Portland state accounting requirements

Demand for accountants is growing rapidly, and employers view Portland State University’s accounting degree program as a key source of new hires. Our flexible, accredited accounting degree stands out for its big-picture approach. You’ll acquire technical accounting expertise within a broad business context, gaining the ability to go beyond number-crunching and provide strategic direction and leadership.

PSU’s accounting degree combines excellent academics with hands-on accounting experience and professional development. You’ll begin your accounting career with demonstrated ability, strong industry contacts, and an accounting degree that’s known for its well-rounded, high-performing graduates.

Portland State’s School of Business holds prestigious dual accreditation in business and accounting from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This is a distinction held by fewer than 200 accounting programs worldwide.

The Accounting Minor complements any major: seven classes, covering all essentials, with no admission requirements.

Accounting serves as the language of business, indispensable for all organizations. Learn the fundamental principles from industry professionals by adding an Accounting Minor to your academic major. Develop the toolkit essential for gaining a competitive edge in the job market or setting yourself up for success in future endeavors.

The 26-credit Accounting Minor offers students a crucial understanding of basic technical accounting concepts, coupled with the interpersonal skills necessary for success. Through this minor, students acquire the skills to identify and record economic events, gain familiarity with taxation, and utilize software such as Microsoft Excel and Intuit QuickBooks.

Download the Accounting Minor Sequence Sheet for additional details about prerequisites, requirements, credits, and suggested sequences.

• Flexible degree options. You can personalize your experience by choosing from 100% online (classes are offered fully online once per year, the online sequence begins Fall term), 100% on-campus, or a combination of online and on-campus courses. You make the choice of what format works best for you in any particular term, so you have the flexibility to change course modalities if work or family demands change along the way.
• Exceptional professional connections. Our accounting program has relationships throughout the regional economy, so you’ll have routine contact with accountants and employers both on and off-campus. Large and small corporations actively seek to interact with our accounting majors via internships, networking events, job fairs, classroom case studies and other events.
• Practical skills development. PSU accounting majors develop the professional toolkit employers are looking for. Both in the classroom and in real-world settings such as professional internships, you’ll work with industry-standard software like Tableau and Quickbooks.
• Outstanding faculty. Accounting courses are taught by high-quality instructors who combine advanced scholarship with direct experience in the accounting industry. They’ll share lessons you can’t find in any accounting textbook, along with professional contacts, career guidance, and mentorship.
• Holistic education. Our accounting degree emphasizes the interconnections between accounting and other business operations such as finance, marketing, and management. Infused throughout is a focus on the accountants’ responsibility to the public, and the role of accounting in ensuring functional financial markets and society. You’ll stand out in the accounting job market—and in the workforce—for your ability to think strategically, solve problems creatively, collaborate on interdisciplinary teams, and synthesize information from multiple sources.
• Excellent hiring record. PSU accounting graduates work throughout greater Portland for corporations, accounting firms, nonprofits, and government agencies. Because of our high name recognition and strong reputation with employers, PSU’s business degree in accounting helps you stand out in the job market.
• Graduate degree pathways into our MSF and MT programs. PSU accounting students are eligible for an accelerated pathway program into our Master of Science in Finance (MSF). Students complete 8 MSF credits in their senior year which are shared between their bachelor’s degree and MSF degree. PSU accounting students are also eligible for an accelerated pathway program into our Master of Taxation (MT). Students complete 8 MT credits in their senior year which are shared between their bachelor's degree and MT degree.

Students who minor in accounting develop a range of technical skills that are essential for success in accounting and related fields such as: financial statement analysis, accounting software proficiency, cost accounting techniques, understanding of tax laws and regulations, familiarity with auditing principles and practices, financial modeling, and understanding of internal control systems and procedures to safeguard assets. These technical skills are valuable not only for careers in accounting but also for roles in finance, and consulting, as well as for independent contractors, artists and professionals in the gig economy.

Accounting Degree Highlights

• Elite dual accreditation in accounting and business AACSB
• The flexible degree options allow you to earn your degree no matter where you're at
• More than 800 business internships and jobs posted to PSU students each year by corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, and numerous other organizations
• Accounting Mentor Program that offers career guidance from active accounting professionals
• Career development support to hone your interviewing, resume writing, job search, and business etiquette skills
• A strong foundation for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam

Our accounting bachelor’s degree program prepares you for a broad range of accounting career paths. PSU accounting majors go on to work for employers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, with careers in a range of specialties that include:

• Taxation
• Auditing
• Consulting
• Corporate accounting
• Managerial accounting
• Governmental accounting
• Nonprofit accounting

Over the long run, accounting majors frequently advance into upper management positions and strategic leadership roles.

Accounting Bachelor's Degree Curriculum

Our accounting degree integrates technical skill development with broad theoretical knowledge. You’ll learn to construct financial and accounting reports, work with accounting software and tax research databases, analyze financial statements, prepare tax returns, conduct independent research, and analyze risk. Core subject matter includes:

• Accounting information systems and accounting analytics
• Financial reporting
• Managerial accounting
• Auditing
• Managerial accounting
• Governmental accounting
• Taxation

The bachelor’s degree curriculum advances you toward eligibility for the Certified Public Accounting exam, with special electives and coursework to prepare you for that test. For CPA licensing requirements in Oregon, visit the Oregon Board of Accountancy. For CPA licensing requirements in other states, visit the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

Download the Accounting Sequence Sheet for additional details about prerequisites, requirements, credits, and suggested sequences.

ACCREDITATION & RANKINGS

Portland State University is fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). One of less than 200 business schools worldwide — top 1% — to be accredited in both business and accounting by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB is the elite business school accreditation known internationally. Portland State's School of Business is committed to student learning. AACSB accreditation includes assessment of student learning outcomes.

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