Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

The Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (BS-Accy) program, also known as the accountancy major, offers both specialized knowledge in accounting and a general education leading to a broad understanding of the business world. The program is designed to prepare students for a professional career in accounting as well as graduate study in business, finance, information systems, or law.

Accounting is the management of financial information. Accountants design and implement systems that capture relevant information from the transactions in which an organization engages. The accountant analyzes that information and communicates it to others, answering questions such as: How profitable is this business? How solvent? How risky?

View Curriculum & Course Requirements  

Career Options in Accountancy

Every organization with financial records needs accountants. In some cases, students with an accountancy major may be able to begin working immediately upon graduation in accounting, but some employers require a CPA certification for hiring or promotion and, in most states, taking the CPA exam requires 150 credit hours. Public accountants audit financial statements and provide tax planning and financial advisory services to their clients. Some accountants who work for corporations are responsible for preparing and maintaining the financial records of the business; others use accounting and other information to help evaluate potential and existing products and projects in order to aid in managerial decision-making. Governmental accountants help to prepare and administer the budgets under which their agencies operate.

Study Abroad Opportunities

BS-Accy students have the opportunity to study abroad, but it may require more planning for the student as many BS-Accy major courses are offered only in the fall and spring semester.

Studying Abroad in the Fall of Junior Year

Fall Junior Year:
Study Abroad

Spring Junior Year: 
ACCY 3102 Intermediate Accounting II*
ACCY 6401 Federal Income Taxation*

Fall Senior Year: 
ACCY 3101 Intermediate Accounting I
ACCY 3601 Business Law: Contracts, Torts, and Property
ACCY 4107 Advanced Accounting
ACCY 4301 Auditing

Spring Senior Year: 
ACCY 3403 Advanced Tax
ACCY 4501 Accounting Systems 
ACCY 4601 Business Law: Enterprise Organization
ACCY 4801 Financial Accounting Capstone

*Indicates a course that a student will not have the necessary prerequisite and/or is a graduate level course. Students may only be added to the class by permission of the instructor, who must sign the RTF or give written permission over email to enroll in the course. The student will need to submit the signed RTF or forward the email granting permission to the Undergraduate Advising Center.

Studying Abroad in the Spring of Junior Year

Fall Junior Year: 
ACCY 3101 Intermediate Accounting I
ACCY 3401 Federal Income Tax: Individuals 
ACCY 3601 Business Law: Contracts, Torts, and Property

Spring Junior Year:
Study Abroad

Fall Senior Year:
ACCY 4107 Advanced Accounting*
ACCY 4301 Auditing*
ACCY 6105 Intermediate Accounting II

Spring Senior Year:
ACCY 3403 Advanced Tax
ACCY 4501 Accounting Systems* 
ACCY 4601 Business Law: Enterprise Organization
ACCY 4801 Financial Accounting Capstone

*Indicates a course that a student will not have the necessary prerequisite and/or is a graduate level course. Students may only be added to the class by permission of the instructor, who must sign the RTF or give written permission over email to enroll in the course. The student will need to submit the signed RTF or forward the email granting permission to the Undergraduate Advising Center.

Financial Accounting Capstone

ACCY 4801 is a 3-credit course that provides GWSB Accountancy majors with an opportunity to synthesize and apply their learning to tackle complex real world accountancy-based business challenges including tax, auditing, internal financial control and marketing projects.

Through the perspective of the preparer and user of financial statements, teams of three to five students (under the mentorship of Dr. Yun Zhang and with support from Global & Experiential Education) work together to develop and deliver substantive recommendations to their Partner Organization. This course provides an integral skill-building experience to students, pro-bono business insights to Partner Organizations, as well as a connection between employers and future talent.

Companies interested in learning more about the benefits of hosting a GWSB Financial Accounting Capstone project can visit our Partner with Us page, where they can learn more and submit a partner project proposal form. Interested parties are also welcome to email any questions directly to the Global & Experiential Education team at gwsbintlgwu [dot] edu (gwsbintl[at]gwu[dot]edu).