Accounting

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The Accounting option is designed to complement the broader-based Business Administration core. Students develop skills to work in organizations and be effective decision-makers with a focus on the accounting aspects of business. Areas stressed within the accounting discipline include recording and reporting of financial data under generally accepted accounting principles, understanding tax law and its effect on business decisions, auditing financial statements using generally accepted auditing principles, understanding accounting information systems, understanding the composition of consolidated financial statements, and gathering and using cost data for planning and control decisions. Electives provide further study in public-sector accounting, taxation, auditing and other areas.

If you wish to pursue a career in public accounting and be eligible to sit for the CPA exam, you are required to have an additional 45 quarter credits (30 semester hours) beyond the undergraduate degree requirement. The Milgard School offers an opportunity to take additional undergraduate and graduate business coursework. Other programs at the university can provide additional non-business learning opportunities.

Accounting prerequisites

UW Tacoma students must meet the following prerequisites to apply for admission:

  • Have a minimum of 60 credits at time of application
  • Have taken at least four (of the eight) business prerequisites
    (All eight prerequisites must be complete prior to beginning the program.)
    • TACCT 210: Financial Accounting I*
    • TACCT 220: Financial Accounting II*
    • TACCT 230: Managerial Accounting*
    • TBGEN 200: Introduction to Statistics in Business or
      TQS 110: Introductory Statistics with Applications
    • TBGEN 218: Business Law
    • TBECON 220: Introduction to Microeconomics (Previously named TFIN 220)
    • TBECON 221: Introduction to Macroeconomics (Previously named TFIN 221)
    • TQS 211: Calculus
  • Have a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA
  • Have a minimum cumulative 2.75 business GPA
  • Submit a Business School Application with personal statement
  • Take the Writing Skills Assessment

* Note: Applicants to the Accounting Option must earn a minimum 3.0 grade in all accounting prerequisites.

Transfer students may check the Transfer Courses Guide for applicable prerequisite courses at local community colleges.

Accounting curriculum

Once accepted into the Business School, accounting students must complete the following courses for graduation.

  • 30 credits of core courses:
    • TBUS 300 Managing Organizations
    • TBUS 301 Quantitative Methods
    • TBUS 310 Effective Managerial Communication
    • TBUS 320 Introduction to Marketing Management
    • TACCT 330 Accounting Information Systems
    • TBUS 350 Business Finance
  • 35 credits from Accounting:
    • TACCT 301 Intermediate Accounting I
    • TACCT 302 Intermediate Accounting II
    • TACCT 303 Intermediate Accounting III
    • TACCT 311 Cost Accounting
    • TACCT 411 Auditing Standards and Principles
    • TACCT 451 Individual Income Taxation
    • TACCT elective (5 credits)
  • TBUS 400 (5 credits) Business Policy and Strategic Management
  • Elective credits to bring total to 180

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