Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Overview
Earn Your Bachelor's Degree in Accounting
With Grand Canyon University's (GCU) Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree program, you prepare for a future career working as an accountant. Offered through GCU's Colangelo College of Business, you learn the core foundations of accounting principles and procedures, and qualify to sit for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam. You may also qualify to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination in most states, while continuing to work toward the 150 credit hours required for licensure.
Degree Outcomes
Coursework Designed to Help You Become an Accountant
Your coursework for the bachelors of accounting degree includes a focus on accounting principles and theories necessary for preparing financial statements in the U.S. and for decision-making. Explore auditing standards, the procedures involved in the auditing process and ethical issues faced by auditors. You also study the theories and practices of preparing income taxes of corporations, partnerships, estates, trusts and individuals. In addition, you examine the principles of cost accounting, including job order systems, process costing, activity-based costing and budgeting.
What You Will Learn
The Building Blocks for an Accounting Career
GCU's BS in accounting degree provides courses in the following topics:
- Marketing
- Economics
- Financial accounting
- Managerial accounting
- Ethical and legal issues in business
- Organizational behavior and management
- Business statistics
- Business finance
- Cost accounting
- Taxation
- Production and operations management
- Auditing
- Strategic management
Career Outcomes
Accounting Career Options
Upon completing the Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree, you will have the skills needed to work in a variety of careers, such as a public accountant, corporate accountant, financial analyst, tax preparer or auditor.
You may also opt to further your education beyond your bachelor's in accounting degree. GCU offers a variety of master's degrees in business including a Master of Science in Accounting, Master of Business Administration (MBA), MBA with an emphasis in accounting and a Master of Science in Leadership.
Course List
General Education Requirements
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.
Requirements
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.
GCU Course Options
- UNV-112, Success in Science, Engineering and Technology & Lab: 4 credits
- UNV-103, University Success: 4 credits
- UNV-303, University Success: 4 credits
- UNV-108, University Success in the College of Education: 4 credits
Requirements
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.
GCU Course Options
- 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
Requirements
Graduates of Grand Canyon University will be able to express aspects of Christian heritage and worldview. Students are required to take CWV-101/CWV-301.
GCU Course Options
- CWV-101, Christian Worldview: 4 credits
- CWV-301, Christian Worldview: 4 credits
Requirements
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.
GCU Course Options
- MAT-154, Applications of College Algebra: 4 credits
- MAT-144, College Mathematics: 4 credits
- 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
Requirements
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.). If the predefined course is a part of the major, students need to take an additional course.
GCU Course Options
- HIS-144, U.S. History Themes: 4 credits
- PSY-100, Psychology in Everyday Life: 4 credits
- SOC-100, Everyday Sociology: 4 credits
Program Core Courses
Course Description
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.
Course Description
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.
Course Description
This writing intensive 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.
Course Description
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, MAT-144 or MAT-154.
Course Description
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.
Course Description
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.
Course Description
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, MAT-144 or MAT-154.
Course Description
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 one of the following: MAT-134, MAT-144, or MAT-154.
Course Description
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.
Course Description
This course provides a study of principles of internal accounting, including job order systems, process costing, activity-based costing, and budgeting. Prerequisite: ACC-350.
Course Description
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. Prerequisite: ACC-370.
Course Description
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 or MAT-274.
Course Description
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.
Course Description
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.
Course Description
This writing intensive course serves as the capstone experience 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 or MGT-420, MKT-245, and senior status.
Course Description
This course provides a study of accounting theory as it applies to partnerships and business combinations, international accounting, and governmental accounting. Prerequisites: ACC-370 and ACC-371.
Faculty Bios
Program Locations
Campus
Online
* The Department of Education defines how an institution must calculate a program's On-Time Completion rate for federal disclosure purposes. The On-Time Completion rate is based on a program’s published required number of months to complete all degree requirements as provided in the institution’s catalog. Completion statistics are updated every January and are based on the cohort of students who graduated between 7/1 – 6/30 of the preceding year. The On-Time Completion rate is determined by the number of students in the cohort who completed the program within the published program length divided by the number of students in the cohort who graduated.
On-campus program disclosures Online and Evening program disclosures* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.