About the Accounting Major
As an Accounting student at Seattle Pacific University, you will begin to master specialized areas such as financial, managerial, and international accounting.
You will learn about taxation, auditing, budgets, profit-and-loss statements, and information systems alongside many other topics. Our program offers an added dimension of integrity and ethics grounded in Christian faith and values, setting our graduates apart.
Students who successfully complete the program will be eligible to take both the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) examinations.
Degree Requirements
Accounting students are required to take a total of 111 credits, including a business core of 71 credits and an accounting core of 40 credits. Students who plan to take the CPA exam must complete a total of 225 credits.
Career Opportunities
Sample Job Titles
- Accountant
- Chief Financial Officer
- Financial Analyst
- Special Agent (FBI)
- Tax Specialist
Possible Job Settings
- Accounting Firms
- Banks
- Small Businesses
- Consulting Firms
- Non-Profit Organizations
- See More
Professional Licensure Disclosure
Professional licensure and certification requirements — and eligibility to sit for the CPA exam — vary from state to state. Eligibility for certification/licensure may involve more than degree completion and may include professional examinations, background checks, and fingerprinting. The requirements for certification/licensure can change without notice.
The state professional licensing boards make the ultimate decision as to whether or not an individual will be eligible for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure. Find information here about certification/licensure in the state where you intend to practice your profession.
Accounting Graduate Profile – Class of 2020
Average Starting Salary: $62,060
Employment & Graduate School Rate: 92% (6 mo.)
Top Hiring Companies:
Internships
All Accounting students in the School of Business, Government, and Economics are encouraged to gain industry experience through internships. Our Accounting students have held internships at leading local businesses and industries such as Boeing, Microsoft, and local CPA firms.
The Center for Career and Calling provides an accounting recruiting program each fall, inviting top accounting firms to recruit on campus, and coaching students through the application process. Students and employers also regularly make use of SPU’s internship and job-posting system, Handshake, which is updated weekly.