Department of Accounting
Important Note: This is the archived version of the 2013–2015 Undergraduate Catalog. The information on these pages was archived on August 6, 2013 and will not be updated as requirement and/or program changes are approved. Please see www.uic.edu/ucat for the most up-to-date requirements.
Department Mission Statement AccreditationBS in Accounting
2303 University Hall (UH)
(312) 996-2650
http://business.uic.edu/accounting
Administration: Department Head, Somnath Das
Undergraduate Programs, 1118 University Hall
Consistent with the Mission of the College of Business Administration and the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Department of Accounting is committed to the production and delivery of quality educational programs, disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, and service to the community.
Education is the primary objective of the department. We serve an ethnically diverse, largely self-supporting and primarily first-generation student body. We aim to deliver a quality accounting education in the Chicago metropolitan area. Hence the educational mission reflects the socioeconomic status and cultural and ethnic diversity of the student body as well the urban setting of our location. The curriculum will be designed to be consistent with the goal of ensuring that the undergraduate students with a major in accounting will be well prepared for professional careers and certification candidacy. Students will be encouraged to complete all degree requirements in a timely fashion through a coordinated program of faculty advising and staff counseling. Internships will be used as an additional vehicle to prepare students for the professional expectations of the workplace. The department will provide advanced programs of study through its graduate offerings including the MSA, joint MSA/MBA and Master of Business Administration with a specialization in accounting. The graduate students for the MSA will play an increasingly important role in the department, consistent with the 150-hour Illinois CPA examination requirement.
Being part of a Research I university, the department’s commitment to academic research and intellectual pursuits is an integral component of its mission. The department aims to fulfill this mission by hiring and retaining an academically respected and professionally qualified faculty who actively produce and support basic and applied research. Faculty research and teaching expectations emphasize individual strengths, interests, and stages of career development through a coordinated program of peer review, support, and counsel. At the same time, the department also engages in allocating resources to faculty to facilitate their research activities.
The department and its faculty will provide service to the students, CBA, and the University consistent with and complementary to its research and teaching activities. The department and its faculty will pursue external service activities which enhance departmental visibility, reputation, and presence at the local, national, and international levels. Service that enhances the University's urban mission will be encouraged.
The accounting department and its associated degree programs are accredited by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Accounting is a system for measuring and reporting the financial position and performance of a variety of entities to interested parties.
These organizations include business firms, governmental units, and nonprofit organizations. Users of financial information include management, stockholders, and creditors. The scope of the accounting discipline is broad and varied. Specific functional areas are as follows: financial accounting, managerial accounting, governmental and nonprofit accounting, international accounting, auditing, information systems, and taxation. The department also offers business law courses.
CPA Exam in Illinois
The UIC BS in Accounting program satisfies all the educational course requirements for taking the CPA exam in Illinois. It includes 30 hours of accounting, 24 hours of business, and the required specific courses.
The only additional requirement needed is a total 150 hours of college credit. For more information check http://www.ilboa.org/certification/educational-requirements.
To earn a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree from UIC, students need to complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Accounting degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Business Administration section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| BS in Accounting Degree Requirements | Hours |
| General Course Requirements | 57 |
| Business Core | 33 |
| Major Requirements | 24 |
| Business Electives | 6 |
| Total Hours—BS in Accounting | 120 |
General Course Requirements
See General Course Requirements in the College of Business Administration section for the list of courses needed to meet this requirement.
Business Core
See Business Core in the College of Business Administration section for the list of courses needed to meet this requirement.
Major Requirements
| Courses | Hours |
| ACTG 315—Intermediate Financial Accounting I | 3 |
| ACTG 316—Intermediate Financial Accounting II | 3 |
| ACTG 326—Cost Accounting | 3 |
| ACTG 435—Auditing | 3 |
| ACTG 445—Federal Income Tax I | 3 |
| ACTG 470—Ethical Environment of Business | 3 |
| ACTG 474—Accounting Information Systems | 3 |
| ACTG 493—Accounting Cases, Research, and Analysis | 3 |
| Total Hours—Major Requirements | 24 |
Business Electives
| Courses | Hours |
| At least two courses from the following list: | 6 |
| ACTG 355—Business Law (3) | |
| ACTG 417—Advanced Financial Accounting (3) | |
| ACTG 446—Federal Income Tax II (3) | |
| ACTG 465—Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting (3) | |
| ACTG 475—Database Accounting Systems (3) | |
| ACTG 484—International Accounting (3) | |
| ACTG 485—Valuation and Analysis (3) | |
| ACTG 494—Special Topics in Accounting (1–4) | |
| Total Hours—Business Electives | 6 |
It is recommended that students who intend to sit for the CPA exam take ACTG 355, 417, and 446. Furthermore, before taking 300-level accounting courses, students should have completed IDS 200 and 270, as well as ECON 120 and ECON 121.
See Sample Business Major Curriculum in the College of Business Administration section.
See Academic Honors in College of Business Administration section.
