When considering undergraduate programs and ensuing career options, Alabama has many schools to choose from and an impressive track record for schools offering accounting bachelor degrees with the best graduation rates. Accounting is a flexible field that could lead to careers in many of the industries and businesses that are strongly represented in Alabama’s diverse economy, including the fields of banking, tourism, construction, and healthcare. The following Best Choice Schools were selected for this list because they are accredited schools with a high graduation rate that offer a degree in Accounting.
Auburn University
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
Auburn University was the first land grant college in the South and today is one of a select few that can boast of being a land, sea, and space grant university. It is one of the largest universities in the South, with an enrollment of more than 25,000 students. The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business provides programs for more than 3,900 of these students in four departments and the School of Accountancy. Created in 1967, there are currently 40,000 alumni of the College of Business located around the world, including many who have graduated with a degree in accounting.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Students graduating with an accounting degree gain skills that can be applied to all areas of business in some way or another. Auburn accounting graduates who choose to take the Certified Public Accountants exam to become a CPA have one of the highest pass rates in the country at nearly ten times the national average. Students choosing accounting as a major will satisfy their general education requirements within the first two years of this four-year program, along with a 2000 level course in financial accounting during the second semester of their sophomore year. Major coursework is completed during the third and fourth years, with students having an option for an internship during the last semester of their senior year. In addition, students can explore the possibility of entering the Master of Accountancy program at Auburn, possibly completing both the Bachelor Degree and Masters Degree within a five year time frame.
Contact Information
Auburn University
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
415 W. Magnolia Avenue
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4835
http://business.auburn.edu
Graduation Rate: 68 percent
Columbia Southern University
College of Business
Columbia Southern University is an entirely online university offering degrees ranging in level from Associate to Masters. Their goal is to provide diverse educational experiences through flexible distance learning, making it possible for the widest variety of students to achieve their goals of getting a college degree. The College of Business offers several online, accredited degree and certificate programs for the busy working professional who may feel that they would not otherwise have the time or inclination to return to school for a degree. Students can continue working and pursuing their chosen careers while gaining the necessary skills for advancement.
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance
Columbia Southern University offers a general Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.), but students can gain this same degree with a concentration in a specific area of interest, such as Finance. Students are required to complete 120 credit hours for this undergraduate degree, of which 60 hours are general education requirements and general education electives. Beyond those, students complete 36 credit hours of major requirements and 24 hours of professional electives. It is within the 24 professional electives that the student would take courses in a specific concentration. Courses available for the finance concentration cover such subjects as principles of finance, financial institutions, international finance, international economics, international legal operations, and international trade. Students get a thorough grounding in business administration as well as specific skills and knowledge for working within the financial sectors of the business world.
Contact Information
Columbia Southern University
21982 University Lane
Orange Beach, AL 36561
800-977-8449 or 251-981-3771
admissions@columbiasouthern.edu
http://columbiasouthern.edu/bs-business-administration/
Graduation Rate: 47 percent
Herzing University –Birmingham
Business/Legal Studies Undergraduate Programs
Herzing University was originally founded to prepare students for careers in the computer industry. Since its inception in 1965, it has grown to have campuses in eight states and an online and distance learning presence, and it has expanded its areas of study to include subjects such as business, healthcare, electronics, and graphic design. From originally offering diplomas, Herzing has also grown to offering Associate and Bachelor of Science degrees in the campus locations and Masters degrees strictly through its online presence. The degree described below falls under the Business/Legal Studies category of program listings for the Birmingham campus.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
The Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Herzing prepares students for leadership and management positions within accounting areas of both public and private businesses and organizations. It requires completion of a minimum of 123 semester hours, which includes a minimum of 37 hours of general education requirements. In addition, the student is required to take prescribed management core courses totaling 36 semester hours, 42 semester hours in accounting required courses, two semester hours in professional development courses, and three semester hours each in an open elective course and either a capstone or internship course. Students who pursue this degree are generally those who are seeking a career in accounting. Upon graduation, students will be eligible to seek a variety of accounting positions or to pursue further education at the graduate level if they so choose. A combination of further education and work experience may be necessary for students seeking to eventually become a certified public accountant, or CPA.
Contact Information
Herzing University Birmingham
280 West Valley Avenue
Birmingham, AL 35209
205-916-2800
http://herzing.edu/birmingham/career-programs/undergraduate-degrees/business
Graduation Rates: 44 percent
Huntingdon College
Department of Business, Communication Studies and Psychology
Huntingdon College is a small, private, liberal arts college with affiliations to the United Methodist Church. As such, it chooses hallmarks of faith, wisdom, and service, with a motto of “Enter to grow in wisdom; Go forth to apply wisdom in service.” Serving about 1,100 students in its degree and adult education programs, Huntingdon can boast small class sizes and individualized attention. The Business and Accounting area, housed within the Department of Business, Communication Studies, and Psychology, offers two undergraduate degrees, one in accounting and one in business administration. In addition, students may choose to minor in business administration. The accounting major offers both a four-year and a five-year program, the latter preparing students for the CPA exam.
Bachelor of Arts in Accounting
As a liberal arts college, undergraduate degrees issued here are the Bachelor of Arts degrees in the student’s major. This degree requires completion of 120 credit hours, of which 60 credit hours are within the accounting major and the remainder covers the general education requirements. The 60 credit hours that go toward the major are further broken down into 30 credit hours of core business courses, including such topics as principles of accounting, business law, principles of marketing, business finance, and principles of management. The remaining 30 credit hours are devoted to courses in accounting, including cost accounting, managerial accounting, income tax procedures, auditing, a seminar in accounting course, and a capstone course in accounting. In addition to the four years generally required to complete the 120 credit hours for the undergraduate degree, Huntingdon also offers a fifth year program that requires an additional 27-28 credit hours and prepares students to take the CPA exam.
Contact Information
Huntingdon College
Department of Business, Communication Studies, and Psychology
1500 East Fairview Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36106
334-833-4497 or 800-763-0313
webmasterhc@huntingdon.edu
https://www.huntingdon.edu/academics/academic-programs/programs-of-study/accounting-and-business/
Graduation Rate: 47 percent
Samford University
Brock School of Business
Samford University is a private, Christian college offering 25 degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It boasts small class sizes and highly qualified faculty members. The Brock School of Business has a long history of offering degrees in business and commerce, having begun in 1922 and since offering some of the first MBA programs in the state. Fully accredited by AACSB International, the mission of this school is in keeping with the ideals celebrated by Samford University in all of its departments, that of offering quality education with a view toward service to the community and infused with Christian ideals.
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting
This degree is designed for students who want to parlay the business administration degree into a career as a CPA, corporate accountant, auditor, or some other accounting professional. The program involves a total of 128 credit hours minimum, which include university core courses, general education courses, business core courses, accounting core courses, and electives. The university core courses are taken early in the college career, along with general education courses and cover such subjects as communications, cultural perspectives, biblical perspectives, and faith for a total of 22 credit hours in addition to the 32 credit hours of general education courses. Students will also take 22 credit hours of pre-business courses mixed in with the general education coursework and prior to the junior year. Business core courses and accounting core courses total 25 credit hours and 24 credit hours respectively, with the three remaining credit hours allotted for a general elective course.
Contact Information
Samford University
Brock School of Business
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
207-726-2011
http://www.samford.edu/business/
Graduation Rate: 71 percent
Tuskegee University
Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science, Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance
Tuskegee University is an independent, state-aligned university with a relatively small student body, serving slightly more than 3,000 students. The Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science prides itself on providing a unique approach to learning, service, and leadership in that it operates on the belief that students learn best by doing. With this in mind, students receive an education that is a mix of practical theory and real-world application. Students have a choice of nine Bachelor of Science degrees within this college, with the Bachelor of Science in Accounting falling under the jurisdiction of the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
This degree prepares students for a wide range of accounting careers in the private and public sectors, government and nonprofit organizations. Following general education requirements completed within the first two years of this four-year degree program, students will take coursework designed to provide a solid foundation of skills and knowledge in areas of budgeting, managerial accounting, accounting systems, internal controls, financial analysis, internal and external auditing, financial reporting, taxation, and international accounting. In addition, for students already working in a related field or seeking to break into the accounting field sooner rather than later, Tuskegee University offers streamlined curricula and a practice-oriented educational experience that can be applied immediately to career goals already in progress. In addition to specific accounting skills and coursework, students will also take courses in organization behavior, managing information systems, marketing, business law, operations management, and corporate survival skills, thus preparing them for the real world of business as well as a specific career in accounting.
Contact Information
Tuskegee University
Brimmer College of Business and Information Sciences
1200 West Montgomery Road
Tuskegee Inst, AL 36088
334-727-8116
cbis@mytu.tuskegee.edu
https://www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/colleges-schools/cbis/accounting-economics-finance-department/bs-in-accounting-program
Graduation Rate: 46 percent
University of Alabama
Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration
The University of Alabama was Alabama’s first state university, currently offer higher education to more than 34,000 students and maintaining a goal of preparing students to become the best they can be and provide a positive influence on their community, state and the world. The Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration offers degrees ranging from baccalaureate to doctoral levels, and has been continuously accredited by the AACSB International since 1929. In addition, the Culverhouse School of Accounting, which oversees the degree described below, was one of the first schools in the country to be separately accredited for its accounting program.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
The Bachelor of Science degree program in accounting at the Culverhouse College is one of the most challenging programs in the country, and as such does not accept transfer credits of 300-400 level courses or their equivalents. Once the student has reached the junior year and begun concentrating on the major requirements, all coursework must be taken at the University of Alabama. That being said, this program prepares students for a wide variety of careers in business and accounting, offering both theory and practice throughout the coursework and the opportunity to participate in an internship with some of the best-known firms on the planet. Graduates of this program are prepared to work in a wide variety of settings, including government agencies, private and public corporations, hospitals and healthcare facilities, media, law firms, and nonprofit corporations. In addition, graduates are well-prepared to continue into graduate studies if they so choose.
Contact Information
The University of Alabama
Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration
310 Alston Hall
Box 870220
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
205-348-6131
sdavidso@cba.ua.edu
http://cba.ua.edu/academics/departments/accountancy
Graduation Rate: 67 percent
University of Alabama—Birmingham
Collat School of Business
From its origins as an extension school to its current status as an internationally renowned, public doctoral research university and academic health care center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham currently offers degree programs ranging from baccalaureate to doctoral levels and within the sciences, arts, humanities, and business fields. The Collat School of Business, by virtue of its location, has the ability to incorporate experience with some of the state’s leading companies into the classroom and learning experiences. As such, students gain theoretical knowledge mixed with practical experience gained through internships and other opportunities within the business world while they are still in school.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
The Bachelor of Science degree program in accounting here provides for a total of 48 credit hours over and above the general education requirements needed. These credit hours are broken down into 24 credit hours of business and international business course requirements and 24 credit hours of specific accounting requirements. This accounting degree program also allows for a concentration in forensic accounting and information systems auditing, providing students who are interested in this area with the skills to work in areas uncovering fraudulent and inappropriate activities within the business community. Students electing to take the additional 12 credit hours involved with this specialization will gain the basics of fraud detection and examination, IT audits, and forensic accounting. This program is particularly valuable for students seeking to become Certified Fraud Examiners, or CFE’s. As in other areas within the business school, internships are available year-round as part of the degree program.
Contact Information
UAB Collat School of Business
1150 10th Avenue S.
Birmingham, AL 35205
205-934-8800
ejack@uab.edu
http://www.uab.edu/business/
Graduation Rate: 48 percent
University of Alabama—Huntsville
College of Business Administration
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is one of the country’s premier research universities, offering more than 80 areas of study across six colleges and 71 degree programs. The College of Business offers the Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with concentrations in areas such as finance and accounting, and prides itself on offering an education that is mainly hands-on and experiential rather than theoretical. Both in the classroom and through internships and co-op jobs, students are expected to gain practical experience in all areas of the curriculum, preparing them with real-world experience that will then be valuable to prospective employers following graduation.
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting
The BSBA degree in accounting program prepares students to become accountants working in the usual variety of settings, with concentrations offered in general accounting and federal contract accounting. Both concentrations require 21 credit hours of specific prescribed coursework, with several courses common to both concentrations. Common courses cover such subjects as accounting information systems, cost accounting, and principles of auditing. The federal contract concentration differs from the general accounting in that it specifies at least one elective chosen from a listing of courses that cover subjects related to contracts and government contract law. In addition, the University of Alabama Huntsville offers a five-year program that prepares students with the minimum number of credit hours required, currently 150, to take the CPA exam. Students who complete the five years successfully will also be awarded both the BSBA in accounting and a Master of Accounting degree, as the fifth year of study consists of graduate level coursework.
Contact Information
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
College of Business Administration
301 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35899
256-824-6590
Allen.Wilhite@uah.edu
http://www.uah.edu/cba/undergraduate/bachelors/accounting
Graduation Rate: 47 percent
University of Mobile
School of Business
The University of Mobile is a small, Christian college with a total student body of about 1,650. The School of Business has as its mission the goal of educating students in areas of business by providing professional knowledge and skills integrated with Christian values. The intention is then to produce graduates who can lead in new and creative ways, bringing values and ethics to bear on the current business world with the hope of creating positive changes for the future. In addition to basic business core classes, students also gain communication and technical skills useful in today’s high-tech world.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
The accounting undergraduate program at the University of Mobile is designed to prepare students for managerial accounting positions in both public and private sectors of business. As in other areas of the business school, the accounting program includes an emphasis on communications and technology as well as accounting principles. Two concentrations exist for students within the four-year accounting program, in the areas of corporate/nonprofit accounting and public accounting. Students who wish to pursue careers in cost or managerial accounting specifically should consider the corporate/nonprofit concentration, while students who have not yet decided on whether or not to pursue graduate studies but are interested in public accounting would take the concentration on public accounting. In addition to these programs, students can opt for a five-year program that combines the undergraduate degree with a Masters degree in accounting and provides for enough credit hours for students who wish to take the CPA exam.
Contact Information
University of Mobile
School of Business
5735 College Parkway
Mobile, AL 36613
251-675-5990
https://www.umobile.edu/Academics/AcademicAreas/SchoolofBusiness.aspx#.U3o_-XZW8oF
Graduation Rate: 43 percent
University of Montevallo
Michael E. Stephens College of Business
The University of Montevallo is a small, liberal arts college with an annual enrollment of about 3,100 students. Within the business college, students can choose from majors in accounting, finance, management, and marketing, with minors in accounting, business, and management information systems. Average class size is 21 students and the average student loan debt is roughly half of what students accumulate at other public university business schools. A Center for Professional Practice offers career preparation and internship services, leading to a high job placement rate among graduates with a baccalaureate degree, and the MBA program here is the fastest growing one in the state for students who may want to continue into graduate school.
Bachelor of Arts in Accounting
The accounting undergraduate degree program here prepares students for careers across the spectrum of public and private sectors, and allows students the opportunity to gain the 150 credit hours necessary to take the Certified Public Accountants, or CPA, exam and become licensed as a CPA. The minimum number of credit hours required for the degree itself is 130, which includes 53 credit hours of general education requirements, 36 credit hours of core business requirements, and 30 hours of accounting major requirements. The remaining credit hours are taken as electives. Meeting the minimum requirements allows students to choose courses totaling nine credit hours out of a possible 15. For students who intend to take the CPA exam, all 15 of these credit hours become required, along with a sufficient number of additional electives to bring the total credit hours earned to the 150 minimum.
Contact Information
University of Montevallo
Stephens College of Business
Morgan Hall, Station 6540
Montevallo, AL 35115
205-665-6540
scob@montevallo.edu
https://www.montevallo.edu/academics/colleges/college-of-business/undergraduate-programs/accounting/
Graduation Rate: 47 percent
Gaining a degree in accounting, whether to pursue licensing as a CPA or not, is a valid investment into a secure future in business. Accountants are found in every type of business, both public and private sector, providing plenty of career opportunities for graduates with this type of degree.
For more information on obtaining your degree, please see The 20 Most Affordable Colleges with High Four-year Graduation Rates.
