Professional Readiness sequence and the Technology and Predictive Analytics sequences were developed by the Helzberg School of Management based on market research and consultation with hiring managers at area corporations to prepare students for the evolving workplace. Students also have the option to pursue Excel certifications as part of their studies.
What can you do with an accounting degree? Accountants impact business decisions through financial information. This information helps organizations manage risk and set the appropriate strategies. Through auditing, accountants provide stability and assurance for financial markets and institutions, as well as the United States financial system as a whole.
What salary can I expect with an accounting degree? According to Payscale, most entry-level accountants make around $47,000, but that can grow to over $58,000 later in their career. This can get higher as accountants move around jobs as well, becoming senior accountants, accounting managers, and more.
The Helzberg School of Management is an AACSB*-accredited business school, an achievement only 5% of all business schools in the world can claim. Students in the Helzberg School of Management emerge from their bachelor's education as leaders of competence and conscience.
*Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Learning Outcomes
- Leadership: Graduates with an accounting degree from RU exhibit skills in personal responsibility, awareness of self and others, ability to work effectively in groups, and the ability to foster positive team dynamics.
- Ethical Behavior and Corporate Social Responsibility: Graduates identify and analyze personal ethical problems to propose and defend an appropriate course of action; identify and analyze issues in corporate social responsibility to propose and defend an appropriate course of action through an accounting career.
- Business Skills and Knowledge: Graduates define, describe and demonstrate foundational business knowledge.
- International/Global: Graduates learn to integrate relevant cultural, social, political, historical, geographic and environmental factors into the analysis of business issues and the development of an appropriate course of action through the accounting major.
- Information Analysis and Application: Graduates identify, access and analyze relevant quantitative and qualitative information to develop, select and evaluate appropriate courses of action.
- Communication: Graduates produce and deliver effective written products and oral communications in a variety of contexts using effective technologies.
Course Map
The requirements for an accounting degree are the completion of the courses as laid out in the course map below:
Business Administration, Traditional Accounting Concentration, BSBA
Experiences
- Internships: Rockhurst University’s Career Services helps students search for internships consistent with their interests. For students in the accounting major, the Summer Leadership Programs are often a first step toward those internships.
- Hands-on Class Projects: The concentration is grounded in active learning and hands-on experiences; class projects include Accounting Information Systems (AIS) project as well as a capstone project where students use case studies to solve real-world challenges.
- Magis Leaders Program: Students pursuing an accounting degree have the opportunity to apply for a year-long, enhanced professional readiness program. With their mentor from the community, each student in the program will assess and adjust their personal and professional skills to enhance their performance in organizational settings.
- Extracurricular experiences: Many students participate in Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), a program where they prepare tax returns for low-income, high-need families in the community.
- Networking: Students have tons of opportunities to network with prospective employers both through the Helzberg School of Management and Rockhurst University Career Services events such as Leadership & Ethics Day, Dinner with the Industry and Meet the Firms.
- Dean's Scholar program – earn a bachelor's and master's degree in only five years! Learn more about the program here.
Outcomes
After graduation, students have worked in all types (public, government, not for profit) and positions (auditor, staff, financial, credit, or budget analyst as well as loan specialist) of accounting. Some of the firms at which recent graduates begin their accounting careers include:
- RubinBrown
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- KPMG
- BKD
- H&R Block
- Deloitte
- Ernst & Young
- CBIZ MHM
