Accounting

Get the tools you need to succeed in the business world.

An accounting degree is surprisingly versatile, giving you the tools you need to succeed at just about anything in the business world. Become a CPA, pursue a career in finance or corporate management, work for the government or even become the owner of your own firm.

The opportunities in accounting are particularly good for women. In the last 15 years, the number of women entering the accounting profession has almost doubled. In a recent AICPA survey, there were more female accounting graduates than males (52% vs. 48%). And, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the accounting field is projected to grow faster than the average rate of growth found in other fields through the year 2018.

Accounting is more than “number crunching" - it is the language of business. It's also the most common undergraduate degree held by the CEOs of the largest corporations in America. And, because accountants understand the business so well, they are frequently considered for management roles outside of accounting.

Our academically-challenging learning experience prepares women for leadership positions in corporate, public, governmental or non-profit accounting or for graduate school. The Meredith College School of Business offers these distinctive advantages:

• Accredited by AACSB International. The School of Business is accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance of Collegiate Schools of Business. Less than 5% of programs worldwide meet the rigorous standards of AACSB International accreditation. Meredith is one of only two women’s colleges in the world to have earned this distinction.

• B.S./M.B.A. Option for Accounting. A special five-year program offers accounting majors the opportunity to meet the 150-hour education requirement of Certified Public Accountant (CPA) candidates for licensure. Meredith accounting students start taking graduate classes in their senior year and complete the M.B.A. in the following academic year.

• Career Tool Kit. Our innovative Career Tool Kit program is a series of integrated career development activities embedded in several core courses which helps students gain a competitive edge in the job market.

• Internships. Accounting majors have many opportunities for hands-on training by completing an accounting internship with leading businesses and non-profit organizations. Our internship director places students in positions that match their career interests. Recently, accounting majors have had internships at Credit Suisse, RBC Bank, Progress Energy, North Carolina Department of the State Treasurer, and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

• Personal Attention from Faculty. Small classes (accounting classes average 17 students per section) allow students to interact with outstanding faculty who know them as individuals.

• Travel and Learn. Business School students can participate in a number of study tours led by Meredith faculty. In 2010, the Business School co-sponsored (with the Fashion Merchandising program) a study trip to New York City. Students made corporate site visits and met with Meredith alumnae working in the city. In 2012, Meredith faculty and students will spend 14 days visiting Shanghai, Suzhou and Beijing learning about China’s dynamic economy and business environment. Accounting majors have also studied in Italy.

• Women In Leadership Speaker Series. Business School students receive real-world insights from influential and successful women leaders who have shaped today’s business world. They gain rare access to decisions made by these professionals and hear detailed examples of what they do and how it is done. Specially-designed activities and events allow students to interact closely with these business leaders to explore a specific aspect of leadership. Previous Women in Leadership speakers have spoken on ethical leadership, sustainability and entrepreneurship.

• Interaction with Business Professionals. Each year more than 50 business executives and experts visit Business School classes and clubs to share their expertise and real world perspectives with students. These professionals serve as guest speakers, members of panel discussions and workshop leaders.

• Leadership and Networking Opportunities in Accounting. Students interested in accounting may join the Meredith Accounting and Finance Association. This organization focuses on current accounting issues, career options in accounting and finance, and planning for graduate school. Accounting students are regularly invited to attend meetings of the American Society of Women Accountants, the Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Internal Auditors. Students are eligible to join these organizations at a reduced rate. Membership in these professional associations provides opportunities to network with accounting practitioners and to identify professional mentors.

Meredith's accounting program offers numerous and varied research and internship opportunities. Recent examples of internships completed by Meredith students include:

• Progress Energy, Raleigh, N.C.
• Credit Suisse, Research Triangle Park, N.C.
• North Carolina Department of State Treasurer -Unclaimed Property Program 
• RBC Bank
• Global Knowledge Training, Cary, N.C.
• KPMG, Saudi Arabia

Recent undergraduate research or honors thesis topics include “Tax Planning for Retirement," “State Taxation of Retirement Income,” Conservation Easements as a Means of Tax Planning,” “Perception Deception” (undergraduate research on how well different groups of users understand the information contained in a standard audit report) and “A Brief Look into the Environmental Control of US and China's Automotive Industry.”

An accounting degree prepares students for a wide array of potential careers as well as graduate study. Professional positions held by recent graduates of Meredith's accounting program include:

• Corporate Governance Analyst, First-Citizens Bank
• Assistant State Auditor, NC Office of the State Auditor
• Project Manager, Credit Suisse
• Financial Administrator, Baseball America
• Accounting Assistant, Myers and Stauffer, PLLC

Graduate Study

• Masters of Accounting programs at NCSU and Wake Forest

Accounting majors at Meredith are eligible for the following scholarships:

North Carolina Association of CPAs, Triangle Chapter Scholarship (valued at about $500) is given annually to a Meredith senior who is planning to become a CPA.

The N.C. State Board of CPA Examiners annually awards a scholarship (valued at $1,100) to a Meredith senior who plans on sitting for the CPA exam within one year of graduation. This award covers the fee to take all four parts of the CPA exam.

North Carolina CPA Foundation Scholarships (valued at $1,000) are given annually to accounting majors who write the best essays on an accounting topic.

The American Society of Women Accountants Scholarship (valued at $1,000) is awarded annually to students majoring in accounting. The scholarship is competitive across the state.

The Beta Gamma Sigma Scholarship (valued at $1,000) is awarded to an outstanding Business School student who is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma (honor society).

In addition to these discipline-specific scholarship opportunities, Meredith offers a range of merit and need-based financial assistance. Last year, Meredith coordinated $42.8 million in financial assistance.

The business faculty at Meredith are dedicated to the success of their students. The small class size means faculty know students as individuals, and they help students translate their unique strengths and interests into fulfilling careers in business. Faculty share their personal business experience and academic expertise in the classroom and one-on-one as advisors and mentors, which in turn allows faculty to identify exciting internship opportunities and helps them open doors for students through their connections to the business world.

Accounting faculty members include:

Mary Jane Lenard, Ph.D., CMA, teaches Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, and Governmental & Non-Profit Accounting. She is the advisor to the Meredith Accounting and Finance Association and currently serves as president of the Raleigh chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants. Dr. Lenard’s scholarship focuses on issues related to auditing, fraud detection and information systems management.

Rebecca Oatsvall, Ph.D., teaches Individual Taxation, Corporate Taxation, Managerial Accounting, and Financial Accounting. Dr. Oatsvall’s scholarship is on topics in entrepreneurship, diversity in higher education, and case writing. Dr. Oatsvall was an editor of a special edition of the International Business and Economics Research Journal on the topic of women entrepreneurs published in 2010.

Susan Wessels, D.B.A., CPA, teaches Financial Accounting and Intermediate Accounting I & II. Her scholarship is centered on accounting ethics, gender issues in accounting, professionalism and continuing professional education. She conducted a special research study for the North Carolina Association of CPAs on satisfaction with mandatory continuing professional education and whether changes were needed in state regulations.

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