BS in Accounting
As an accounting major, you’ll be exposed to the latest research and theory, with plenty of opportunity for classroom practice and real-world application.
The program will prepare you for careers in financial, managerial, governmental, nonprofit and international accounting, as well as auditing and taxation. As an accounting major, you’ll be exposed to the latest research and theory, with plenty of opportunity for classroom practice and real-world application. The program will prepare you for careers in financial, managerial, governmental, nonprofit and international accounting, as well as auditing and taxation.
Requirements, Syllabi and Policies Heading link
ACTG 495 Heading link
ACTG 495 has reached its maximum number of approvals. The department is no longer receiving or reviewing requests for Spring 2025.
Skills and Top Employers Heading link
Benefits
With an accounting degree, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to:
- Prepare tax returns for a large or small business
- Formulate financial reports for shareholders
- Organize and manage a company’s financial records
- Evaluate a nonprofit’s financial operations
- Audit businesses for a government agency
- Counsel management on ways to reduce costs, boost revenues and increase profits
Top Employers of UIC Business Accounting Graduates
For more career resources, visit the UIC Business Career Center site.
- Deloitte
- EY
- KPMG
- PwC
- CBIZ
- CohnReznick
- Corbett, Duncan & Hubly (CDH)
- Friedman & Huey
- RSM
- True Partners Consulting
- Warady & Davis LLP
- Weiss & Company LLP
Faculty
Accounting Waitlists Heading link
Beginning Fall 2024, the Accounting department will no longer offer the Accounting Placement Exam for students. Continuing and transfer students will need to obtain a minimum of a B average in ACTG 210 (financial accounting) and ACTG 211 (managerial accounting) to continue to ACTG 315. Students may earn Bs or higher in each course or a combination of an A and a C to move forward in the major. The Accounting Department utilize 1 sign up during the class registration process: ACTG 315 Sign up. Students may request a time change only once after receiving registration approval from the course sign up.
Transfer credit for ACTG 315 is only accepted from institutions with AACSB Accounting Accreditation.
Please note: ALL students are required to take and pass ACTG 315 to continue as an Accounting Major. If you do not pass your first attempt, you may retake the course again. If you do not pass the course after 2 attempts, you will be asked to drop the major or may petition to take the course a third time.
ACTG 315 Requirements for Transfer Students
All Transfer students must meet the B average requirement for ACTG 210 & 211 to register for ACTG 315. Transfer credits for other courses (300 level & up) are accepted as long as they are from an AACSB accredited institution and do not exceed 12 credit hours total.
- Students who have completed either an ACTG 210 OR ACTG 211 equivalent at their transfer institution may use those grades towards the B average needed to move on to ACTG 315.
- Students who have taken ACTG 210 & 211 at their transfer institution and obtained the required B average may register for the ACTG 315 waitlist.
ACTG 315 Requirements for Continuing UIC Students
Must take and pass ACTG 210 and 211 with a “B” average to register
Note: Students are not allowed to take ACTG 315, 326 and 474 in the same semester because the load will be too heavy. If you enroll in all three, you will be dropped from ACTG 326.
Students be advised that a CR received in 210/211 in fall 2020 will NOT be treated the same as a CR that was received in spring 2020. The Fall Grading Policy only impacts students who receive a “D” or “F” in a course. Students who receive a “D” will instead obtain a CR and those who receive an “F’ will receive a NC. As a result, students who receive a CR in 210/211 in the fall 2020 semester will not be allowed to register for ACTG 315. If you any questions, please contact Liz Madrigal in the Accounting Department.
Forms
- Use this form to request ACTG 315 registration for the Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters. Summer and Fall 2024 registration will be available beginning Mar. 11, 2024.
Illinois CPA Requirements to SIT for Exam Heading link
Fulfilling the following requirements allows you to SIT for the CPA Exam:
1. Graduate degree in accounting
- Accounting program must be accredited by AACSB or ACBSP
- Completion of 120 semester credit hours (SCH) or 180 quarter credit hours (QCH)
2. Graduate degree in business
- Business program must be accredited by AACSB or ACBSP
- Completion of 120 SCH or 180 QCH
- Minimum of 24 SCH in accounting
- At least one course each in taxation and auditing
3. A bachelor’s degree in any field or a graduate degree in a discipline other than accounting or business not accredited by AACSB or ACBSP
- Completion of 120 SCH or 180 QCH
- Minimum of 24 SCH in accounting
- At least one course in taxation and auditing
- Minimum of 12 SCH in business other than accounting
For more information, visit the Illinois CPA Board of Examiners website and/or the AICPA & CIMA website. You can read the full administrative code and course requirements.
Please note: While students just need 120 semester hours to SIT for the exam, they will need 150 semester hours (and one year of work experience) to BECOME LICENSED after passing the exam.
Courses for the CPA Exam Heading link
| Required | Recommended |
|---|---|
| ACTG 315 Intermediate Accounting I | ACTG 355 Business Law OR ACTG 509 Business Law |
| ACTG 316 Intermediate Financial Accounting II | ACTG 417 Advanced Financial Accounting |
| ACTG 326 Intermediate Financial Accounting II OR ACTG 506 Intermediate Financial Accounting II | ACTG 446 Federal Income Tax II |
| ACTG 435 Auditing | ACTG 456 Business Law II |
| ACTG 445 Federal Income Tax OR ACTG 508 Federal Income Tax | ACTG 465 Government and Non-profit Accounting |
| ACTG 474 Accounting Information Systems | ACTG 516 Financial Statement Analysis |
| ACTG 593 Accounting Research | |
| ACTG 590 Case Studies in Accounting |
Independent Study Heading link
When you take accounting courses you may come across a topic or area that excites you. If you find that there is no course that satisfies your need to study that area of interest, the Department offers an opportunity to further your learning through Independent study ACTG 396 (undergraduate) and ACTG 596 (graduate). You must study the basic materials in that area and develop a preliminary study plan. After that, contact a professor to act as your supervisor. It will be easier if you choose a professor who has already taught you in the past. If the professor’s interests does not match your topic, or if the professor is unable to supervise you, you may search through other professors’ areas of expertise online by viewing faculty profiles.
Please do not approach any professor without some knowledge of your area of interest and a plan. Once the professor agrees, please fill the out Independent Study Form.
Follow instructions listed therein and turn it to the department office. The department staff will register you for the course. Please try to do all this before the beginning of the term. You have to be registered by the second week of every term. This option is not for students who find at the beginning of the term they need a few more hours to fill up their schedule or to graduate.
Independent Study Topics
Genuine interest in a subject matter should drive the request to pursue an independent study course. Some recent Independent study topics have been:
- Analyst earnings forecast revisions
- Accounting practices in the real estate industry
- Abnormal returns based on accounting information screens
- Tax system in Taiwan
- Bank call report standards vs GAAP
- Accounting for Acquired In-process Research and Development
Other Requirements
- Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
- Only tenure track faculty may approve Independent Study course.
- A minimum of 150 hours of work is expected.
- Written Proposal: students are required to submit to the professor a 2-page proposal outlining the work to be done, the rationale for the project, and a timetable for submission of finished work.
- Independent Study requests should be prepared prior to the start of the semester or in the first week of classes to allow registration in another course if approval is denied.
Accounting Advising Heading link
Mandatory Faculty Advising
Mandatory Faculty Accounting advising takes place during the 9th week of the Spring and Fall semesters (March and October). Advising is required for ALL undergraduate accounting majors taking Accounting 315 courses and up. A registration hold will be placed on your account preventing you from registering for class until you attend an advising session with your assigned faculty advisor.
Eligible students will receive an email by the 8th week of the semester. This email will introduce you to your assigned accounting faculty advisor and provide instructions to schedule an appointment with them during advising week. Appointments are made via the appointment link provided in the email and may be virtual or in person. Students who attend advising during advising week will have their holds removed by the following week. Students who do not attend advising will maintain a registration hold until they have completed advising. Students can NOT schedule faculty advising appointments in iAdvise. You must use the link provided in the email.
Advising Responsibilities
You are responsible for the following:
- Sign up for an appointment using your advisor’s appointment link.
- Attend your appointment, your hold will be released within 3-4 business days.
- Check your account in 3 to 5 business days after advising week to make sure that the advising hold has been taken off.