The accounting major provides students with a comprehensive, well-planned and balanced learning experience designed to prepare graduates for success in the accounting profession and the business community. Students are prepared for many different career paths and graduate with a foundation well-suited for advancement.

Accounting is often called the “language of business.” Businesses plan, assess and report the results of operations, financial condition and cash position using accounting principles to prepare financial statements that express business operations to both internal and external users of financial information. External users assess creditability, performance, risk and investment potential while internal users assess the efficiency of resource allocation, performance and achievement of strategic objectives in the daily management of a business. All organizations, whether large or small, rely on accountants to record and report the activities of the business.

Curriculum

The accounting major teaches students the language of business. The undergraduate program is tightly focused on core accounting concepts featuring financial, cost, systems, tax and audit coursework. Accounting graduates are well-positioned to start their careers in accounting or continue their coursework with a lockstep “fifth-year” Master's in Accounting that completes the educational requirements for the CPA exam and ultimate certification.

Minor in Accounting

The minor in accounting provides a business student with technical knowledge concerning accounting principles and reporting, accounting systems and decision-making using accounting data. A minor in accounting requires the completion of 12 credit hours (three courses) in accounting after completion of the introductory courses in financial and management accounting. A typical minor might include two courses in intermediate accounting, accounting information systems and cost accounting.

Opportunity at UT

The accounting faculty encourages internships, and UT’s proximity to Tampa’s vibrant business core provides ample opportunity for internships with accounting firms, industry, government and nonprofit enterprises. Undergraduate students participate in a service-learning experience, typically in the tax course, applying their learning in live client contact experiences. UT’s small classes and extensive research and writing opportunities provide accounting majors the opportunity to develop superior communication skills, making them highly sought after by employers and graduate programs.