Accounting, B.B.A.

The Accounting major prepares students for careers in financial reporting, managerial accounting, taxation, auditing, and general business. Students obtaining accounting degrees from this institution pursue careers in public accounting, controlling, finance, sales, and general management. They are employed by public accounting firms, industrial companies, financial companies, and government agencies. Accounting students are exposed to the traditional accounting fields such as auditing, information systems, generally accepted practices, law, taxation, and cost determination. The program is designed so students can prepare for the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Examination and follows the prescribed Alabama State Board of Accountancy curricular recommendations.

Accounting Majors Seeking a Dual Degree

The Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy prescribes requirements for candidates to 1) sit for the Uniform CPA Examination and 2) to obtain a CPA certificate (license), as follows:

1) to sit for the CPA Examination, candidates must have completed a total of 120 semester hours of postsecondary education, including a baccalaureate degree at a college or university accredited by a regional accreditation board such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities, with a concentration in accounting or the substantial equivalent as determined by the Board.

2) to be issued an Alabama CPA certificate, candidates must have completed a total of 150 semester hours of postsecondary education that must include a total of 33 semester hours in accounting (excluding introductory courses) at the upper division undergraduate and/or graduate level.

A student may obtain an undergraduate accounting degree with 120 credit hours and an M.B.A. degree with 30 graduate credit hours. A student who declares the graduate path towards fulfillment of the Board’s post-secondary education 150-hours requirement may opt to complete two dual-listed courses to fulfill the M.B.A. requirement for AC 522 (Accounting for Decision-Making), and the second may be used to fulfill the M.B.A. requirement for another course as approved by the M.B.A. Director.

Business Core

Admission Policy

Freshmen admitted with either an American College Testing Program (ACT) composite score of less than 18 or a Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) combined score of less than 800 must successfully complete ENG 101 and 102 and MATH 144 , 147 , 154 , or higher to be eligible for enrollment in the Stephens COB. Current University students changing to a business major, transfer students, and non-Stephens COB students being readmitted to the University must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 based on a 4.0 scale in order to be eligible for admission to the Stephens COB.

In addition to the requirements listed below, students must meet all general graduation requirements as listed in the Undergraduate Academic Policies section in this bulletin. A minimum of 120 semester hours is required for completion.

Academic Regulations

Business majors must schedule freshman English and mathematics each semester until course requirements are successfully completed.
To graduate, a Business major must:

a. attain a minimum 2.0 GPA in the basic business core and a minimum 2.0 GPA on all business courses attempted in the major and

b. complete the last 18 semester hours in the basic business core and the last 15 semester hours in the major at UM in the Stephens COB.

Transfer students should follow the program of study outlined for B.B.A. candidates at the University during the freshman and sophomore years at other institutions.

a. The dean of the College determines eligible transfer credit that applies toward business degrees.

b. Transfer students must schedule freshman and sophomore course deficiencies each semester until successfully completed.

General Education Core

Students must also complete the General Education Core requirements to include any specific courses listed below. Students must also complete sufficient general electives to reach 120 or more total semester hours.

History, Social and Behavioral Sciences:

EC 231 and 232

Personal Development:
MIS 161

Business Core

Students seeking the B.B.A. degree must complete the 36-semester-hour business core, 18 or more hours in their majors, plus sufficient electives after consultation with their advisor to complete at least 120 hours required for graduation. The Business Core requirements are:

Accounting Requirements

Three electives from:

Business Elective

Business Elective 300/400 level (3 credit hours)

CPA prerequisites:

A student who intends to sit for the CPA in Alabama must complete:

Accounting electives AC 425 *, AC 427 *, and AC 428 *;
Six additional Accounting course hours to meet the 150-hours requirement of the State of Alabama accountancy law.

* Two of the courses noted by an asterisk may be taken at the graduate level within the M.B.A. program.