Accounting

The accounting program has a rich heritage of producing successful accounting professionals and business leaders. Graduates excel on professional examinations, and the majority of students seeking employment upon graduation are successful. With a strong alumni network and a solid reputation among major accounting firms, the accounting program at WVU has an excellent record of placing students in the accounting profession.

The accounting program at WVU has been separately accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, since 1997.  As of March 2017, only 180 programs had achieved this distinction internationally. Accounting majors learn skills vital for every organization, from multi-national companies to government agencies and nonprofits. We provide the foundation you'll need to enter the profession.

Accounting majors learn skills vital for every organization, from multi-national companies to government agencies and nonprofits. WVU provides the foundation graduates need to enter the profession with a heavy emphasis on performance measurement and accounting (data) analytics.

Our undergraduate program offers specialized tracks in the following areas:

• The CPA Exam grounded in the 2024 CPA Evolution (BAR, ICS, Tax).
• Corporate and organizational accounting with ties to the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Certified Financial Management (CMA) exams.
• Data analytics and big data.
• Forensic accounting and fraud examination with ties to the Certified Fraud Examiners exam.

Undergraduate students can mix and match their accounting specialized tracks to set their career on a path to success.

At the undergraduate / masters level we also offer a "3+1" program where advanced placement students earn both an undergraduate degree and either a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) or Masters for Forensic and Fraud Examination (MS-FFE) in approximately four years.

The faculty is comprised of twelve tenure-track faculty, five teaching instructors, and one visiting professor.

Faculty members are actively engaged in the following goals as drivers for our strategic plan:

1. To improve professional preparedness.
2. To improve our scholarly output and research rankings.
3. To lead academia in the niche of fraud, forensics, and ethics.
4. To consistently and continually review and evaluate our academic offerings, content, and instructional effectiveness to identify and address stakeholder and professional needs.
5. To grow enrollment in a manner that supports our stakeholders and the state.
6. To embrace and lead in the use of technology and data analysis.
7. To provide meaningful service to the profession, state and university.

The overarching goal of the accounting programs is to meet the evolving needs of its stakeholders through teaching, research, and service.  The undergraduate accounting degree program builds upon a general education curriculum to provide students with a base of academic knowledge in business and accounting.  It is designed to integrate basic knowledge with a professional orientation and form a foundation for future learning as well as career and academic success.  The accounting program and course offerings are subject to periodic review for timeliness, professional requirements, and relevance in a global marketplace.

The advanced courses in the program provide both specialized knowledge in accounting and financial reporting and an integrated overview of the economic activities of a business entity.  These courses give students the basic educational foundation required for a variety of entry-level positions in accounting, business, government, and not-for-profit organizations.  Accounting graduates may pursue careers that lead to positions such as certified public accountants, managerial accountants, controllers, financial officers, tax accountants, financial fraud examiners, forensic accountants, budget analysts, internal auditors, public administration officers, and other executives.

The accounting major is also designed to give students the basic educational foundation necessary to prepare for the professional examinations that may be required of them in their careers.  These examinations include those needed to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).  Requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination vary by jurisdiction, and students are encouraged to become familiar with the requirements of the jurisdictions where they plan to be certified.  Many states, including West Virginia, require a bachelor degree to sit for the exam and 150 semester hours of college credit to be certified. The John Chambers College of Business and Economics offers a master of accountancy (M.Acc.) that helps students meet the professional certification requirement while allowing students to earn a graduate degree.  The Chambers College also offers an innovative Master of Science in Forensic & Fraud Examination (MS FFE) and a graduate certificate in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination (FAFE), both designed to prepare entry-level accountants and others making career adjustments for forensic accounting and fraud examination careers.

Accounting

The objective of providing a foundational education in accounting at the undergraduate level cannot be realized without appropriate curricula content, effective teaching, and ultimately, learning. Within the undergraduate accounting major, we subscribe to the following learning goals for each of our undergraduate students.

• Competence in core technical areas
• Knowledge of the use of accounting information systems
• Awareness of the Professional Standards and the US Federal Income Tax Code
• The ability to identify the effect of regulatory and ethical issues on the global practice of accounting

• Must have at least a 2.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale for general admission.
• Must meet English Proficiency or request conditional admission and admission to the Intensive English Program (IEP).
• Please be advised that some Engineering majors may reach capacity and therefore will be restricted from entry.
• For direct admission to some colleges and majors, SAT or ACT scores are required and must be sent to WVU directly from the respective testing services. Please review the program requirements. For all other majors, international students are encouraged but not required to submit SAT or ACT scores, if available. SAT/ACT scores are useful for determining scholarship eligibility.
• WVU welcomes applications from students with IGCSE and O-Level Certificates from an approved UK exam board for admissions consideration. We require a minimum of five subject passes, of which two must be English and Mathematics. The average of the grades must be at least a 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale). A passing grade in the subject of English will be accepted as evidence of sufficient English ability.

1. Review the admissions requirements, English Language Proficiency requirements (scores are for undergraduate levels only) and our undergraduate application deadlines.
2. To apply for an on-campus program, complete either the WVU Application or the Common App and include the nonrefundable fee of $65.
   
   WVU Application The Common App

   To apply for an online program, use the steps for WVU Online Campus applicants.

3. Have your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic or Duolingo English Test scores sent to WVU.
4. Send the following information to WVU:
   • Copies of all official academic records/transcripts in original language of issue (transcripts from U.S. institutions must be sent to WVU directly from the institutions).
   • Copies of all academic certificates or diplomas in original language of issue.
   Note: Original or certified copies of official records/transcripts must be submitted after admission or upon arrival.
   • English translations of academic records/transcripts and certificates/diplomas.