The Accounting program is part of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems in the Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst BGSU College of Business.

Bachelors Available

Bachelors Available

Accounting

The accounting program at Bowling Green State University is ranked as the best accounting program in Ohio. It prepares students for careers in the "Big Four" firms – public accounting firms, industry, government and nonprofit agencies.

Many students complete a fifth year and earn a Master of Accountancy degree and go on to complete the CPA exam successfully.

Students in the accounting program learn all areas of accounting including auditing, financial accounting, cost accounting, accounting information systems and taxation.

Admission Information

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Focused on career success

The BGSU accounting program prepares students for careers in leadership in business and accounting through a hands-on curriculum, broad audit and technology-centric courses, and opportunities to study abroad and learn professional skills that prepare students for a career in a wide number of areas.

In addition to paths to CPA certifications or a Bachelor of Science in business administration, students often continue to BGSU’s Master of Accountancy or Master of Business Administration programs, completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years.

Stand Out in courses like

Accounting Information Systems
Managerial Accounting
Public Company Accounting
Legal Studies
Analytics
Auditing Control
Income Taxation
Finance

Bloomberg Businessweek ranked the BGSU accounting program best in Ohio

Curriculum

Students entering the BGSU accounting program complete perspective courses in written communication, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, natural sciences, humanities and arts and cultural diversity in the U.S.

During the sophomore year, accountancy students take introductory courses in management information systems, economics, accounting, statistics and business communication.

During the junior and senior years, accounting students complete the business core courses such as economics, management, operations research, finance, law, business in the global arena, marketing, the business core Capstone course and accounting courses.

The accounting specialization is a comprehensive set of courses including financial accounting, cost accounting, auditing, taxation and accounting information systems.

Ranked in the top 5 percent of business programs in the country by Bloomberg Businessweek

Internships and Careers

What can you do with a BGSU accounting degree? Alumni include employees from KPMG, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche LLP and EY. BGSU accounting students are highly recruited by these “Big Four” accounting firms.

Careers in audit, finance, management accounting and consultancy await graduates of the BGSU accountancy program, as well as corporate firms including Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., First Energy, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Marathon Petroleum, Owens Corning, Owens-Illinois and Sherwin-Williams.

The Schmidthorst College of Business has a career center designated for business students with connections to more than 1,600 employers.

Quick Facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Expert faculty leads a lecture on finance and audit skills in the Ohio classrooms of the BGSU accountancy program.

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The Accounting program is part of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems in the Schmidthorst College of Business.

Schmidthorst College of Business Admissions

New freshman and new transfer students may apply for entrance to the college with their application for University admission. Math and composite ACT scores (or equivalent SAT scores) are used in the selection process.

Admission to BGSU does not guarantee admission to the Bachelor of Science in business administration degree program (BSBA). Students initially enroll in the Schmidthorst College of Business as pre-business students. Full admission to the BSBA program requires completion of calculus and a set of introductory business courses with a satisfactory grade point average.

To be admitted to the accounting program and enroll in any upper-division accounting courses, the Department of Accounting and Management Information Systems requires successful completion of 51 semester hours with an overall grade point average of 2.6 or better considering all colleges and universities attended, and successful completion of Accounting 2210 and 2220 with a grade of C or better.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in Business Administration are expected to be able to:
Goal 1: Students graduating with a BSBA degree will demonstrate competency in business knowledge and its application
Outcomes: Students will -

Demonstrate understanding of fundamental knowledge in accounting, economics, finance, business statistics, operations & supply chain management, business law, organizational behavior, marketing, information technology, management science, and global strategy.
Demonstrate proficiency in using business-related software applications.
Demonstrate competency in integrating knowledge across business disciplines.

Goal 2: Students graduating with a BSBA degree will demonstrate competency in applying appropriate problem solving, decision making and critical thinking skills.
Outcome: Students will -

Identify a business problem, develop and critically evaluate alternative solutions, and make appropriate recommendations.
Assess the outcomes of a course of action and make appropriate adjustments.

Goal 3: Students graduating with a BSBA degree will demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills
Outcomes: Students will -

Effectively write a business document.
Make effective oral presentations in both individual and team settings.
Demonstrate the understanding and application of teamwork.

Goal 4: Students graduating with a BSBA degree will recognize the ethical aspects of business.
Outcomes: Students will -

Recognize the context of the ethical situation (economic, legal or cultural).
Define the ethical responsibilities of business organizations.
Describe the ramifications of unethical behavior.

Accreditation

Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2012 - 2013. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The Business Administration program is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and is in good standing.

The Business Administration program, Accounting specialization, is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and is in good standing.

The Schmidthorst College of Business is one of only 178 programs in the world whose business and accounting programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, (AACSB), the pinnacle of accreditation in business education.

More information on accreditation

Professional Licensure

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The Business Administration program does not lead to professional licensure.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The business administration program, accounting specialization, leads to professional licensure.

More information on professional licensure

Gainful Employment

Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The business administration program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.

Specializations

The following specializations are or have been offered. This list evolves with demand and may have changed. Check that your specialization is still offered.

Accounting
Applied Economics
Business Analytics and Intelligence
Economics
Finance
Individualized business
Information systems
Information systems, auditing, and control
Insurance
International business
Management
Marketing
Sales and Services Marketing
Supply chain management

* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.

Updated: 04/03/2023 02:26PM