BS in Accounting

In today’s increasingly complex and diverse business world, accounting professionals need a broad knowledge of accounting combined with technical and functional expertise.

Walden’s BS in Accounting program provides you with a strong foundation in accounting theory, principles, and practice as well as insight into accounting’s strategic role in broader business, organizational, and ethical issues. With the choice of the General Program or the Public Accountancy concentration, this program offers you the flexibility to customize your studies to match your unique career goals or focus on the content critical to pursuing graduate studies or sitting for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam.*

Designed to reflect the professional guidelines set forth by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), Walden’s BS in Accounting program will help you change your world by preparing you with the technical accounting skills required to enter the accounting profession, along with the business, marketing, and communication skills needed to advance your career.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this online BS in Accounting program will be prepared to:

1. Apply problem-solving skills to multiple accounting situations, including those occurring in the international setting.
2. Communicate effectively about accounting and business practices within the context of larger organizational frameworks.
3. Access relevant accounting/financial guidance and apply it in their accounting practice.
4. Demonstrate well-developed competency in their accounting techniques.
5. Demonstrate collaborative skills across accounting and functional business areas.
6. Analyze sources of organizational risk.
7. Apply knowledge of the legal and regulatory environment in which the accounting profession operates.
8. Apply ethical reasoning in their accounting practices.

Career Impact

Your bachelor’s degree can open the door to a lifetime of career and earnings growth. According to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities in accounting and related fields reached more than 1.2 million jobs in 2012.^* The field is expected to grow as changes in financial laws and regulations, combined with increased scrutiny of company finances, increase the demand for accountants and auditors.

With a bachelor’s degree from Walden, you can take the first step toward advancing your career and reaching your professional potential. Explore from a variety of potential career options, including:

Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

Increase Your Earnings Potential

With your bachelor’s degree in hand, you put yourself in a better position to raise your earnings potential over the course of your career. The earnings gap between those who have four-year college degrees and those who do not has widened throughout the past four decades.

• The median annual wage of accountants and auditors was $63,550 in 2012.^*
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, based on median weekly earnings, individuals who have bachelor’s degrees earn 63% more than those with high school diplomas, 46% more than those with some college, and 35% more than those with associate degrees.^†

^* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, “Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014–15 Edition, Accountants and Auditors,” on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm (visited February 5, 2015). National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

^† Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, “Education pays …,” on the Internet at www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm (viewed online April 11, 2013). National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

An ACBSP-Accredited Program

Walden University’s BS in Accounting program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and has earned the organization’s Specialized Accounting Accreditation. Key benefits of ACBSP accreditation are:

• Validation that your program meets nationally recognized standards of quality endorsed by businesses, government, and other organizations.
• Assurance that your program can provide you with the skills you need to compete in today’s global marketplace.
• Recognition by employers, graduate schools, and regulatory organizations.

Find detailed information for this program, including possible occupations, completion rate, program costs, and median student loan debt.

*Most states require individuals to complete 150 semester (225 quarter) hours in certain subject areas in order to be eligible to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam and/or obtain a CPA license. Walden’s accounting programs can help graduates progress toward meeting those requirements. The BS in Accounting offers 120 quarter (80 semester) credit hours that include upper-level courses in topics such as financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and management accounting. The MS in Accounting offers 30 semester (45 quarter) credit hours, while the MBA Accounting specialization offers nine semester (13.5 quarter) credit hours. These programs include graduate courses in topics such as financial accounting, managerial accounting, and legal and ethical accounting practices. This will require students to complete additional coursework to meet state requirements.

In each state, there are specific policies that must be followed when an individual is seeking to become a licensed accountant. Some states will not allow individuals who complete the Walden accounting programs to sit for the CPA licensing exams due to state-specific issues such as professional accreditation or face-to-face instruction. For information on the educational requirements for your state, refer to the state’s Board of Accountancy or related agency.

Walden enrollment advisors can provide guidance about accountant licensure; however, it remains the responsibility of the individual enrolling in the program to read, understand, and comply with the licensure requirements in the state where he or she wishes to practice.

Walden University can make no representation, warranty, guarantee, or commitment that successful completion of a Walden program, or coursework for credit within a program, will make a graduate eligible to sit for a licensure exam or to obtain state licensure.

Walden’s BS in Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and PhD in Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The MS in Accounting and BS in Accounting programs are also accredited by the ACBSP and have earned the organization’s Specialized Accounting Accreditation.