Accountancy
Why Choose Accountancy?
An accounting education can lead to a highly respected and rewarding career. Accountants routinely earn incomes that are in the top 5 percent of the community in which they may live. If you elect to major in Accountancy, you may prepare yourself for a variety of accounting careers in industry, government, not-for-profit organizations, and public accounting. Many accountants are self-employed and operating their own business.
Our faculty bring to the classroom relevant academic and real-world experience along with a spectrum of licensures in areas as diverse as Public Accounting, Management Accounting, Fraud Examination, and Internal Auditing. Our diverse backgrounds enable our faculty to provide programming across multiple tracks and concentrations tailored to individual areas of interest. Of increasing interest are our dual degrees (e.g. Accountancy/CIS, and Accountancy/Finance); demanding, but producing highly sought-after graduates. For those considering the CPA, our bachelor's degree covers all the content on the exam, which means students have many options and flexibility in satisfying the 150 credit hour educational requirement for licensing. Whatever the course of instruction, employers laud the extensive level of preparation our graduates bring to the workplace.
Accountancy Concentrations
The Accountancy program is a professional career-oriented program that offers two concentrations. The Public Accounting concentration prepares a student for a career in public accounting. The Professionally Directed concentration is a flexible program that allows students to design their degree to fit their particular interests. Our graduates qualify to take professional accounting examinations such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
Career Opportunities
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting is the fastest growing profession. The job market for Accountancy graduates remains very strong, even during temporary economic downturns. Options include:
* Public accounting-auditing, taxation, and consulting
* Private/industrial accounting-financial and cost accounting
* Governmental/nonprofit accounting-fund accounting
* Forensic accounting-investigative accounting.
Accountants are in high demand by government agencies such as the IRS, FBI and CIA. Accounting also provides an excellent undergraduate background for a law degree.
Graduates are also prepared for advanced study in Accountancy, leading to career opportunities in accounting education. Accounting provides an excellent foundation for non-accounting business careers including banking, consulting, and small business ownership.
Admission Requirements
New students:
2.5 high school GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and two of the three criteria below: (1) English ACT score of 16 or higher, or SAT Writing score of 370 or higher; (2) Math ACT score of 19 or higher, or SAT Math score of 460 or higher; (3) Reading ACT score of 19 or higher, or SAT Reading score of 430 or higher.
Transfer students:
Combined college or university GPA of 2.35 (on a 4.0 scale) from all institutions attended. GPA is based on completion of 12 credit hours or more. Transfer equivalency for FSU's ENGL 150 or placement during the first semester at FSU which would require an ACT English score of 16 or higher; Compass score 70 – 100. Transfer equivalency for FSU's MATH 115 or placement during the first semester at FSU which would require an ACT Math score of 19 or higher; Compass Algebra score 46 - 74 and high school Algebra with 2.0.
Exceptions for new and transfer students: Applicants not meeting the above criteria but having a 2.35 high school GPA and at least a 16 ACT in Math and Reading and a 13 ACT in English (2.00 overall GPA for transfer students) can be considered for conditional admission into a College of Business pre-program. Any mitigating circumstances will be considered on an individual basis by the College of Business dean’s office.
Pre-program students must complete a minimum of 12 FSU credits (excluding developmental courses) with a 2.35 GPA; courses must include ENGL 150 and MATH 115 before being considered for admission into their program of choice. Students must meet admission criteria for their chosen degree program by the time they have earned 30 credits.
General Education Requirements
All general University General Education requirements can be found here: http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/academics/gened/courses/GenEd-bachelor.pdf
Please consult this link for a complete listing of General Education Electives: https://wwws.ferris.edu/academics/gened/courses/
Graduation Requirements
The Accountancy program at Ferris leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. Graduation requires a minimum 2.0 GPA in core classes, in the major and overall.
More Information
Accountancy, Finance, & Info Systems
119 South Street, BUS 212
Big Rapids, MI 49307-2284
231-591-2434
AFIS@ferris.edu
The College of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Next accreditation review is February 2018.
Business Core
Accountancy Common Core
Professionally Directed Concentration
Directed Accounting/Business Electives (300 level or above)
Directed Accounting Electives (300 level or above)
Free Elective
Public Accounting Concentration
University General Education Requirements
Communication Competence
Scientific Understanding
Quantitive Skills
Cultural Enrichment
Social Awareness
Electives
Minimum credit hours required for Accountancy Bachelor degree
Students interested in meeting the State of Michigan 150 credit hour requirement to sit for the CPA exam may fulfill those requirements by completing either the Masters degree in Information Systems or the Masters in Business Administration options.