Accountancy

 

Mission

The primary mission of the Department of Accountancy at Clarion University is to provide a high quality educational experience for students that will enable them to pursue careers in professional accounting, business and industry, and government.  An important aspect of this mission is to provide career guidance and counseling, support for student professional organizations, and extracurricular activities. 

 

Program Emphasis and Preparation

The Department of Accountancy prepares students to understand the complex business environment and to succeed in the accounting profession.  The Department has a strong teaching orientation enhanced by reasonable class sizes.  This type of environment allows for close individual advising relationships with students.  Our accounting program provides solid preparation for a wide range of positions in accounting and finance.  In addition, the program prepares students for graduate education in accounting, business and law.  Alumni surveys attest to the high quality of our program.

 

Faculty

Our faculty have various backgrounds and experiences, including doctoral degrees from major universities throughout the United States, such as the University of Massachusetts, the University of Pittsburgh and Kent State University.  In addition, many faculty hold professional certifications (e.g., CPA, CMA, etc.).

 

Internships and Full-time Placement

A successful internship program provides placement of qualified students in a variety of internship positions.  The Department continuously achieves a high professional placement rate for graduates as well.  Recent accounting graduates have gone to work for a range of organizations, including:

PriceWaterhouseCoopers                      Bank of New York Mellon                     

UPMC                                                    KPMG                                                   

Johnson and Johnson                           U.S. Small Business Administration

ParenteBeard                                        Maher Duessel                                      

U.S. General Services Administration   Schneider Downs & Co.

GEICO                                                    Hershey Foods

 

150 Credit Hour Requirement /MBA

Students may complete a four-year, 120 credit-hour accounting program to qualify for a range of accounting positions and certifications. For those students interested in obtaining CPA licensure we offer a five-year course of study, which requires completion of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (four-year accounting major) along with the Master of Business Administration (one additional year). The Clarion MBA program enables undergraduate accounting students to fulfill the 150 credit hour requirement for CPA licensure in Pennsylvania. This flexibility provides Clarion students with the option of a four-year degree or a five-year undergraduate/graduate course of study.

 

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Student Organizations

The Accounting Club offers entertaining and informative activities to its student members.  These include regular club meetings, an annual banquet, and field trips to accounting firms where students can get to know their fellow accounting majors and meet business and accounting professionals.

 

Scholarship Opportunities

A number of scholarships are available to qualified accounting students through the Accountancy Department Foundation account, as well as other external organizations.

 

Other Educational Opportunities

An on-line CPA Exam Eligibility Program permits non-accountants to become eligible to sit for the CPA Exam.  It may be completed in approximately 20 months, which along with any four -year degree will allow students to sit for the CPA exam in Pennsylvania.   The Department also offers Continuing Professional Education seminars for practitioners through the Center for Accounting Education and Research, which accounting majors may attend at no charge.   

 

 

The Center for Accounting Education and Research