Business Administration: Accounting (BS.BUS.ACC)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

The Department of Business Administration strives to provide an atmosphere that is conducive to ethical behavior and intellectual growth. The department core is designed to provide a foundation of general business knowledge on which individual programs within the department can build. Internships can be available for qualified students. Students successfully completing a Business Administration major will be able to compete effectively for professional employment, understand the importance of professional behavior, possess a strong work ethic, and be prepared to pursue lifelong learning including graduate studies and beyond.

Students are encouraged to use their selection of frames of reference courses and other free elective courses to broaden their experiences and exposure to other ways of thinking and to other disciplines. Free elective course work can be from any discipline and can be, but need not be, used to fulfill requirements for a minor.

Students completing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration will be proficient in:

Defining, analyzing, and solving problems in both an individual and group environment.
Recognizing and using effective verbal and written communication skills.
Using computers and other technologies generally used in an entry-level business environment.

Concentration in Accounting

Students completing a BS.BUS with a concentration in Accounting are prepared to pursue careers as corporate, not-for-profit, or small business accountants or to continue their studies at the graduate level. With the addition of the Master of Science in Accounting degree, students are prepared for careers in public accounting and advancement in private accounting. A career as a professional accountant requires a commitment to lifelong learning as the profession is continually evolving. Therefore, pre-entry education should lay the base on which lifelong learning can be built. This base has three components: skills, knowledge, and professional orientation.

Students completing a BS.BUS.ACC will demonstrate technical competency and professional knowledge in accounting theory, auditing, and individual income taxation.

Complete the following courses:

1000 level
BUS 1270 - Principles of Computer-Based Information Systems 3 cr
2000 level
ACC 2101 - Accounting I 3 cr
BUS 2020 - Principles of Management 3 cr
BUS 2030 - Case Studies in Business Administration 3 cr
BUS 2230 - Principles of Marketing 3 cr
BUS 2370 - Business Communications 3 cr
ECO 2040 - Macroeconomics in a Global Context 3 cr
ECO 2050 - Microeconomics in a Global Context 3 cr
3000 level
ACC 3010 - Accounting for Management Decisions 3 cr
ACC 3211 - Corporate Financial Reporting I 3 cr
ACC 3212 - Corporate Financial Reporting II 3 cr
BUS 3131 - Business Law I 3 cr
BUS 3230 - Financial Management 3 cr
4000 level
ACC 4010 - Accounting Information Systems 3 cr
ACC 4041 - Income Tax I 3 cr
ACC 4041L - Individual Tax Preparation 1 cr
ACC 4050 - Auditing and Assurance Services 3 cr
ACC 4213 - Corporate Financial Reporting III 3 cr
BUS 4080 - Business Strategy and Policy Development 3 cr
BUS 4110 - Operations Management 3 cr
-OR- BUS 4130 - Quantitative Business Decisions 3 cr

(Credits required for the major: 58 cr)

And complete the university's Gen Ed requirements

Review the Gen Ed requirements.

It is strongly recommended that all students majoring in Business Administration complete either MAT 2021 - Statistics I and MAT 2022 - Statistics II or MAT 2021 - Statistics I and MAT 1531 - Calculus I for the scientific and mathematical frame of reference to be adequately prepared for upper level business study.

Masters Degree

Castleton offers a one year Master of Science degree for students seeking licensure as a certified public accountant or continued career advancement in either corporate, not-for-profit, or government organizations. Castleton’s graduate catalog contains a more thorough discussion of the degree including course descriptions. Requirements for initial CPA licensure vary by state; students desiring initial licensure in states other than Vermont should review the requirements of that state.

Dual Concentration

A student may concentrate in two of the following areas of expertise within the Department of Business Administration: ACC, MGT, and MKT. The student must complete all required Business Core courses, all required courses for both concentrations, and two Business electives with an ACC, BUS, or CIS suffix. (Business electives are courses not required by the major or concentration but add depth and richness to the student's learning experience.)