Major map compass icon
2024-2025

Accounting, Bachelor of Science

VCU

Community college:
AA&S or AS in Business Administration (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Associate degree

Associate of Arts and Sciences in Business Administration or Associate of Science in Business Administration

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

The major in accounting is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in accounting. This program will qualify graduates to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination in Virginia. However, certification requires 150 hours of college credits. Most public accounting firms give hiring preference to applicants who have completed the full 150 hours prior to starting work.

Career opportunities

Accountants examine and prepare financial records. They are responsible for confirming accuracy, ensuring the records comply with local, state, and federal laws, and typically are called upon to make recommendations based on that financial data.


There are several types of accountants. Public accountants are generally employed by firms and serve as an independent third party to review, attest to other organizations' or individuals' financial documents, and may gain experience working with a variety of industries. Private or corporate accountants are employed by a company and typically develop management accounting expertise in their individual companies and industries. Government accountants examine and prepare the financial records of various government agencies.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Accounting Technician
  • Audit Accountant
  • Audit Associate
  • Auditor
  • Cost Accountant
  • Financial Analyst
  • Junior Accountant
  • Staff Accountant
  • Tax Accountant
  • Tax Associate
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Audit Director
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Controller
  • Director of Accounting
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200 or BUSN 212
  • SCMA 301
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5+ cumulative GPA to declare, 2.0+ cumulative GPA to graduate, 2.0+ major GPA to graduate

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2024-2025

Accounting, Bachelor of Science

Virginia Community College System (AA&S or AS in Business Administration)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete your math and english requirements in your first year.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Explore community college financial aid resources and submit your FAFSA on time.
  • Explore the School of Business website.
  • Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Register to vote.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
Experience Year 2
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in ACC, ECO and MTH. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Be prepared: Once you enroll at VCU, your VCU GPA will be determined by your grades at VCU.
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Visit the VCU School of Business website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi, and professors.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Business, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Join a professional organization related to accounting: Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA), Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or School of Business-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in the SDV student success course.
  • Complete your math and english requirements in your first year.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Explore community college financial aid resources and submit your FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Explore the School of Business website.
  • Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
  • Get involved with student clubs and organizations at your community college.
  • Volunteer for community service projects.
  • Register to vote.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in ACC, ECO and MTH. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Be prepared: Once you enroll at VCU, your VCU GPA will be determined by your grades at VCU.
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Visit the VCU School of Business website to become familiar with upcoming course offerings, syllabi, and professors.
  • Submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Business, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Join a professional organization related to accounting: Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA), Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA).
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or School of Business-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2024-2025

Accounting, Bachelor of Science

Virginia Community College System (AA&S or AS in Business Administration)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 or 101 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 161 (or MTH 167) Precalculus I MATH 141 3 General education
MTH 261 or MTH 263 Applied Calculus or Calculus I BUSN 212 or MATH 200 3 to 4 Major (Ancillary)
Humanities or Fine Arts Select one of the following (UCGS Block II): ART 100, ART 101, ART 102, CST 130, CST 151, MUS 121, MUS 221, MUS 222, MUS 226, HUM 201, HUM 202, HUM 210, HUM 216, HUM 220, HUM 256, HUM 259, PHI 100, PHI 111, PHI 220, REL 100, REL 230, REL 237, REL 240. VCU equivalent 3 General education
Humanities, Fine Arts or Literature Select one of the following (UCGS Block II): ART 100, ART 101, ART 102, CST 130, CST 151, MUS 121, MUS 221, MUS 222, MUS 226, HUM 201, HUM 202, HUM 210, HUM 216, HUM 220, HUM 256, HUM 259, PHI 100, PHI 111, PHI 220, REL 100, REL 230, REL 237, REL 240, ENG 225, ENG 245, ENG 246, ENG 250, ENG 255, ENG 258, ENG 275 (the course must come from a different group than the previous requirement). VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory Science Select one of the following (UCGS Block IV): BIO 101, BIO 102, BIO 106, CHM 101, CHM 111, CHM 112, ENV 121, ENV 122, GOL 105, GOL 106, GOL 110, PHY 100, PHY 201, PHY 202, PHY 241, PHY 242 VCU equivalent 4 General education
History Select one of the following (UCGS Block VI): HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 111, HIS 112, HIS 121, HIS 122 VCU equivalent 3 General education
ACC 211 Principles of Accounting I ACCT 203 3 Major (Ancillary)
ACC 212 Principles of Accounting II ACCT 204 3 Major (Ancillary)
ECO 201 Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics ECON 211 3 Major (Ancillary)
ECO 202 Principles of Economics: Microeconomics ECON 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
BUS 100 Introduction to Business BUSN 201 3 Major (Ancillary)
BUS 224 Business Statistics SCMA 301 3 Major (Ancillary)
CST 100 or 110 Public Speaking BUSN 225 3 Major (Ancillary)
Complete requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 12 to 13 Elective
Community college credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
ACCT 301 Federal Income Taxation for Individuals 3 Major
ACCT 303 Intermediate Accounting I 3 Major
ACCT 304 Intermediate Accounting II 3 Major
ACCT 305 Intermediate Accounting III 3 Major
ACCT 306 Cost Accounting 3 Major
ACCT 307 Accounting Systems 3 Major
ACCT 406 Auditing 3 Major
ACCT 408 Data Analytics for Accountants 3 Major
Select one from: INFO 320, MKTG 350, SCMA 302, or SCMA 303 3 Major
Approved accounting or data analytics electives 6 Major
BUSN 301 Career and Professional Development 1 Major (Ancillary)
BUSN 323 Legal Environment of Business 3 Major (Ancillary)
BUSN 499 Business Knowledge Exam 0 Major (Ancillary)
FIRE 311 Financial Management 3 Major (Ancillary)
MGMT 303 Creativity and Ideation 3 Major (Ancillary)
MGMT 310 Managing People in Organizations 3 Major (Ancillary)
MGMT 434 Strategic Management 3 Major (Ancillary)
MKTG 301 Marketing Principles 3 Major (Ancillary)
SCMA 320 Production/Operations Management 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open elective 5 Elective
REAL The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. 0 Major
Credits completed at VCU 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120