The Bachelor of Science in Accounting program prepares graduates for a future career working as an accountant. Immediately upon completing the bachelors in accounting degree, students will be provided with the skills necessary to work in a variety of careers such as public accountants, corporate accountants, financial analysts, tax preparers or auditors. Learning the core foundations of accounting principles and procedures, students qualify to sit for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam. Graduates may qualify to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam in most states, while continuing to work toward the 150-credit hour minimum required for licensure.
Coursework for the bachelors in accounting degree includes a focus on accounting principles and theories necessary for preparing financial statements in the United States, and for decision-making. Students will explore auditing standards, the procedures involved in the auditing process and ethical issues faced by auditors. Students will also study the theories and practices of preparing income taxes of corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts and individuals. In addition, principles of cost accounting, including job order systems, process costing, activity-based costing and budgeting are also examined in this bachelors of accounting degree.
Upon completing the bachelors in accounting degree, many graduates opt to further their education. GCU offers a variety of master's degrees in business including a Master of Science in Accounting, master's in business administration (MBA), an MBA with an emphasis in Accounting, and a Master of Science in Leadership.
General Education coursework prepares Grand Canyon University graduates to think critically, communicate clearly, live responsibly in a diverse world, and thoughtfully integrate their faith and ethical convictions into all dimensions of life. These competencies, essential to an effective and satisfying life, are outlined in the General Education Learner Outcomes. General Education courses embody the breadth of human understanding and creativity contained in the liberal arts and sciences tradition. Students take an array of foundational knowledge courses that promote expanded knowledge, insight, and the outcomes identified in the University‛s General Education Competencies. The knowledge and skills students acquire through these courses serve as a foundation for successful careers and lifelong journeys of growing understanding and wisdom.
| Competency | Requirements | GCU Course Options | Total Credits |
| University Foundations | Upon completion of the Grand Canyon University's University Foundation experience, students will be able to demonstrate competency in the areas of academic skills and self-leadership. They will be able to articulate the range of resources available to assist them, explore career options related to their area of study, and have knowledge of Grand Canyon's community. Students will be able to demonstrate foundational academic success skills, explore GCU resources (CLA, Library, Career Center, ADA office, etc), articulate strategies of self-leadership and management and recognize opportunities to engage in the GCU community. Students with fewer than 24 credits will fulfill the University Foundations requirement with a specified lower-division course. An upper-division selection will be made available to students that enter the university with more than 24 credits. | UNV-103/303, University Success: 4 credits UNV-108, University Success in the College of Education: 4 credits |
4 credits |
| Effective Communication | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to construct rhetorically effective communications appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes, and occasions (English composition, communication, critical reading, foreign language, sign language, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of English grammar or composition. | UNV-104, 21st Century Skills: Communication and Information Literacy: 4 credits ENG-105, English Composition I: 4 credits ENG-106, English Composition II: 4 credits |
9-12 credits |
| Christian Worldview | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to express aspects of Christian heritage and worldview. Students are required to take CWV 101. | CWV-101, Christian Worldview: 4 credits | 4 credits |
| Critical Thinking | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to use various analytic and problem-solving skills to examine, evaluate, and/or challenge ideas and arguments (mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, physical geography, ecology, economics, theology, logic, philosophy, technology, statistics, accounting, etc.). Students are required to take 3 credits of intermediate algebra or higher. | PHI-105, 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: 4 credits MAT-134, Applications of Algebra: 4 credits BIO-220, Environmental Science: 4 credits |
11-12 credits |
| Global Awareness, Perspective and Ethics | Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to demonstrate awareness and appreciation of and empathy for differences in arts and culture, values, experiences, historical perspectives, and other aspects of life (psychology, sociology, government, Christian studies, Bible, geography, anthropology, economics, political science, child and family studies, law, ethics, crosscultural studies, history, art, music, dance, theater, applied arts, literature, health, etc.). | HIS-221, Themes in U. S. History: 4 credits PSY-100, Psychology in Everyday Life: 4 credits SOC-100, Everyday Sociology: 4 credits If the predefined course is a part of the major, students need to take an additional course. |
6-8 credits |
| Course # | Course Title | Course Description | Credits |
| MKT-245 | Principles of Marketing | This course surveys the marketing mix and marketing concept; markets and buyer behavior; product, service, and relationship marketing for global competition; creating and keeping customers in an e-commerce world; branding and positioning; distribution strategies, integrated marketing communications, and pricing strategies. | 4 |
| ECN-220 | Introduction to Economics | The course covers microeconomic topics, macroeconomic topics, and international economics topics. Microeconomic topics include the nature and method of economics, supply and demand, utility, and supply and demand elasticities. Macroeconomic topics include the measurement of national output, factors that impact output, other means of measuring national wealth and economic well-being, unemployment, inflation, GDP accounting, and business cycles. While the focus of this course is primarily on the U.S. economy, some comparative economic analysis will be covered. In addition, select topics related to international trade and finance are introduced. | 4 |
| ACC-250 | Financial Accounting | This course is an introduction to the accounting cycle and the construction of financial statements. Students explore the fundamental principles and practices of financial accounting as outlined by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); the steps in the accounting cycle from journalizing transactions through the preparation of financial statements; and the use and interpretation of the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows. Prerequisite: MAT 134 or equivalent college algebra course. | 4 |
| ACC-350 | Managerial Accounting | This course is an introduction to the use of managerial accounting data in the decision-making process. Topics include the use of cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis and relevant costs in decision making, using budgets and the balanced scorecard to evaluate performance, methods for setting prices of products and services, and analyzing capital investment opportunities. Prerequisite: ACC 250. | 4 |
| BUS-340 | Ethical and Legal Issues in Business | This course is a comprehensive study of the legal and ethical issues of concern to business, including those areas of the U.S. legal system that are most relevant to business, such as the law of torts, strict liability, intellectual property, and contract law. It explores the role of ethics and values in business decision making, and approaches these subjects from the perspective of the stakeholders as opposed to an economic interpretation of the firm and its responsibilities. | 4 |
| MGT-420 | Organizational Behavior and Management | Drawing upon real-world management situations, this course is a study of individual and group behavior in organizations through detailed coverage of the functions of management, individual differences/diversity, leadership, motivation, decision making, organizational design, and organizational change and development. Emphasis is placed on how an understanding of organizational behavior leads to effective management practice. Also PSC 420. | 4 |
| BUS-352 | Business Statistics | This course provides an introduction to the practical application of descriptive and inferential statistics in business. Topics include probability, probability distributions, the central limit theorem, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and regression. Prerequisite: MAT 134 or equivalent college algebra course. | 4 |
| FIN-350 | Fundamentals of Business Finance | This course is a general survey of financial institutions, the Federal Reserve System, the qualities of a sound monetary system, the theory and value of money, deposit insurance, and foreign exchange. Prerequisites: ECN 220, ACC 250, and MAT 134 or equivalent college algebra course. | 4 |
| ACC-370 | Intermediate Accounting I | This course is an in-depth study of accounting objectives, principles, theory, and practice as related to the balance sheet and income statement. Students will explore accounting for assets, liabilities, and equity items, the specific rules for accounting for pensions, postretirement benefits, leases, and accounting changes, and other items frequently addressed on the Uniform Certified Public Accounting Examination (Uniform CPA Exam). Prerequisite: ACC 350. | 4 |
| ACC-371 | Intermediate Accounting II | This course is an in-depth study of accounting objectives, principles, theory, and practice as related to the balance sheet and income statement. Students explore liabilities and equity items; the specific rules for accounting for pensions; postretirement benefits, leases, and accounting changes; and other items frequently addressed on the Uniform Certified Public Accounting Examination (Uniform CPA Exam). This course also includes an analysis and interpretation of a firm‛s three principal financial statements and their uses from a managerial perspective. Prerequisites: ACC 370 and FIN 350. | 4 |
| ACC-360 | Cost Accounting | This course provides a study of principles of internal accounting, including job order systems, process costing, activity-based costing, and budgeting. Prerequisite: ACC 350. | 4 |
| ACC-460 | Taxation | This course provides a study of the theory and practices of accounting for income taxes of corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts, and individuals. Other taxes covered include payroll and sales taxes. Prerequisite: ACC 250. | 4 |
| ACC-485 | Advanced Accounting | This course provides a study of accounting theory as it applies to partnerships and business combinations, international accounting, and governmental accounting. Prerequisites: One of the following: 1) ACC 355, or 2) ACC 370 and 371. | 4 |
| MGT-455 | Production/Operations Management | This course provides an introduction to designing, planning, operating, and controlling production systems. Emphasis is on managerial concepts and strategies relating to the management of operations in both manufacturing and service environments. Quantitative and qualitative methods and tools are introduced and applied. Prerequisite: BUS 352. | 4 |
| ACC-491 | Auditing | Auditing is an examination of generally accepted auditing standards, procedures involved in the auditing process, and ethical issues faced by the auditor. Through class discussions, practical applications and case studies, students learn the responsibilities of the independent public auditor in the expression of opinion within the guidelines set by the AICPA‛s Code of Professional Ethics. Topics include the nature and types of audits, auditor responsibilities and legal liabilities, audit reports, auditing procedures, ethical issues, contemporary issues in auditing, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Prerequisite: ACC 350. | 4 |
| BUS-485 | Strategic Management | This is a capstone course in business and management that includes the gradual development of a comprehensive and integrative business plan. This course is designed to assist students in their development as managers, servant leaders, and successful strategic thinkers. Management, marketing, accounting, finance, economics, global perspectives, law, and political issues are covered during this course. It is a writing-intensive course that will help students develop competencies such as critical thinking, effective communication, leadership, and global awareness. Prerequisites: FIN 350, MGT 240, MKT 245, and senior status. | 4 |
| Required Course Total Credit: | 64 | ||
| General Education Requirements: | 34 |
| Courses: | 64 credits |
| Open Elective Credits: | 22 credits |
| Total Degree Requirements: | 120 credits |
This program is offered in the following formats or locations:
An online education allows you the flexibility to fulfill your educational goals without distracting you from your career. Full-time faculty members support our online students while our dynamic tools allow for engaging and challenging discussions with classmates. Classes start every month.
Program Disclosure
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* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.
Grand Canyon University © 2012 - All Rights Reserved. GCU is an accredited university founded in 1949. We are a Christian university and offer online degree programs and campus based classes. As a private university in Arizona, GCU has six colleges offering business degree programs including an Executive MBA, health science degrees, liberal arts degrees, doctorate degrees, nursing programs, and teaching programs. Our Performing Arts College offers fine arts and production degree programs. GCU is a military friendly school and offers military tuition rates.
