Business Majors | Foster School of Business

What is accounting?

Foster’s accounting curriculum utilizes research, interpersonal communication, and problem solving to enable students to think critically about financial transactions and the implications for an entire financial management system.

What are the careers I can pursue with an Accounting Major?

• Certified Public Accountant serving clients with their financial and tax needs.
• Financial Analyst or Accountant for local public & private companies, such as Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, REI, Boeing, and Zillow,
• Consultant with Fortune 500 or international organizations specializing in areas such as Mergers and Acquisitions, Taxation, Auditing, Risk Management
• Forensic Auditor investigating fraud & financial mismanagement for governmental agencies like the FBI
• Non-Profit Accounting for charities and not-for-profit organizations

Which of the two Accounting-related majors should I choose?

The Accounting Major is ideal if you want a career in public, corporate, or nonprofit accounting or tax, and/or want a deep knowledge of financial reporting. In the Accounting Major, you learn how to understand, explain, and record business transactions, and you gain critical thinking and analytical skills to interpret and analyze financial information, develop tax strategy, and make information-driven decisions. Using case-based learning and data analytics, this eight-course major equips students to adapt to an ever-changing environment.

The Accounting for Business Professionals Major is ideal if you want a narrower, focused accounting skillset to support a career in another business area. This major is designed with flexibility for students to select the accounting classes that fit best with their unique career goals and is often paired with another major like Finance or Information Systems. Students take one required accounting course, and then choose four more accounting courses (or three accounting courses and one of a set of approved finance courses).

Graduate programs in Accounting

The Foster school has two separate Master of Accounting degrees: the Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) and the Master of Science in Taxation (MST). For students interested in our Masters’ programs or CPA certification, the Department of Accounting highly recommends that they pursue the Accounting Major rather than the Accounting for Business Professionals Major, as it will better prepare students to succeed in these specialized, rigorous programs and pass the CPA exam. However, students wishing to major in Accounting for Business Professionals and pursue one of these graduate degrees should reach out to the program office.

Students are eligible to apply to the MPAcc and MST programs during their senior year once fall quarter grades are posted. The GMAT is not required for Foster School Accounting students. These master’s degrees also satisfy the 225-quarter credit educational requirement to sit for the CPA exam in the State of Washington.

Learn more about the MPAcc and MST programs here.

For more information about becoming a licensed certified public accountant (CPA), visit: Washington State Board of Accountancy.

Accounting resources