College of Business | School of Accounting

Welcome to the School of Accountancy

Accounting is often called the "language of business". Many misinterpret this label to mean that accountants are only concerned with numbers. In today's environment, nothing could be further from the truth. While accountants must be thoroughly grounded in the fundamentals of our discipline, more importantly they must have a strong technology base as well as interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills. Accountants must be problem solvers, helping their clients or employers find creative solutions to complex business problems.

Students have a wide variety of career options in the field. The three primary options are public, industry, and governmental accounting. Students wishing to practice public accounting can do so with large, international firms or with regional or local accounting firms. The same is true for industry. Some students will select multinational corporate organizations while others prefer the smaller local manufacturing or service company. There are numerous opportunities in state, local, and Federal government agencies. Within the various accounting arenas, students might specialize in auditing, tax, or accounting information systems.

To be a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, you must have 150 semester hours of post secondary education. Most state boards of Accountancy have passed similar laws requiring you to meet the 150 hour requirement in order to be eligible to sit for the Uniform CPA examination. Most students meet the requirement by pursuing a graduate degree. Auburn's Master of Accountancy program can be completed in one year and will give you not only the necessary credentials to sit for the exam but also the competitive edge to compete in today's world.