Harrisonburg, USA
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest start date
TUITION FEES
USD 6,434 / per semester *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* in-state tuition fee | $15,076: out-of-state tuition fee. Additional fees may apply
Key Summary
Introduction
Major in Accounting at JMU and you will be fluent in what is known as the “language of business.”
Our accounting graduates are always in high demand. You will be prepared for a variety of careers in the fields of accounting, finance, auditing, consulting, and information systems. A major in accounting will set you up for a career of ensuring financial success wherever you go. Get ready to be challenged. Get ready to be supported. Get ready to start on the road to your future.
The School of Accounting enjoys a national reputation for excellence in accounting education and is viewed as a prime recruiting school by accounting employers throughout the mid-Atlantic region. The school offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree and a Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.). Most students choose to receive both degrees and thereby satisfy the 150 semester hours of education required in most states to be eligible to sit for the CPA exam.
Several features of the accounting program are distinctive:
- Outstanding employment opportunities.
- A post-graduation CPA exam review course offered on campus.
- Opportunities for internships.
Gallery
Admissions
Curriculum
The School of Accounting offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree. The 120-credit-hour undergraduate degree consists of a four-year major in accounting, leading to the B.B.A. degree.
During your junior year, you can choose to meet with your adviser to discuss enrolling in the graduate program, which leads seamlessly to the award of the B.B.A. degree after four years.
Major Coursework and upper B.B.A. Core
B.B.A. Upper-Level Core:
- COB 300A – Integrated Business: Management
- COB 300B – Integrated Business: Finance
- COB 300C – Integrated Business: Operations
- COB 300D – Integrated Business: Marketing
- COB 318 – Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
Note: COB 318 must be taken before COB 487. - COB 487 – Strategic Management
Major Coursework:
- ACTG 305 - Spreadsheet Skills and Data Analysis for Accounting Information
- ACTG 310 - Data Analytics for Accountants
- ACTG 313 – Accounting Information Systems
- ACTG 343 – Corporate Financial Reporting I
- ACTG 344 – Corporate Financial Reporting II
- ACTG 377 – Federal Income Tax Accounting
- ACTG 410 – Auditing and Assurance
- One ACTG elective
Accounting Electives
- ACTG 413 - Cybersecurity and Accounting Information Protection Strategies
- ACTG 475 - Strategic Cost Accounting and Analytics
- ACTG 491 - Advanced Data Analytics and Emerging Technologies in Accounting and Forensics
Pathway Option
- Sophomore - Second Semester: COB 242, ACTG 305
- Junior - First Semester: COB 300, ACTG 310
- Junior - Second Semester: ACTG 343, ACTG 377, COB 318
- Senior - First Semester: ACTG 313, ACTG 344
- Senior - Second Semester: ACTG 410, ACTG Elective, COB 487
Some students may be prepared to take COB 300 at the end of their sophomore year, particularly those with numerous AP and dual enrollment hours.
Recommended Minors
- Business Analytics
- Computer Information Systems
Certifications
Many graduates desire to gain certifications in their selected area of specialization. The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is the best known of these certifications. Students seeking CPA licensure in Virginia must meet a 150- hour education requirement, including 30 credits in accounting and 24 in business. All fifty states require students to meet the 150-hour educational requirement. The Master of Science in Accounting degree is highly recommended for those electing a career in public accounting. In addition to the CPA exam, graduates of our program sit for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam, the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam, the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam and others.
Software and Technical Skills
- ACL
- Advanced EXCEL
- IDEA
- Tableau
- General-Purpose Accounting Software
Career Opportunities
A successful career and a meaningful life is what it’s all about. Whether it’s an internship, a great first job or a top graduate school appointment, JMU Dukes make their dreams ignite. You will, too.
Here are current openings available to JMU students.
Jobs for JMU Students
Accounting
- Junior Accountant at Timothy A. Nanni, CPA, P.C.
- Accounting Associate/Bookkeeper at Gursey Schneider LLP
- Staff Accountant - Remote at Groupon
- Financial Accountant I at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- Staff Accountant at NewLane Finance
- Project Accountant at Walker Consultants
- Energy Accountant/Auditor at Virginia State Corporation Commission
- Tax Auditor (Entry through Advanced levels) (Nationwide Locations) at Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts - Headquarters
- Accountant at Navient
- Junior Accountant at Institute for Justice
- Accounting Specialist (Billing) at JK Moving Services & CapRelo
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Analyst, Parent Accounting & Reporting at National Grid
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Analyst, National Grid Ventures Finance & Accounting at National Grid
- Financial Accountant at IPG Photonics
- Senior Cost Accountant at Microaire
- Accounting Technician (Accounting Technician) at Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
- Audit Associate - October 2023/January 2024 at Aronson
- Staff Accountant / Auditor at David-James LLC
- Accounting Manager at Eaton
Finance
- Credit Analyst (Commercial Banking Portfolio Coordinator – Spreading and Pre-Close Covenant Monitoring) at Wells Fargo
- eBay Finance Futures Program, Recent Grad at eBay
- Associate Financial Analyst at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Analyst, Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis at National Grid
- Financial Advisor at Keenan Financial
- (#R18234) Analytics Client Solutions Specialist - Americas Campus (June 2023) at FactSet Research Systems, Inc.
- (#R18233) Analytics Client Solutions Specialist - Americas Campus (February 2023) at FactSet Research Systems, Inc.
- Finance Director at Baker Tilly
- Financial Advisor at Sage Point Financial, Inc
- 2023 S&P Global Ratings CREDit Program Analyst at S&P Global
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Analyst, Parent Accounting & Reporting at National Grid
- LEAD Associate - Management Training Program - Class of 2023 at TOWNEBANK
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Business Partner, IT Finance Business Partnering at National Grid
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Analyst, National Grid Ventures Finance & Accounting at National Grid
- Financial Analyst- 2023 Finance Leadership Development Program- Raritan, NJ at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics
- Financial Accountant at IPG Photonics
- Financial Analyst at Multifamily Asset Managers
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Business Partner, Finance Business Partnering at National Grid
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Analyst, Finance Global Performance Management at National Grid
Audit
- Auditor 1 at Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Pension Auditor 1 - Westmoreland County at Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Pension Auditor 1 - Washington County at Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Pension Auditor 1 - Cumberland, Perry, Franklin, Dauphin Counties at Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Auditor 1 - Central Region at Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Auditor 1 - Northwest Region at Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Corporate Tax Auditor 1 at Pennsylvania Auditor General
- Energy Accountant/Auditor at Virginia State Corporation Commission
- Tax Auditor (Entry through Advanced levels) (Nationwide Locations) at Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts - Headquarters
- Corporate Audit Services (IT Audit) Management Trainee 2023 at BNSF Railway
- Corporate Audit Services (Finance Audit) Management Trainee 2023 at BNSF Railway
- Audit Associate - Winter 2023 (Phoenix) at Grant Thornton
- Financial Accountant at IPG Photonics
- Plant-Maintenance-Technician at Smithfield
- Graduate Development Program, Associate Auditor, Audit at National Grid
- Spring 2023 Audit Associate at Baker Tilly
- Cost Report Staff Auditor at HCA Healthcare
- Audit Associate - October 2023/January 2024 at Aronson
- Financial Analyst at Southco, Inc.
Internships for JMU Students
Accounting
- Accounting Intern at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Accounting Intern at Self Storage Plus
- Accounting Intern at iA
- 2023 Audit Summer Intern at Aronson
- 2023 Audit & Tax Rotational Summer Intern at Aronson
- Accounting Internship - Summer 2023 at Casey's
- 2023 Tax Summer Intern - Boston, MA at CohnReznick LLP
- Intern- CFO Accounting at Dominion Energy
- Accounting Internship - Summer 2023 at W. P. Carey, Inc.
- Finance & Accounting Associate (Intern) at General Dynamics Information Technology
- New Homes Accounting Internship - Summer 2023 at Van Metre Companies
- IL Intern - Accounting/Finance at Dot Foods
- Accounting/Finance Summer Intern 2023 (Paid) (Fort Worth, TX) at BNSF Railway
- Global Services: Accounting Intern - Summer 2023 (Southfield, MI or Remote) at Tenneco
- Global Services: Accounts Payable Intern - Summer 2023 (Southfield, MI or Remote) at Tenneco
- Global Services: Accounts Receivable Intern - Summer 2023 (Southfield, MI or Remote) at Tenneco
- Accounting/Finance Summer Intern 2023 (Paid) (Topeka, KS) at BNSF Railway
- New York City - Summer 2024 Audit Internship at Aprio
- Intern, Public Accounting, Audit, Summer 2023, King of Prussia at S.R. Snodgrass, P.C.
Financial
- Finance Intern - FP&A at PetSmart
- Finance Internship - Procurement at PetSmart
- Assistant to Financial Controller at Decks and Docks Lumber Company
- 2023 HKEX Summer Internship Programme at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
- Finance Summer Intern - Dallas at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Accounting Intern at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Clean Air: Program Engineering Intern - Summer 2023 (Grass Lake, MI) In-Person at Tenneco
- Risk Intern - Dallas at Santander Bank, N.A.
- INVESTMENT INTERN at Domain Capital Group
- Marketing and Customer Insights Intern at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Underwriting Intern at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Pricing Intern at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Strategy and Corporate Development Summer Analyst at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Internal Audit Intern, IT at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Digital Marketing Intern at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Finance Intern - Boston at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Finance Analyst Intern at eBay
- Intern-Financial Analyst-2023 at Principal Financial Group- Corporate Headquarters
- [REMOTE] Quantitative Analyst Intern - Summer 2023 at BHG Financial
Audit
- Internal Audit Finance Intern at PetSmart
- Internal Audit Intern at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Internal Audit Intern, IT at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Corporate Audit Services Summer Intern 2023 (Paid) at BNSF Railway
- 2023 - Early Career - Internal Audit - Summer Intern - United States, Multiple Locations at AIG
- Audit Intern - Summer 2023 (Denver) at Grant Thornton
- Audit Intern - Winter 2023 (Denver) at Grant Thornton
- 2023 Audit Summer Analyst Program - New York at Societe Generale
- 2023 Audit Summer Intern at Aronson
- 2023 Audit & Tax Rotational Summer Intern at Aronson
- 2023 Internal Audit Intern at Global Atlantic Financial Group
- Internal Audit Intern at Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
- Pathways Internship Student Trainee (Accounting/Audit) at Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
- Internal Audit Summer 2023 Internship - Dallas, TX at Builders FirstSource
- Internal Audit Intern - Boston, MA at Santander Bank, N.A.
- Audit Intern at Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates
- Single Audit Intern Summer 2023 (Lawrenceville, GA) at CapinCrouse
- Single Audit Intern Summer 2023 (Denver, CO) at CapinCrouse
- Single Audit Intern Summer 2023 (Indianapolis, IN) at CapinCrouse
Scholarships and Funding
Madison awards more than 400 one- to four-year scholarships each year to incoming students. The primary criterion for merit-based scholarships is exceptional academic performance. Other selection criteria may include leadership, involvement, and career goals.
The Madison Scholarships Hub is the application center for all JMU Foundation scholarships at James Madison University. To access the Madison Scholarships Hub, log in to MyMadison. Under the Applicant tab, click on the Madison Scholarships Hub logo.
All students are encouraged to fill out the General Application in the Madison Scholarships Hub to be considered for various scholarship opportunities. Qualifications for the majority of our scholarships are based on the General Application information as well as information pulled directly from your admissions application.
Review the criteria carefully for any recommended scholarship opportunities you are presented with and if you meet the qualifications, click apply to submit the additional required information. Deadlines vary across departments so be sure to complete the General Application as soon as possible to receive full consideration. Some scholarship opportunities become available starting in the fall while others open later so be sure to check back in January, February and March.
Rankings
Top 10% Best Colleges for Accounting and Finances in America 2023 — Niche
#18 Top Public Colleges for Acconting Studies 2023 — Wall Street Journal
Accreditations
Student Testimonials
English Language Requirements
Certify your English proficiency with PTE. The faster, fairer, simpler English test, accepted by thousands of universities around the world. PTE, Do it worry-free!
Program Admission Requirements
Demonstrate your commitment and readiness to succeed in business school by taking the GMAT exam – the most widely used exam for admissions that measures your critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Download the GMAT mini quiz to get a flavour of the questions you’ll find in the exam.