Accounting and Information Systems
Programs in Accounting
| Accounting, B.B.A. | Degree | B.B.A. |
| Information Technology Systems, B.A.S. | Degree | B.A.S. |
| Information Systems, Academic Certificate | Certificate |
Undergraduate Accounting Program Learning Goals
The goal of our undergraduate program is to prepare students for entry into staff accounting positions in companies, government, or not-for-profit organizations. Therefore, we emphasize a broad business core enhanced by rigorous accounting major courses that result in strong general accounting fundamentals. Moreover, we include an experiential component in our program so that our students have the opportunity to learn through applying the concepts studied in the classroom.
The learning goals of our BBA accounting program relate accounting content to both business and personal skill areas. Our content area goals are to have our graduates:
- Understand financial accounting concepts at the intermediate accounting level;
- Correctly apply procedures used in the taxation of entities;
- Understand and apply managerial and cost accounting concepts; and
- Understand the context and processes of auditing and assurance services.
Our skill area goals are to have our graduates demonstrate effective business writing, critical thinking, and presentation skills, all skills deemed critical to success for business professionals.
Career Considerations
Following a national trend, Idaho law requires that a candidate for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) must have a college degree and at least 150 credit hours. While many accounting positions can be filled by individuals with a bachelor’s degree without a CPA certificate, graduates intending to progress in a professional career in either managerial or public accounting will benefit greatly from the additional breadth and depth offered by a graduate degree. The Idaho State University accounting program meets Idaho’s legal requirements and provides the additional knowledge and skills demanded by a rapidly changing business environment with a B.B.A. in Accounting, along with an M.B.A. with Emphasis in Accounting or a Master of Accountancy (MAcc).
The undergraduate degree program prepares accountants with broad knowledge in business and accounting suitable for entry level positions in several career paths available to accountants. The M.B.A. with Emphasis in Accounting program enhances the knowledge and skills useful for rapid advancement in managerial accounting roles while the MAcc program provides the knowledge and skills best suited to a successful career in public accounting. Students planning to pass the CPA and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) examinations should continue beyond the B.B.A. degree into the M.B.A. with Emphasis in Accounting or the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) Program.