BBA in Accounting

Why pursue an accounting degree at North Central College?

Our accounting degree will help you become professionally indispensable—one of those rare people who can analyze complex quantitative problems and explain them to everyone from CEOs to stockholders. You’ll learn to identify key economic issues affecting business strategy and interpret and prepare critical financial reports and analyses. Our professors also weave writing and presentation skills into every accounting course, so you’ll become a skilled communicator—and that will set you head and shoulders above your peers.

You can also:

• Secure internships with some of the most prestigious accounting firms, like PwC, EY, Deloitte, RSM, and many other local and regional firms.
• Participate in our Student Accounting Society which hosts speakers, networking events, and social gatherings.
• Work closely with faculty mentors to conduct research, explore graduate study, and consider internship opportunities and career options.
• Complete the required 150 credit hours to sit for the CPA examination in Illinois and most other states in four years by working closely with your academic advisor, enrolling in summer coursework, and completing advanced placement credits.
• Explore opportunities to complete the required credit hours for the CPA examination through graduate study—whether through North Central’s or other schools' masters’ programs.
• Apply for one of the 10 scholarships awarded annually for study materials and fee waivers to take the Certified Management Accountant examination.
• Enhance classroom learning by participating in a variety of community engagement opportunities like the volunteer income tax preparation program and attestation services for local not-for-profit entities.
• Conduct market research and engage in data analytics using our state-of-the-art, 10-station Bloomberg Laboratory.

Accounting emphasizes the generation, analysis, and reporting of key financial information to interested stakeholders. Graduates are employed in a wide variety of careers including, financial reporting, financial advising, consulting, and data analysis. Accountants work for public accounting firms, private firms, governmental units, and not-for-profit organizations.

The accounting curriculum provides the content specified in the Uniform CPA Examination. However, in Illinois (and most other states), candidates are required to have 150 semester credit hours to sit for the CPA examination. Students may earn the additional credit hours through graduate studies, overloads, or May or summer term courses. Additionally, advanced placement credits and college coursework not transferred into North Central College may be counted towards the 150-hour requirement. Students are encouraged to work closely with faculty mentors to determine a plan of study that best meets individual circumstances.

Major Requirements

Common SBE Core

• SBEN 100 - Globalization and Society
• ACCT 201 - Financial Accounting
• ACCT 202 - Managerial Accounting
• BUSN 205 - Business Law and Ethics
• BUSN 265 - Business and Economics Statistics
• BUSN 485 - Business Strategy
• ECON 200 - Principles of Microeconomics
• ECON 205 - Principles of Macroeconomics
• FINA 350 - Corporate Finance
• MGMT 305 - Management and Organizational Behavior
• MKTG 300 - Principles of Marketing

Accounting Courses

• ACCT 307 - Cost Accounting
• ACCT 310 - Accounting Information Systems
• ACCT 317 - Intermediate Accounting I
• ACCT 318 - Intermediate Accounting II
• ACCT 330 - Principles of Taxation
• ACCT 370 - Auditing and Attestation

Two of the following:

• ACCT 431 - Advanced Taxation
• ACCT 440 - Accounting for Business Combinations
• ACCT 460 - Accounting for Not-For-Profits
• ACCT 471 - Fraud Examination
• ACCT 490 - Seminar in Accounting

A North Central education integrates career preparation with rich academic study. Our faculty encourages you to refine and apply your knowledge in an interconnected world. Here you'll learn to think independently and work globally to solve problems and lead.

Internships

• Enterprise finance intern, Accenture, Chicago
• Tax intern, McDonald’s Corporation, Oak Brook, Ill.
• Audit services intern, KPMG, Chicago
• Forensic accounting intern, Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Chicago
• Assurance services intern, Grant Thorton, Chicago
• International tax services intern, Deloitte, Chicago
• Accounting services intern, Lauterbach & Amen, LLP, Naperville, Ill.
• Employee benefits audit intern, Sikich, LLP, Naperville
• Assurance Intern, PwC, Chicago
• Accounting Intern, Cabot Microelectronics
• Internal Audit Intern, Wolters Kluweer, Riverwoods, IL
• Audit Intern, Sikich, Naperville
• Assurance Intern, Plante Moran, Chicago
• Tax Season Intern, Porte Brown LLC, Elk Grove Village, IL

Recent graduates in accounting include:

• Finance & Accounting Leadership Development Program, Navistar, Chicago
• Assurance Staff, Plante Moran, Chicago
• Accounting Outsourcing Services Associate, BKD, Oak Brook Terrace
• Associate, DHJJ, Naperville
• Tax Associate, PwC, Chicago
• Associate, Transaction Services, RSM, Chicago
• Audit Associate, RSM, Schaumburg
• Pension Benefits Specialist, Lauterbach & Amen, LLP, Naperville
• Associate Financial Analyst, Leadership Development Program, Exelon, Naperville
• Tax Associate, RSM, Schaumburg
• Financial services tax staff, Ernst & Young, Chicago
• Audit associate, Sikich, LLP, Naperville
• Audit associate, Deloitte, Chicago
• Tax consultant, Deloitte, Chicago
• Audit associate, Grant Thorton, Chicago