Accounting

General Notes

• A minimum of 123 credits are required for graduation.
• Where appropriate, courses required for the major can be used to satisfy General Education requirements. However, the credits earned for these courses are applied to either Gen Ed requirements or the major, not both.
• Paths of Knowledge coursework may count towards major or minor requirements, but may not fulfill a second Mid-Level Liberal Arts exploration requirement.
• Students are expected to follow the catalog requirements for General Education, the major, and additional requirements.
• A minor or second major within the areas listed under Paths of Knowledge automatically fulfills that area of the Gen Ed requirements.
• Students must complete 45 of their last 60 credits at Alvernia University
• Students must complete community service hours as part of the General Education Program
 

Application Instructions

Through a rolling admission process, prospective undergraduate students — including first-year, transfer, and international students — may apply via the Alvernia web portal or The Common Application. To learn more about how to complete your application, please visit our application page.
 

Financing Your Education

There are options to assist in financing your education and making the tuition affordable. Visit our Student Financial Services page for a detailed overview of the process, including a link to complete the FAFSA application, as well as more information about tuition, the tuition payment plan and the tuition deferment program we offer. Alvernia’s Title IV code for the FAFSA is 003233. The Office of Student Financial Services is available to help with any questions you may have. Call 610-796-8201 or email sfs@alvernia.edu.
 

Major Notes

To graduate with a Business degree, students must:

• Have earned and maintain an overall grade point average of 2.0
• Have earned 60 credits
• Earn a “C” or higher in BUS 101, BUS 206, BUS 207, and the math course taken to fulfill the General Education requirement
• Complete a 75 Hour Experiential Learning Graduation Requirement for all business majors.

Please consult with your academic advisor for more information.
 

Experiential Learning Opportunities

• In the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, our business lab and Bloomberg Terminals provide financial real time, historical data, market moving news and analytics.
• The O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship provides a support system that can elevate aspiring and existing entrepreneurs as well as provide experiential learning opportunities for students, clients and mentors. Services
  are delivered through an integrated network of partners, mentors, staff and student expertise. Fields include accounting, business development, communications, digital design, engineering and marketing.
• The Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA) is the largest business career and technical student organization in the
  world. FBLA Collegiate is the collegiate division of FBLA and is dedicated to inspiring and developing the next generation of
  leaders by preparing members for careers in business and business-related fields.
   

Accreditation Statements

Alvernia University's accounting program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

Alvernia is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
 

Career Outlook

After earning your Bachelor of Science in Accounting, you can pursue a variety of careers, including:

• Budget Analyst
• Grant Writer
• Certified Management Accountant
• Internal Auditor Comptroller
• International Business Manager
• Chief Financial Officer
• IRS Investigator
• International Trade Specialist
• Corporate Controller
• Revenue Agent Partner in an Accounting Firm
• Financial Analyst Financial Manager

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment with a bachelor’s degree in accounting is projected to grow up to 5 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average of all professions. The median annual wage was $81,680 in 2024.
 

Opportunities for Majors

Phi Beta Lambda

Phi Beta Lambda provides opportunities students to develop vocational competencies for business and office occupations and business teacher education. The specific goals are to promote competent, aggressive business leadership, understand American business enterprise, establish career goals, encourage scholarship, promote sound financial management, and develop character and self-confidence and to facilitate transition from school to work. The Alvernia College PBL Chapter has won many awards on both state and national levels. In competitions, the Alvernia PBL Chapter regularly participates in state and national workshops and conferences, is active in campus projects and completes community service projects.
 

The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)

IMA is the world's largest organization devoted to management accountants, financial management and information management professionals. IMA Student Chapters promote careers in those areas and helps to develop leadership skills.
 

Internship Opportunities

Internship placements for our students have included Citizens Bank, Walt Disney World, Rohm & Haas, Vanguard, GVA Smith Mack, Haines & Kibblehouse, US Department of Treasury, US Department of Finance, Stroehmann/Maier’s Bakery, Webb Insurance, InRoads, Reading Royals, Olsen/DeTurck, Philadelphia Eagles, Cott Beverage, Four Seasons Produce, Morgan Stanley, Ernst & Young and the Camden Riversharks.
 

The Washington Center Experience

Alvernia students have an opportunity to earn college credit by spending a semester or summer in Washington, D.C. where they serve as interns in a congressional office, government agency, major corporation, newspaper or news network, or agencies devoted to legal affairs, international relations, or business and economics. Participants are customarily juniors or seniors who have achieved grade point averages of 2.5 or better and who have the endorsement of the appropriate academic area. In addition to their internship, students select one seminar dealing with the arts and humanities, communication, public policy, the legal system, business, and government. Interested students should see their academic advisor.
 

Delta Mu Delta

Delta Mu Delta is a business honor society that recognizes and encourages academic excellence of students to create a community that fosters the well-being of its individual members and the business community through life-time membership.
 

Bloomberg Terminal

Alvernia University students have access to the Bloomberg Terminal, located in the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne. The Bloomberg Terminal provides real-time and historical data, market moving news, and analytics to help leading business and financial professionals worldwide make better informed investment decisions. The university’s subscription to the Bloomberg Terminal will enable students to become family with tools used in financial services while reinforcing classroom theory.
 

Get to Know Your Faculty

For more information about Alvernia’s Accounting program contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Header School of Business Chair Tufan Tiglioglu at 610-796-8278 or tufan.tiglioglu@alvernia.edu. To see a list of lecturers in the College of Business, Communication, and Leadership, click here.