Welcome to the Business Department of Alvernia University. We hope you’ll take some time to get acquainted with our Accounting major.

Accounting is an important and time-honored career with outstanding job opportunities. Individuals, companies and corporations rely on accountants to advise them on financial matters and help manage their money. Accountants should be detail-oriented, organized and have good problem solving skills. Good communication skills are important, and, because they handle other people’s money, accountants must possess a very high level of integrity.

As an accounting major at Alvernia University, you’ll develop professional skills that prepare you for a career in management accounting or public accounting. You’ll learn far more than what is contained in textbooks, because you’ll experience “real-life learning” that enables you to link your classroom experiences to the larger community and, indeed, the world.

Faculty members at Alvernia teach about business from both practical and ethical standpoints. This gives you the knowledge you’ll need to succeed professionally, because it develops supervisory and managerial skills that are necessary to advance in your career.

All of Alvernia University’s Business Department programs – including Accounting – are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business School and Programs (ACBSP) and by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Why should you study accounting at Alvernia University?

Because at Alvernia you get all the benefits of an outstanding university education in a manageable setting with personal attention and unique opportunities that can benefit you as you move toward your career.

Small Class Size
Alvernia has an average 12:1 student-faculty ratio, with fewer than 20 students in most classes. This facilitates valuable, professional relationships among faculty members and students. In these small class settings, you get individual attention to help you excel.  

Faculty Who Care
Alvernia’s Accounting program is staffed by dedicated, highly qualified professionals who are committed to sharing their expertise and knowledge with students. Faculty members have extensive experience in various aspects of business in addition to accounting, including law, banking, the automotive industry, entrepreneurship, the sports industry, marketing and management, and bring their expertise to the classroom. They often work one-on-one with students to enhance the student’s learning experience, and serve as mentors to aspiring students.

Many faculty members in the Accounting program are actively engaged in research, have written articles that have appeared in prestigious publications and have presented nationally and internationally at conferences.

Honors Program  
Alvernia’s Honors Program for students who are academically gifted and highly motivated is designed to allow students to work at their own pace and to recognize and encourage academic excellence. Honors students interact with one another to exchange ideas and information across a wide range of disciplines and interests.

The Honors Program offers co-curricular activities, service opportunities and intellectual and social support to encourage students to exceed their own expectations.

Learn more about Alvernia’s Honors Programs at www.alvernia.edu/academics/honors.

Get Real
Classroom learning is valuable and necessary, but out-of-the-classroom, experiential learning provides students with hands-on, real world learning opportunities that enrich your educational experience and are highly valued by employers.

You’ll have opportunities to participate in internships, co-ops, clinical experiences, field experiences, community service, campus events and other experiences to help you stretch and grow toward your full potential.

Learn more about Alvernia’s Get Real program at www.alvernia.edu/getreal.

Study Abroad
Living and studying outside of the United States can change you in ways you can’t begin to envision. Students who study abroad typically gain immeasurable confidence and experiences they could not have imagined.

Many accounting majors have benefitted from participation in a Study Abroad program in countries including New Zealand, Italy, Spain, England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Morocco, Palestine, China and Mexico.

Learn more about Alvernia’s Study Abroad program at www.alvernia.edu/studyabroad.

The work of accounting involves far more than just crunching numbers. Accounting is a blend of problem solving, analysis and communication — important skills you’ll have a chance to develop as an accounting major at Alvernia University.

Accountants work in a variety of fields. You might want to be a partner in an accounting firm, the chief financial officer of a corporation or an investigator for the Internal Revenue Service. Perhaps you’re interested in a career as an international trade specialist or international business manager. Accountants also work as budget analysts, comptrollers and certified management accountants.

It’s good news that accounting jobs are expected to increase by 13 percent between the present time and 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accounting graduates who earn Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountant designations in addition to their degrees can further improve their job prospects, as the demand for accounting services has grown due to new financial regulations.

For more information about the accounting field and to get an idea of some jobs currently available, go to the website of the American Accounting Association at aaahq.org. To learn more about different areas within the field of accounting, see Investopedia’s article at http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financialcareers/08/accounting.asp.

Some accounting students pursue graduate degrees after graduation, either at Alvernia or other colleges and universities. Others work to achieve professional certification, such as testing to become a certified public accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

Alvernia offers a special program for motivated students — a MBA + 1 option. By declaring interest in your junior year, you could be eligible to enroll in a 30-credit Master of Business Administration degree program that you complete in just one year. You would extend your stay at Alvernia for an extra year, finishing after five years with both an undergraduate and graduate degree.

For more information about Alvernia’s Accounting program contact the Admissions Office at 1-888-ALVERNIA or 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu.

All Alvernia students must successfully complete a minimum of 123 semester credits to receive a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. View your Major Academic Plan (MAP) by year here.

Accounting majors must complete 58 credits in the major. Required courses are:

BUS 101 Financial Accounting
BUS 206 Management Principles
BUS 207 Marketing Principles
BUS 250 Accounting Principles
BUS 252 Intermediate Accounting I
BUS 253 Intermediate Accounting II
BUS 301 Advanced Accounting
BUS 304 Federal Taxation
BUS 305 Accounting Info Systems
BUS 342 Business Law
BUS 400 Cost Accounting
BUS 402 Auditing
BUS 410 Financial Markets
BUS 411 Corporate Finance
BUS 426 Strategic Management
BUS 438  Business Seminar
ECON 248 Macroeconomics
ECON 249 Microeconomics
MAT 208 Introductory Statistics or MAT 209 Probability and Statistics

Accounting majors also can complete a 12-credit concentration in fraud examination. This concentration includes courses necessary to provide you with the core competencies needed to excel in fraud examination. By completing the courses necessary for this concentration, you’ll be prepared to sit for the Certified Fraud Examiner exam.

Attaining fraud examiner certification can be extremely useful if you’re pursuing a career in a field such as accounting, human resources, management, criminal justice or insurance.

Required courses in the fraud examination concentration are:

BUS 101 Financial Accounting
BUS 200 Managerial Accounting OR BUS 250 Accounting Principles
BUS 205 Fraud Examination
BUS 215 Forensic Accounting

Students who major in another area can minor in business by earning 21 credits. Required courses for a business minor are:

BUS 101 Financial Accounting
BUS 200 Managerial Accounting
BUS 206 Management Principles
BUS 207 Marketing Principles
BUS 342 Business Law
BUS 410 Financial Markets
ECON 248 Macroeconomics OR ECON 249 Microeconomics

You can learn more about all courses offered by Alvernia University by viewing the 2014-2015 Academic Course Catalogue at http://alvernia.edu/academics/catalogs/Catalog_2014-15/index.html.

Your Real World Learning Experience
Alvernia believes that real world experience is extremely important, as it can improve your confidence and introduce you to professionals in your intended field of employment. All Alvernia students participate in service learning, a teaching and learning experience that enables students to get real-world learning while benefiting a community partner. As an accounting major, you might help with the work of a community non-profit, or serve as treasurer of a community organization.

As an accounting major, you’ll not only have the benefit of experienced faculty members who have extensive experience in the business world, but also the opportunity to participate in learning opportunities in real business settings through internships and cooperative experiences.

Some of the organizations with which Alvernia accounting majors have had internships include:

• The Camden Riversharks
• Citizens Bank
• U.S. Department of Finance
• U.S. Department of Treasury
• Reading Royals
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Vanguard
• Disney World
• Stroehmann/Maier’s Bakery
• Ernst & Young
• Morgan Stanley

Your advisor and other faculty members can help you decide if an internship is right for you.  Meanwhile, you can find out more about real world learning at www.alvernia.edu/academics/experiential_learning.

The Honors Program
If you’re academically gifted and highly motivated, you may want to learn more about Alvernia’s Undergraduate Honors Program. Honors students have opportunities to take courses dealing with unusual topics and participate in a variety of activities. You can learn more about the Honors Program and how to apply at www.alvernia.edu/academics/honors/index.html.

In addition, Alvernia’s Business Department sponsors the Lambda Zeta chapter of the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society through its accrediting body, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Program. Delta Mu Delta is an honors society for junior, seniors and graduate students, and is limited to the top 20 percent of students in those classes. You can learn more about Delta Mu Delta at http://deltamudelta.org.

Alvernia is committed to serving the needs of its students. Whether you have questions or problems related to academics, life on campus, student activities, social activities or any other issue, there is someone available to help you. You can learn more about all student services at www.alvernia.edu/student-life/student-services.

Educational Planning Center
The Educational Planning Center offers advice and support to help you with any problems or issues related to your Alvernia education. It also assists with career exploration and preparation. The office is open every day and can be contacted at 610-796-8266.

Career Services
Staff members at the Career Development office will help you with any questions you have about exploring or planning careers. They will also guide you about how to look for and apply to jobs as you get closer to graduation. The office also has a career resources library. You can learn more about career services at www.alvernia.edu/student-life/career-services, or by emailing career.services@alvernia.edu.

Financial Aid
The Financial Aid office is the place to contact with any questions you have about the cost of an Alvernia education and options for paying for it. Nearly all undergraduates at Alvernia get some type of financial aid, and everyone is encouraged to apply for it. You can learn more at www.alvernia.edu/financialaid/index.html or by emailing financialaid@alvernia.edu.

Admissions Office
If you’re interested in applying to the Accounting program at Alvernia, contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or at http://www.alvernia.edu/admissions/.

There is so much more to college than classes, and accounting majors at Alvernia have some excellent opportunities to get involved in activities that are both enjoyable and provide beneficial, hands-on experience. Students who get involved and engaged in extra-curricular activities benefit both academically and socially, and open themselves to integral life lessons from beyond the classroom.

You’ll be encouraged to participate in a range of activities, including some rewarding and inspiring service projects. Some organizations and activities you might enjoy include:

• The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). This is the largest organization for management accountants and financial managers in the world. Alvernia’s student affiliate chapter of this organization helps you prepare for a successful career in the field of accounting. The on-campus organization is sponsored by the Reading IMA chapter, and gives you opportunities to meet and work with area business professionals. Many Alvernia students have secured internships, full-time employment and scholarships as a result of these relationships.
  
  
• Phi Beta Lambda (PBL). This organization provides opportunities for you to develop vocational competencies for business positions. One of the top 10 organizations listed by the U.S. Department of Education, its goals are to promote competent, aggressive business leadership; provide an understanding of American business enterprise; establish career goals; encourage scholarship; promote sound financial management; and facilitate transition from school to work. Alvernia’s PBL chapter has received many awards on the state and national levels. The group regularly participates in state and national workshops and conferences, and is an active presence on campus.
  
  
• Alvernia also offers many organizations, clubs and activities outside of your major, and you’re encouraged to get involved. You can learn more about Alvernia’s Student Government Association, becoming a Student Ambassador, student trips and other activities at www.alvernia.edu/student-life/activities.
  
  
• The Holleran Center for Community Engagement serves as a bridge between the University and the community. The Center partners with a variety of organizations to provide Alvernia students with opportunities to serve. You might help to manage the finances of a non-profit organization such as the Berks Chapter of the American Red Cross or the South Reading Youth Initiative. You can read more about volunteer opportunities at http://alvernia.edu/about/holleran-center.

Alvernia’s accounting alumni are engaged professionals who attribute their success back to the real-world experiences they received both in and out of the classroom.

These success stories are highlighted by internships, service-learning experiences and the careers they pursue upon graduation.

Jonathan Nied '04 worked for accounting firms Baker Tilly and Faren, Garcia and Garman before switching to cost accounting at AmeriGas and later joining Boston Beer where he brings his accounting and finance skills to one of the nation's top craft breweries. See what Jonathan is up to today!

Kyle Covington ’16
A double major in accounting and business management with dean’s list honors, Kyle Covington is actively involved on campus, interning with the area’s leading grocery store and just returned home from an Alvernia sponsored trip to China. Read more about Kyle’s real-world experiences!

Jennifer Krow ’03, M’11
A Reading Pa., native, Jennifer Krow graduated from Alvernia with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance in 2003 and a master’s degree in business in 2011. The Alvernia graduate translated her Franciscan education into a dream job as senior financial analyst for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Learn more about Jennifer’s journey after Alvernia!