Accounting Emphasis

The UCCS Accounting emphasis is designed to prepare students to work in accounting for public, business and industry, not-for-profit, and governmental organizations. Accounting careers include financial accounting, managerial accounting, accounting systems, taxation, and auditing. 

The UCCS Accounting curriculum conveys a comprehensive understanding of the theories and concepts that underlie practice. Emphasis is placed on logical reasoning and critical thinking to enable students to solve problems in accounting and make sound policy decisions in the context of social, legal, and political environments.

Each candidate for the Bachelor of Science-Business degree in the Professional Program must complete the prescribed courses in an area of emphasis comprising a minimum of 18 - 24 semester hours taken at UCCS in addition to the required courses in the Business degree.

To earn a professional area of emphasis, a grade point average of 2.5 is required for the area of emphasis courses, with no grade below a C-; a 2.5 cumulative GPA is required for all business courses; and a 2.0 GPA is required overall. Students who graduate with an area of emphasis and/or business grade point averages from 2.0 to 2.49 will not earn an area of emphasis. All attempts of emphasis courses will be calculated into a student's GPA.

By completing extra courses, a student can earn a second area of emphasis. To earn a double area of emphasis, a student must fulfill all the requirements for both areas. If there are not at least 15 hours of unique courses in the areas, then the student cannot earn a double area of emphasis.

Accounting students should work closely with accounting faculty and advisors in planning a degree program that is congruent with their career goals.

Students applying for licensure as CPAs in the State of Colorado must hold a bachelor’s degree and have completed a total of at least 150 semester hours, including 27 hours of upper-division accounting. Six of these accounting semester hours must be in auditing and three must be in accounting or business ethics. The minimum 150 semester hours must also include at least 27 semester hours in other non-accounting business areas. No more than nine semester hours in any single business area may be used to satisfy this requirement.

For details on degree requirements, please visit the Academic Catalog.

For details on program coursework, please visit the Academic Catalog.

The Accounting Honor Society is an honorary and professional organization for students of accountancy. Its stated purpose includes recognition of outstanding academic achievements in the field of accounting, promotion of the study and practice of accounting, provision of opportunities for self-development and association among members, and encouragement of a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility. The organization seeks to develop its members’ professionalism through career-oriented, social, and community activities.

Please contact Brad Monson, for questions on how you can get involved. 

To learn more about admission requirements and the UCCS undergraduate application process, please visit the UCCS Admissions page.

Additional resources for Admissions:

• Tuition Rate
• Cost of Tuition Estimator
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships