University of Tampa

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Accounting students should:

• Be sensitive to ethical issues that arise in the practice of the accounting profession and capable of applying the professional standards applicable to specific ethical issues.
• Have an understanding of the legal and economic forces that impact accounting transparency and reporting.
• Be effective critical thinkers with respect to solving professional accounting and business problems.
• Be technically proficient such that they add value to their accounting professional activities.
• Learn modern professional accounting theories, techniques, methods, and/or laws used by business entities and be effective communicators of accounting information to users.

What Will You Learn?

The major in accounting offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to give graduates flexibility in their careers. Students benefit from small class sizes and personalized attention from professors, as well as regular exposure to real-world business environments. UT frequently partners with local companies and professionals for speaker events and other interactive activities.

Skills and curriculum covered in the accounting major include:

• The science of accounting
• Professional and ethical accounting standards and codes of conduct
• How to formulate accounting responses
• How to implement accepted accounting principles, domestically and internationally
• How to select and apply appropriate tools and models for business problem solving
• How to synthesize data, knowledge, and insight to analyze business problems
• The preparation and communication of accounting proficiency in financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, and business law
• The technological and research skills needed to resolve accounting, audit, tax, and legal issues

Sample Courses

• Financial Accounting
• Managerial Accounting
• Intermediate Accounting
• Cost Accounting
• Federal Tax Accounting
• Accounting Information Systems
• Auditing and Attestation

Practical Experience and Networking

Internship Program

In today’s challenging job market, companies and graduate schools seek candidates with real-world experience. UT’s accounting internship program enjoys the growing interest of local and national firms in recruiting students for internships.

Accounting internships challenge students to practice what they learn in class. Additionally, they allow students to experience a professional work environment prior to graduation and to make better career decisions.

UT requires that accounting students be paid for their internships. Participating employers value the caliber of UT students and recognize that many are capable of performing the duties of a junior staff member.

Students interested in finding accounting internships should visit HIRE-UT. This website is hosted by the Office of Career Services and lists available internship opportunities.

Companies that recruit and frequently hire UT students include:

• Bankers Financial Corporation
• Citi
• Cohen & Grieb
• Crowe
• Deloitte
• EY
• Florida Department of Revenue
• Gregory, Stuart and Sharer
• KPMG
• PwC
• Raymond James
• Sunera
• Warren Averett

Networking Opportunities

Accounting students can also gain real-world experience by interacting with the local business community through in-class consulting projects, guest speakers, and field trips. UT’s proximity to downtown Tampa provides students with hundreds of networking opportunities within walking distance of campus.

Students also interact with the business community through UT’s Centers and Institutes, which include the Center for Ethics, TECO Energy Center for Leadership, Naimoli Institute for Business Strategy, Florida Directors’ Institute, and Lowth Entrepreneurship Center. They offer both students and community members the chance to participate in conferences, attend development programs, engage in dialog with professors about their research, and many other activities.

What Can You Do With This Major?

All organizations, whether large or small, rely on accountants to record and report the activities of the business. Therefore, accounting graduates become an integral part of business management teams and leaders in organizational decision-making processes.

Accountants and auditors work throughout public accounting, private industry, and government. Diverse career paths include:

• External auditing
• Internal auditing
• IS auditing
• Tax and management consulting
• Financial accounting and reporting
• Strategic management accounting
• Financial analysis and treasury/cash management
• Fraud/forensic accounting

Graduates of UT’s accounting programs consistently secure excellent positions or are accepted to top graduate schools across the country. They work for corporations and organizations such as GTE, Coca Cola, and the American Cancer Society, as well as public accounting firms such as Deloitte, PwC, and EY.

CPA License and Graduate Studies

Most accountant and auditor positions require a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. Many also require a CPA license. Florida and 40 other states require a fifth year of education to qualify to sit for the CPA examination. Students can complete this requirement in UT’s Master of Science in Accounting program.

With a qualifying GPA, UT undergraduates are not required to take the GMAT entrance exam, which is an admissions requirement for all other prospective master’s degree students.