Accountants are fundamental to the business world, and accounting is often referred to as "the language of business". The accounting major at VCU is designed to help students learn this language, which is a skill set that prepares them for a wide variety of accounting careers in organizations that include entrepreneurial start-up enterprises, large corporations, government agencies and nonprofits. Accounting professionals work with clients to prepare, analyze and communicate financial data. VCU's accounting program provides students with a firm foundation in fundamental accounting concepts and theory, engages them in practical applications and experiential learning opportunities, and weaves current and emerging technologies throughout the curriculum to ensure that students are prepared to be an effective communicator of financial information in today’s business environment. Completion of the accounting program will qualify graduates to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination in Virginia.

This degree program can be completed either on campus or fully online. Students interested in the online format should contact a School of Business recruitment counselor at ugbrecruit@vcu.edu for more information.

Student learning outcomes

Upon completing this program:

• Graduates will demonstrate a broad base of knowledge across accounting topics and apply that knowledge in a variety of contexts.

• Graduates will demonstrate an understanding of the core business and strategic concepts involved in accounting.

• Graduates will demonstrate the ability to identify and communicate accounting ethical issues; evaluate information in a manner free of distortion, personal bias or conflicts of interest; recognize situations where professional ethical standards apply; respect confidentiality.

• Graduates will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate ideas and analysis of accounting problems. Graduates can demonstrate this ability either in writing or in oral presentations (e.g., writing memos, thought papers or other types of business correspondence; presenting case analyses; etc.).

Academic policies

The School of Business has special academic policies, including policies on transfer credits, that apply to all undergraduate degrees.

School of Business and B.S. in Accounting progression policies

Students enrolled in undergraduate programs of the School of Business engage in a demanding curriculum designed to set them up for success in the world of business. In order to successfully maintain progress towards graduation, students are required to meet the following criteria in order to remain in their majors:

• Students are required to pass major and ancillary requirements within two attempts. If a student withdraws from a course, it will count as an attempt. 

  • Upon the third attempt at a course, students will be placed on business probation and must pass the course successfully in that third attempt.

  • For the B.S. in Accounting program, all upper-level accounting courses with a prerequisite course require a minimum grade of C in the prerequisite course and the following must be fulfilled:

    • Students must have received a minimum grade of C in all required accounting courses.

    • Required accounting courses in which students earn a grade of D or F must be repeated.

• Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 major GPA.

  • If a student's major GPA drops below 2.0, they will be placed on business probation and allowed one semester to raise their major GPA to 2.0. 

Upon notification of being placed on business probation, students will receive a registration hold, and must meet with their business adviser prior to the add/drop deadline of the pursuant semester in order to create an action plan to either pass the repeated course successfully, or increase their major GPA.

Students who do not meet the performance expectations of business probation in that same semester will be required to change their major prior to the start of the next semester.

Students may appeal the change of major via the associate dean of the School of Business. Students must initiate the appeal with their assigned academic adviser. The associate dean may, at their discretion, extend the time period needed to meet the requirements, generally by only one semester. A student who wishes to appeal must submit his or her appeal at least one week prior to the start of the next semester in which they register for classes.

Degree requirements for Accounting, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Approved accounting/analytics electives

What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.

Recommended course sequence/plan of study 

Freshman year
Fall semester		Hours
BUSN 201 or BUSN 205	Foundations of Business 1 or Introduction to the World of Business 1	3
UNIV 111 Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication	Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
UNIV 191 or UNIV 101 or UNIV 103	Student Success Special Topics (satisfies open elective) or Introduction to the University or Education and Career Planning	1
General education courses		6
Open elective (prerequisite to BUSN 212 suggested)		3
	Term Hours:	16
Spring semester
ACCT 203	Introduction to Financial Reporting	3
BUSN 212 or MATH 200	Business Problem Solving and Analysis (either satisfies general education quantitative foundations) or Calculus with Analytic Geometry I	4
ECON 210	Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education BOK for social/behavioral sciences and/or AOI for global perspectives)	3
UNIV 200	Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Sophomore year
Fall semester
ACCT 204	Introduction to Managerial Accounting	3
BUSN 301	Career and Professional Development	1
ECON 211	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
MGMT 303	Creativity and Ideation	3
SCMA 301	Business Statistics I	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Spring semester
ACCT 306	Cost Accounting	3
FIRE 311	Financial Management	3
MGMT 310	Managing People in Organizations	3
MKTG 301	Marketing Principles	3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
Junior year
Fall semester
ACCT 301	Federal Income Taxation for Individuals	3
ACCT 303	Intermediate Accounting I	3
BUSN 325	Business Communications	3
SCMA 320	Production/Operations Management	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
ACCT 304	Intermediate Accounting II	3
ACCT 307	Accounting Systems	3
BUSN 323	Legal Environment of Business	3
INFO 320 or MKTG 350 or SCMA 302 or SCMA 303	Artificial Intelligence for Business Intelligence or Customer and Marketing Analytics or Business Statistics II or Business Analytics	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Senior year
Fall semester
ACCT 305	Intermediate Accounting III	3
ACCT 408	Data Analytics for Accountants	3
Accounting elective (see list)		3
Open elective		6
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
ACCT 406	Auditing	3
BUSN 499	Business Knowledge Exam	0
MGMT 434	Strategic Management	3
Accounting elective (see list)		3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	12
	Total Hours:	120

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.