Department of Business Management
Division of Social Sciences
Jean Davis, Director

The Accounting Minor covers knowledge of the accounting principles and practices fundamental to the capture and analysis of financial information about the firm, the use of accounting information to plan and control activities, accounting theory, and practical application of accounting in the areas such as taxation and auditing. This minor is suitable for students desiring to pursue careers in both private and public accounting and offers courses needed for entry into graduate studies in accounting, a necessary prerequisite for pursuing a career in public accounting. The minor can be combined with the Business Management major for intensive coverage of this field. It can also be taken as a stand-alone minor for students majoring in other disciplines.

Once basic skills of reading financial statements and balance sheets have been learned, accounting is a discipline marked by critical thinking, analytic precision, ethical awareness, and clarity with words, numbers, and visual display of information. Accountants ask questions, communicate answers, and clarify the difficult choices that organizations, both for-profit and not-for-profit, face with regards to budgets and strategic planning. They also ensure that organizations adhere to ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and reporting information and in their internal and external activities.

Given the on-going digital transformation of business, students planning to pursue careers in accounting are also encouraged to minor in either Data Analytics or Information Systems, and take BUS 315 Enterprise Resource Planning Systems and BUS 316 Data Analytics to prepare for future work with enterprise software and analytical tools.

Accounting Minor Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Core Courses		16
ECN 111	Principles of Macroeconomics
or ECN 112	Principles of Microeconomics
BUS 109	Managerial Statistics (or equivalent course)
or ECN 215	Data Analysis I
BUS 112	Intro to Financial Accounting
BUS 209	Financial Analysis
Select 4 Elective Courses From Below		16
BUS 212	Managerial Accounting (typically offered every fall)
BUS 340	Intermediate Accounting (offered every fall)
BUS 341	Income Tax Accounting (typically offered every other fall)
BUS 342	Auditing (typically offered every other spring)
BUS 343	Intermediate Accounting II (offered every spring)
BUS 194, 294, 394, 494 Special Topics
Total Credits		32

With the prior permission of the Chair of the Department of Business Management, relevant special topic courses from other Washington College programs or courses taken at study-abroad partners may also be counted for the minor.

While internships are not required for the minor and do not count for the minor, they are strongly encouraged. Information regarding earning academic credit for internships may be found in the Business Management section of the catalog.

Preparation for Graduate Studies and the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Exam

Students intending to pursue a career in public accounting and CPA certification are encouraged to consider entry into a Master of Accounting program upon graduation. It is recommended that students planning to enter a Master of Accounting program complete Intermediate Accounting I and II in their junior year, and that they take all five elective courses offered.

Washington College has partnerships with Master of Accounting programs offered by Loyola University Maryland, William & Mary, and Wake Forest. Please see our website for more information or contact the Chair of the Department of Business Management.