Department of Accounting

Contact Information: 
Campus Location: 2303 University Hall (UH), Undergraduate Programs: 1118 University Hall 
(312) 996-2700

Administration: 
Professor and Interim Department Head, Melissa Martin, mamarti@uic.edu

Mission Statement

Consistent with the Mission of the College of Business Administration and the University of Illinois Chicago, the Department of Accounting is committed to the production and delivery of quality educational programs, discipline-based as well as interdisciplinary research, and service to the community.

Educational Mission

Students majoring in Accounting learn how to integrate conceptual and technical knowledge with practical application. The program prepares students for careers in financial, managerial, governmental/nonprofit, and international accounting, as well as auditing, information systems, taxation, and business law. Graduates are prepared to sit for certification examinations for the CPA, CMA, and similar certifications.

We deliver quality educational programs in accounting in the Chicago metropolitan area. The curriculum is designed with the goal of ensuring that the undergraduate students who major in accounting are well prepared for professional careers and certification candidacy. Students are encouraged to complete all degree requirements in a timely fashion through a coordinated program of faculty and academic advising. Internships are frequently used as an additional vehicle to prepare students for the professional settings. The department provides advanced programs of study through its graduate offerings including the MSA, joint MSA/MBA, and Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Accounting. Students may apply for the Guaranteed Admission to Master of Science in Accounting (GAMSA) program which allows students who meet criteria to be automatically accepted into the program, which will provide them with the 150-academic-hour requirement of the Illinois CPA examination.

Accreditation

The accounting department and its associated degree programs are separately accredited (in addition to the College of Business Administration accreditation) by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

BS in Accounting

Accounting is a system for identifying, measuring, and communicating to interested parties, the aggregate effects of a sequence of transactions engaged in by any entity over a specified period.

These entities include but are not limited to business firms, governmental units, and nonprofit organizations. Users of financial information include management, stockholders, and creditors. The scope of the accounting discipline is broad and varied. There are several specific functional areas within the field of accounting such as: financial accounting, managerial accounting, governmental and nonprofit accounting, international accounting, auditing, information systems, and taxation. The department also offers courses in business law and ethical issues in accounting.

CPA Exam in Illinois

The UIC Bachelor of Science in Accounting program satisfies all the educational course requirements for taking the CPA exam in Illinois. It includes 30 hours of accounting, 24 hours of business, and the required specific courses.

The only additional requirement needed is a total 150 hours of college credit. For more information check the Illinois Board of Examiners website.