The Carthage accounting major will prepare you for a successful career in auditing, financial analysis, tax accounting, or corporate accounting for private, public, nonprofit, and government entities. By following the Bachelor of Science pathway, you can earn the 150 credits required to take the CPA exam in four years!
With a first-class learning center, expert faculty, and a prime location in the heart of a major business corridor, Carthage offers accounting students an unequaled experience in learning business principles.
Like all business programs at Carthage, the accounting major utilizes the College’s proprietary READY™ curriculum design. “READY” stands for “Real-world Experience And Developing You.”
This student-centered philosophy means you won’t just study the theories of business. You’ll earn a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) in accounting while gaining real-world experience. Every professor brings business experience into the classroom through multiple real-world projects and simulations and through a curriculum embedded with industry-standard software. You will develop the ability and enthusiasm to work in the dynamic global conditions of the 21st century.
Like most states, Wisconsin and Illinois require college students to accumulate 150 credits before taking the certified public accountant (CPA) exam. Carthage’s 4-1-4 academic calendar allows accounting majors on the Bachelor of Science path to reach that milestone in four years.
“Carthage has so many connections to firms and alumni that finding internships is easy.”
“The class sizes are small, and the professors take the time to get to know you personally and academically.”
Want to become a CPA?
Carthage graduates recently placed in the top 6 percent nationwide among first-time takers of the CPA (certified public accountant) exam. With proper planning, accounting majors can reach 150 credits — which most states require to take the test — in four years. Carthage has adapted its curriculum ahead of significant changes that are coming to the CPA exam in 2024.
Accounting Major Opportunities
Students studying accounting at Carthage have many opportunities to enrich their education:
Top Facilities
The A. W. Clausen Center for World Business has advanced technology to sharpen students’ presentation skills. The Clausen Center’s centerpiece, the Troha Boardroom, has all the amenities of a corporate directors’ suite to give emerging professionals a sense of their future surroundings.
Student organizations such as the Carthage Accounting Association, Finance and Investment Club, and Enactus are popular with accounting majors. Students can also gain professional experience with the full-service Velocity Consulting agency or serve the community through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Professors help accounting students identify internships that fit around their class schedules.
Alumni have taken positions with employers such as:
Abbott Laboratories
Andersen Tax
Baker Tilly
Bank of America
Clifton Larsen Allen
CNH Industrial
Deloitte
Ernst & Young
Internal Revenue Service
Jockey International
Plante Moran
Wipfli
Others have pursued advanced degrees in law and finance.
“My previous experiences and my connections here at Carthage definitely helped me prepare for the interview and get this position (as a revenue auditor),” said graduate Tylar Bauer ’22
Incoming students can enter the Business Scholarship Competition, competing for one of two full-tuition scholarships awarded to incoming students. These scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate ability in business and are renewable for four years. Join our mailing list to receive more information about Carthage’s competitive scholarships.
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