Accounting

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in accounting are expected to increase by 34 percent through 2005. Accounting is the process of recording, classifying, reporting and interpreting the financial data of an organization. Known as the "language of business," accounting is an excellent background if you are planning for a career in business. In today's global society, accountants often find themselves traveling to various international destinations to help structure merger and acquisition deals, conduct field audits and open branch offices of domestic companies. Careers in accounting can be very exciting, challenging and rewarding.

In today's business world, accountants:

• evaluate past performances of companies and make recommendations for improved performance
• devise tax strategies to allow organizations and individuals to legally minimize tax liabilities
• audit financial statements of companies to assist investors in buying and/or selling decisions
• devise effective cost-cutting strategies aimed at improving an organization's overall performance
• help organizations harness information technologies to integrate and improve business processes
• are essential to the effective operations of both business and not-for-profit organizations

Planning for College

The University of Scranton encourages a strong college preparatory program in high school with a minimum of four years of English, three years of mathematics, social science and science, and at least two years of a foreign language with additional units taken in acceptable academic areas. You should select courses that will help you think analytically and communicate effectively.

Accounting at The University of Scranton

Here are some reasons why you should consider majoring in accounting at The University of Scranton:

• The Kania School of Management is AACSB accredited
• outstanding job opportunities upon graduation
• an opportunity to do an internship during a semester or while on summer break. Besides serving as an excellent source of practical experience, an internship can often lead to an entry-level position upon graduation
• the chance to earn both a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree within five academic years. This program was specifically developed to meet the needs of students who later sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam in one of the many states that require 150-credit hours of education in order to take the exam
• the opportunity to enroll in accounting information systems (AIS) courses, which serve as excellent means of preparing for the computer systems environment
• a dedicated faculty committed to providing a quality education. All members of the accounting faculty hold doctoral degrees. Our faculty includes a licensed tax attorney and eight others hold either CPA or CMA (Certified Management Accountant) professional certifications

Outcomes

Recent graduates of The University of Scranton accounting program are currently employed at PriceWaterhouseCoopers,  Deloitte & Touche, KPMG Peat Marwick, Ernst & Young, Army Audit Agency, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Bank of Japan, Dun & Bradstreet, Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Lockheed Martin, J.P. Morgan & Company, Goldman Sachs & Company, RJR Nabisco, Prudential, U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in accounting are expected to increase by 34 percent through the year 2005. This is impressive considering that career opportunities for accountants have always been good. The accounting program at The University of Scranton is a logical choice if you are considering a career in business.

Finding Out More

If you would like more information concerning accounting at The University of Scranton, please contact Dr. Robyn Lawrence, Chair, at (570) 941-7786. You can e-mail her at lawrencer1@scranton.edu. You can also visit her website at
http://academic.scranton.edu/faculty/lawrencer1.