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 accounting, 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, operating their own business.

Our faculty bring to the classroom, not only relevant academic and real-world experience, but also a spectrum of licensures in areas as diverse as Public Accounting, Management Accounting, Fraud Examination, and Internal Auditing. This enables us to provide employer-applauded levels of breadth and depth, with programming across multiple tracks and concentrations, tailored to individual areas of interest. Of increasing interest are our dual degrees (e.g. Accounting/CIS, and Accounting/Finanace); demanding, but producing highly sought-after graduates. For those considering the CPA, we offer a responsive five-year option, providing a BS and MBA, while satisfying the 150 hour educational requirement. Whatever the course of instruction, employers laud the extensive level of preparation our graduates bring to the workplace.

This program is offered at other Ferris State sites such as Dowagiac and Traverse City.

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 Professional Directed concentration is a flexible program that allows students to design their degree to fit their own particular interests.

Our graduates qualify to take the professional accounting examinations such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Management Accountant (CMA). An option offered to meet the State of Michigan 150 hour requirement for becoming a CPA is by attending a fifth year and getting either an MS-ISM or MBA degree from Ferris.

Get a Great Job

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

Applicants are expected to meet 3 of the 4 criteria listed below in order to be placed directly into a College of Business bachelor/associate degree program. Any mitigating circumstances will be considered on an individual basis by the College of Business Dean’s Office.

Applicants not meeting the above criteria for direct admissions into a specific COB program, but still meeting Ferris State University admissions criteria, will be placed into the College of Business in the Pre-Business program until they meet the admission criteria for the program into which they desire entrance. Transfer student admission criteria can be found on the transfer student webpage.

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
Phone: (231) 591-2434
or email AFIS@ferris.edu

The College of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
http://www.acbsp.org/p/st/ld/&sid=s1_001