Bachelor of Science in Accounting

In addition to developing quantitative and analytical competencies, accounting majors take courses in marketing and human resources while building soft skills critical to career success. 

UB accounting students are well-prepared for entry-level professional positions in public accounting and a range of careers in industry and government. 

However, if you wish to become licensed as a CPA in New York State and virtually all other states, you must satisfy the 150-hour education requirements. New York, as well as many other jurisdictions, not only requires completion of 150 college credit hours but also mandates fairly specific requirements regarding accounting and business coursework within those 150 hours.

The School of Management offers a one-year Master of Science in Accounting registered by New York State. Completing a registered accounting program puts you in the express lane for CPA licensing approval. In fact, your application will get automatic approval with respect to the educational requirements, rather than a detailed review by a government employee. In addition, a graduate degree gives you a competitive advantage in a credential-conscious marketplace in your first position and throughout your career.

For full curricular plan and course descriptions, refer to the undergraduate catalog.

A student’s degree requirements are determined by the year in which they begin as a matriculated student at UB.  There are sometimes slight curricular adjustments from year to year.  Therefore, students should always refer to their academic advisement report for their specific degree requirements in consultation with their academic advisor.

Academic performance in the first and second year prerequisite courses and curriculum is the main criterion for admission to the upper division in the School of Management. In the first two years, you will complete the university writing requirements, general education courses and seven prerequisite courses for the major.

If you're not ready for calculus, you should take precalculus before attempting MTH 131.

Prerequisite courses
ECO 181 Introduction to Macroeconomics
ECO 182 Introduction to Microeconomics
MGA 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting 
MGA 202 Introduction to Management Accounting 
MGQ 201 Introduction to Statistics for Analytics
MTH 131 Mathematical Analysis for Management* 
PSY 101 Introductory Psychology

* If MTH 121 or MTH 141 has an earned grade, these substitute for MTH 131. The School of Management's repeat policy is applied to all attempted calculus courses.

If you repeat a prerequisite course for your major, the second grade is counted, even if that grade is lower than the grade you earned the first time. You may not take a course for a third time.  

Academic Requirements
Students must successfully complete the seven accounting prerequisite courses to be permitted to take the required courses for the major and meet the stated minimum admission requirements (minimum B grades in MGA 201 and MGA 202, 3.0 prerequisite GPA, 3.0 UB GPA, 3.0 overall GPA, and 60 earned credit hours)

• C or better grades are required in MGA 301, MGA 311, MGA 302, and MGA 312 to continue to the 400 level accounting courses.
  
• After beginning the required courses for the major, students must maintain a minimum UB and Major GPA of 2.000 and successfully complete all degree requirements for degree conferral. Please be aware that admission to graduate programs will require a much higher GPA.