Bachelor of Arts (BA): Accounting Degree Overview

A Bachelor of Arts in Accounting can provide students with a foundation in finance, cost, auditing and tax preparation. Graduates of B.A. in Accounting programs can be prepared to enter the professional world and will have the first level of education necessary to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.

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Bachelor of Arts in Accounting

An accounting bachelor's degree can focus on subjects like finances, business law and accounting. Students who enroll in a B.A. in Accounting program should expect to work with numbers, statistics and economics. These programs can help prepare students who would like to pursue further education in order to become CPAs or a Certified Management Accountants (CMA). Many programs are structured to draw from a broad liberal arts education while also focusing on career-specific business and accounting courses.

Undergraduate accounting options are also available as Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in accounting programs. Students must typically have earned a high school diploma or a GED to enroll.

Course Topics

Bachelor of Arts degree programs in accounting usually require coursework based in theory and practice, focusing many courses around accounting, management, marketing, statistics, business or economics. These courses may include:

  • Auditing
  • Business computer skills
  • Cost accounting
  • Statistics
  • Marketing
  • Finite mathematics
  • Macroeconomics

Popular Career Options

Accounting provides a company with the information it needs to track its financial history, to stay in good fiscal shape, and to plan future growth. Accounting is a common language used on Wall Street, in banks, in corporate offices, and in the nonprofit sector. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of accountants should grow between 2008 2018. The median annual salary of accountants was $61,690 in 2010, with the highest paid accountants earning as much as $106,880 per year. Possible career titles for those holding a bachelor's degree could include:

  • Financial analysts
  • Bankers
  • Tax adviser
  • Financial planner
  • Accountant

Continuing Education

Graduates of bachelor's degree programs in accounting can go on to complete graduate accounting coursework through graduate certificate, master's degree and Ph.D. programs in accounting. Continuing education options can help students become qualified for professional certification examinations to become CMAs or CPAs, which could help them advance in the field and earn more money. Commonly, accounting students can transfer directly from undergraduate to graduate programs where a B.S.-M.S. program can be completed in five years or where graduate certificate curriculum may build towards a master's degree. Through concentration options or elective courses, graduate accounting students may gain specialization in the field in areas like taxation or auditing.

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