Accounting - Major/Minor

For information, contact Professor Ibolya Balog, ibalog@cedarcrest.edu, 610-606-4666, ext. 4453 

Program Description

The accounting major is offered by the Department of Business, Management, and Economics. It is multidisciplinary and asks students to develop analytical, mathematical, financial, legal, critical thinking, and managerial skills to prepare them for careers in public, managerial, governmental, or tax accounting, as well as internal auditing.

The accounting program is designed to provide a broad foundation in accounting and can be used by students working toward the 150-semester hour education required by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and most states Board of Accountancy prior to licensure as Certified Public Accountants. Students should seek advice from an accounting advisor to plan course work adequately..

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the accounting degree program at Cedar Crest College is to prepare students for a career as a business leader through well rounded exposure to rigorous study of accounting theory and hands-on, practical experience in the combined areas of financial reporting and analysis, managerial accounting and decision support, taxation and assurance services, and ethical consideration and implication of business decision making and reporting in accordance with applicable standards in the global community.

Total number of credits required by the major: 66

Accounting Major

Program Requirements

All courses within the major must be passed with a grade of C- or better; however, a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.25 and a minimum average in the major of 2.50 must be achieved.
To be certified for graduation, a student majoring in Accounting must take a minimum of 33 credits of course work in the Department of Business, Management, and Economics at Cedar Crest College.

Course Requirements

Students majoring in the Department of Business, Management, and Economics are required to take the following courses, in addition to courses required for their specific major:

ACC 101         Financial Accounting            3 credits
ACC 102         Managerial Accounting         3 credits
ACC 205         Business Enterprise Systems          3 credits
ACC 250         Principles of Finance            3 credits
ACC 281         Professional Ethics   4 credits – Traditional students
ACC 282         Professional Ethics   3 credits – SAGE students
BUA 204          Business Communications 3 credits
BUA 219         Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics          3 credits
BUA 221         Business Law             3 credits
BUA 345         Operations and Supply Chain Management            3 credits
BUA 351         Industry Analysis and Strategy         3 credits
BUA 352         Innovation and Entrepreneurship    3 credits
ECO 101         Principles of Economics: Macro      3 credits
ECO 102         Principles of Economics: Micro       3 credits
MRK 230        Principles of Marketing        3 credits

Accounting Requirements
ACC 203         Cost Accounting        3 credits
ACC 309         Intermediate Accounting I    3 credits
ACC 310         Intermediate Accounting II   3 credits
ACC 315         Personal Income Tax Accounting     3 credits
ACC 316         Corporation Income Tax Accounting                        3 credits
ACC 321         Advanced Accounting            3 credits
ACC 322         Auditing          3 credits
BUA 350         Leadership      3 credits
Internship 3-9 credits (required for traditional students)

Liberal Arts Curriculum Requirements fulfilled within the Major

The student fulfills the Technology, Oral Presentation, and Information Literacy requirements by successfully completing the following courses embedded within the accounting major:

Technology: ACC 205 Business Enterprise Systems
Oral Presentation: BUA 204   Business Communications, BUA 352 Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Information Literacy: BUA 351 Industry Analysis and Strategy

The following Liberal Arts Foundation requirements may be fulfilled by successfully completing the corresponding courses within the major:
WRI-2: BUA 204   Business Communications
Ethics: ACC 281  Professional Ethics – Traditional Students, BUA 282 Professional Ethics – SAGE Students
Math and Logic:  BUA 219 Quantitative Methods For Business And Economics

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the Accounting Major, students will be able to:

• Describe the fundamental functions of an organization's accounting system and the objectives of the users of financial reports.
• Prepare a set of complete financial statements and analyze the relationships of these statements.
• Consider the role of ethical behavior in financial reporting, accounting decisions and auditing, and evaluate the financial implications of business decision making.
• Design a budget based on forecasted sales and prepare the related forecasted financial statements.
• Apply relevant tax accounting concepts as applicable to personal and business tax returns.
• Analyze various attest functions and assurance services performed by independent accountants.

Accounting Minor

Program Requirements

All Cedar Crest College students are eligible to take this minor. All courses within the minor must be passed with a grade of C- or better. Business Administration majors cannot apply any accounting electives to their major if they choose this minor.

Required Courses

ACC 101         Financial Accounting                        3 credits
ACC 102         Managerial Accounting         3 credits
ACC 205         Business Enterprise Systems          3 credits
ACC 250         Principles of Finance            3 credits
ACC 309         Intermediate Accounting I    3 credits
ACC 310         Intermediate Accounting II   3 credits

Post-Baccalaureate CPA Certificate

According to the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy, a person who is interested in sitting for the CPA exam must have a baccalaureate or master’s degree and have completed at least a total of 36 semester credits in accounting and auditing, business law, finance or tax subjects. This specialized certificate is for those individuals who possess a bachelor’s degree in a field other than accounting. By completing the 36-credit certificate, students will be able to meet the educational requirements mandated by the State Board of Accountancy and will be qualified to sit for the CPA exam, as well as gain exposure to all areas of examination testing. When combined with a previously earned Baccalaureate degree, this program will fulfill the 150 semester hour requirement required by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and by Pennsylvania and most states in the nation. At least 8 of the 12 required courses must be taken at Cedar Crest College.

Required Courses

ACC 101         Financial Accounting                        3 credits
ACC 102         Managerial Accounting         3 credits
ACC 203         Cost Accounting        3 credits
ACC 205         Business Enterprise Systems          3 credits
ACC 250         Principles of Finance            3 credits
ACC 309*       Intermediate Accounting I    3 credits
ACC 310*       Intermediate Accounting II   3 credits
ACC 315*       Personal Income Tax Accounting     3 credits
ACC 316*       Corporation Income Tax Accounting 3 credits
ACC 321*       Advanced Accounting            3 credits
ACC 322*       Auditing          3 credits
BUA 221*       Business Law             3 credits
*Must be taken at Cedar Crest College.