Accounting: B.S.
Overview For Students Matriculated Before January 2022
The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting is a 124-credit program designed to serve students who are interested in pursuing future careers as professional accountants regardless of their chosen field or certification in public, private, nonprofit, and/or governmental accounting services. The program provides the foundation of core competencies, theoretical and technical body of knowledge in the content areas of accounting, general business, and SUNY liberal arts and general education requirements. Students will have the option of completing the degree program through various delivery modes: online, blended, and/or face-to-face study. This program provides students with the option to pursue a more structured degree program in accounting while offering them the option to individualize their degree through their selection of electives.
Students enrolled in 16 credits per semester, two semesters per year, could expect to complete this program in four years. SUNY Empire State College also offers a summer term with accounting and business courses. It permits courses transfer based on the college’s policy, up to 93 total upper and lower level credits of same listed courses/topics or equivalent courses.
Note: The registered program does not satisfy the 150-cr., academic requirements for the CPA Licensure. Students need to fill-out and submit a CPA Disclaimer with their degree plan. Student may complete the extra needed credits (26) through graduate and/or undergraduate additional courses/studies/degree/certificates. Students are encouraged to check the availability and policy of undergraduate enrollment in graduate courses at SUNY Empire State College.
Admission
The admissions requirements for the B.S. in Accounting will be the same as current undergraduate admissions requirements, which include proof of high school completion and the ability to pursue college-level work as demonstrated through an essay, which is submitted with the admissions application.
Overview for Students Matriculated On or After January 2022
The B.S. in Accounting is a 124-credit program, listed with SUNY and New York State Education Department as a registered Bachelor of Science degree program in accounting. It is designed to serve students who are interested in pursuing future careers as professional accountants regardless of their chosen field or certification in public, private, nonprofit, and/or governmental accounting services. The program provides the foundation of core competencies, theoretical and technical body of knowledge in the content areas of accounting, general business, and SUNY liberal arts and general education requirements. Students will have the option of completing the degree program through various delivery modes: online, blended, and/or face-to-face study.
Note: SUNY Empire’s B.S. in Accounting does not satisfy the 150-cr., academic requirements for the CPA Licensure; all students are required to fill-out and submit a CPA Disclaimer with their degree plan. Students may complete the extra needed credits (26) through graduate and/or undergraduate additional courses/studies/degree/certificates. (Students are encouraged to check the availability and policy of undergraduate enrollment in graduate courses at Empire State College.)
The B.S. in Accounting adheres to college policy regarding granting college credit for prior learning. However, it is important to note that credits awarded for prior learning may not be accepted to satisfy the educational requirements for the CPA licensure. Students should consult with their mentors about these issues.
Program Guidelines for Students Matriculated Before January 2022
Upon completion of the B.S. in Accounting, graduates will be able to:
- Identify the legal, economic, and global forces and their impact on a business environment and its sustainability and continuity.
- Explore the role played by accountants and the role of their professional and ethical conduct in serving the society.
- Use the functional core competencies of the accounting profession in measurement, reporting, and decision making processes.
- Apply the foundation of the accounting theory, principles, standards, and system cycles components in classifying, summarizing, and reporting of accounting data for internal and external decision-making.
- Apply risk analysis and analytical procedures relevant to short-term and long-term budgeting, cost systems and behavior, and investment decisions.
- Build on professional demeanor and ethical conduct within a diverse and global culture business environment.
- Leverage and reinforce the use of technology in collecting, analyzing, communicating, reporting and securing of financial date, with application on taxation, auditing, system design and control, and financial analysis.
- Evaluate professional skepticism and demonstrate professional judgement kills in examining and accessing audit risk.
Program Guidelines For Students Matriculated On or After January 2022
The B.S. Accounting is structured around three foundational competencies: general broad business competencies, accounting and professional competencies, and higher levels of professional functional competencies. These competencies are measured by certain outcomes that are integrated in required courses at both the introductory and advanced level. “These foundations may be met through transcript credit; college-level knowledge demonstrated through individual prior learning assessment (iPLA), professional learning evaluations (PLE), or credit by examination; or individual courses, a series of courses, or components within individual courses with Empire State College.”
Foundation #1: General Broad Business Competencies:
These competencies are relevant to learning about the broad business environment in which accounting professionals work. Students pursuing the B.S. in Accounting must develop a broad range of interdisciplinary knowledge in business, the profession, and liberal arts. In addition, managing accounting projects demands understanding of people in an organizational context and working as a team, and legal, economic, and global forces impacting a business environment and its sustainability and continuity. Moreover, understanding business clients and corporate financial perspectives using statistics and data analysis are crucial for professional success. To cultivate a broad, interdisciplinary understanding in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as expertise in a particular field, the B.S. in Accounting program is structured to attain 50% of its credit requirements in liberal arts components. The other half is professionally required knowledge in business, and specifically in accounting.
Learning Outcome: Student should be able to identify the legal, economic, ethical, organizational, and global forces and their impact on a business environment and its sustainability and continuity.
Foundation #2: Accounting and Professional Competencies:
These competencies are relevant to accounting profession, accounting theories, communication and reporting skills, professional research, use of technology, system management and control, risk management, quantitative analysis, decision-making ability, and reporting.
Learning Outcomes: Students should be able to apply accounting theory and professional standards dealing with special topics in accounting that demand distinctive in-depth study and define the applicable accounting principles and standards for various industries and businesses’ forms.
Foundation #3: Higher Level of Professional Functional Competencies:
These competencies are mainly focused on decision--making, quantitative analysis, and critical thinking including risk analysis, measurement, communication, and reporting, as well as the use of technology and key research skills.
Learning Outcomes: Students should be able to: Apply accounting principles to a more complex business forms, and utilize technology, demonstrating a higher level of financial reporting and demonstrate their professional skepticism to risk management
Program Requirements for Students Matriculated Before January 2022
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Lower Division | ||
Core Accounting Courses | ||
ACCT 2005 | Introductory Accounting I: Financial Accounting | 4 |
ACCT 2010 | Introductory Accounting II: Managerial Accounting | 4 |
Core Business Courses | ||
ECON 2020 | Microeconomics | 4 |
ECON 2015 | Macroeconomics | 4 |
BUSN 1025 | Legal Environment of Business I | 4 |
Or | ||
BUSN 1010 | Business Law I | 4 |
BUSN 2020 | Legal Environment of Business II | 4 |
Or | ||
BUSN 2005 | Business Law II | 4 |
Educational Planning | 4 | |
General Education | ||
Select a minimum of 8 credits of the following: | 8 | |
Statistics | ||
Or | ||
Business Statistics | ||
Basic Communication (English Composition) | ||
Select 16 credits from at least four of the following categories: | 16 | |
Natural Science | ||
American History | ||
Western Civilization | ||
Other World Civilization | ||
Humanities | ||
The Arts | ||
Foreign Language | ||
Liberal Arts Electives L/U | 24 | |
Upper Division | ||
Core Accounting Courses | ||
ACCT 3025 | Intermediate Accounting I | 4 |
ACCT 3030 | Intermediate Accounting II | 4 |
ACCT 3010 | Cost Accounting | 4 |
ACCT 4010 | Advanced Accounting | 4 |
ACCT 3015 | Federal Income Tax I: Individual Income Tax | 4 |
ACCT 3020 | Federal Income Tax II: Business Income Tax | 4 |
ACCT 4005 | Accounting Information Systems | 4 |
ACCT 4015 | Auditing | 4 |
Core Business Courses | ||
FSMA 3010 | Corporate Finance | 4 |
MGMT 3060 | Organizational Behavior | 4 |
Business Elective | 4 | |
LA Elective | 4 | |
Total Credits | 132 |
Program Requirements For Students Matriculated On or After January 2022
Foundation #1: General Broad Business Competencies
Required Courses – or equivalent with a minimum 3-credits each - to satisfy learning outcomes for Foundation #1
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ECON 2015 | Macroeconomics | 4 |
ECON 2020 | Microeconomics | 4 |
One of the following | ||
BUSN 1025 | Legal Environment of Business I | 4 |
Or | ||
BUSN 1010 | Business Law I | 4 |
One of the following | ||
BUSN 2020 | Legal Environment of Business II | 4 |
Or | ||
BUSN 2005 | Business Law II | 4 |
MGMT 3060 | Organizational Behavior | 4 |
FSMA 3010 | Corporate Finance | 4 |
One of the following | ||
BUSN 2010 | Business Statistics | 4 |
Or | ||
MATH 1065 | Statistics | 3-4 |
Foundation #2: Accounting and Professional Competencies
Required Courses
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACCT 2005 | Introductory Accounting I: Financial Accounting | 4 |
ACCT 2010 | Introductory Accounting II: Managerial Accounting | 4 |
ACCT 3010 | Cost Accounting | 4 |
ACCT 3025 | Intermediate Accounting I | 4 |
ACCT 3030 | Intermediate Accounting II | 4 |
Foundation #3: Higher Level of Professional Functional Competencies
Required Courses
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACCT 3015 | Federal Income Tax I: Individual Income Tax | 4 |
ACCT 3020 | Federal Income Tax II: Business Income Tax | 4 |
ACCT 4005 | Accounting Information Systems | 4 |
ACCT 4010 | Advanced Accounting | 4 |
ACCT 4015 | Auditing | 4 |
Foundation 3 is also addressed by the following two possible electives
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACCT 3005 | Accounting For Governmental & Not-For-Profit Organizations (Elective) | 4 |
ACCT 3035 | Principles of Fraud Examination & Financial Forensics (Elective) | 4 |