Finance
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Accounting Major in Pennsylvania
Prepare to become a Certified Public Accountant as you earn your bachelor's degree in accounting; enter the financial, corporate, personal or tax accounting field; or pursue auditing–all within a Christian perspective.
Study Accounting at a Christian University
As a graduate of Messiah's Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in accounting program, you will be in high demand by public accounting firms and national corporations, as well as small businesses. In fact, like more than 70 percent of our graduates, you may even find yourself accepting a job offer early in your senior year.
You will develop competencies essential to creating, auditing and inspecting financial records. You will also learn soft skills necessary for collaborating with others on complex challenges in creating and communicating solutions. Just open your favorite job search board and you'll find a long list of job opportunities for accountants. Nationwide, large corporations, public accounting firms and governments, as well as small businesses and individuals, reflect this demand for trained accountants.
As an accounting major or minor at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:
- Learn in a program that regularly ranks in the top PA programs for parts passed on the CPA exam.
- Study in a program that has been named a “Business College of Distinction” by Colleges of Distinction for 2023-2024.
- Be part of a major that was awarded specialized accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
- Blend the application of technical and soft skills through an Internal Revenue Service-sponsored program (VITA) where you'll prepare tax returns for low-income individuals, the elderly and families within our community.
- Develop competencies essential to creating, auditing and inspecting the financial records of individuals and businesses.
- Take advantage of Messiah’s distinctive simulation curriculum for accounting majors in which you will learn how to successfully devise and communicate.
- Have the opportunity to be mentored by an upper class student and then an accounting alum during your tenure at Messiah.
- Join the Accounting Club and hear from guest speakers and participate in service projects.
- Learn from faculty with a minimum of 10 years in public and private accounting experience.
The "Big Four" and many well-respected regional firms recruit Messiah accounting graduates, and employers consistently report that Messiah University produces highly competent graduates with the integrity, technical and communication skills needed in today's demanding business environment.
As a graduate of the accounting program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:
- Auditor
- Tax accountant
- Consultant
- Financial analyst
- Controller
- Cost accountant
- Positions within merger services
- Positions within criminal justice
For more information on career planning, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Messiah’s nationally recognized internship program helps place students in a variety of accounting internships. A few examples include:
- Accounting firms
- Corporate offices
- Tax preparation
- Nonprofit organizations
- Auditing companies
- Government offices
Accounting major at Messiah University
Programs related to Accounting
In the Accounting program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Course options for Accounting:
Accounting Minor for all other majors
Accounting Minor for Finance majors
Careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of this pogram work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
Where they work
- McKonley & Asbusy
- Ernst & Young
- Deloitte
- Reinsel Kuntz Lesher
- LLP
- Mitchell Emert & Hill
- Petway Mills & Pearson
- Arther F. Bell
- Jr. & Associates
- ParenteBeard
- Gannett Fleming
- Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe
What they do
- Staff accountant
- Audit staff
- Senior accountant
- Audit assistant
- Fraud examiner
- Certified public accountant
- Tax preparer
- Billing support
- Accounts receivable associate
- Credit analyst
Graduate school
- Liberty University
95% of the Class of 2024 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Community tax return preparation
For over two decades, Messiah students have consistently participated in an Internal Revenue Service-sponsored program known as the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) program. Through the VITA program, you'll gain hands-on experience by preparing tax returns free-of-charge for low income individuals, elderly taxpayers, and families within our community. This is a wonderful opportunity to apply academic knowledge and social skills while helping those in need.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.
Accounting-specific scholarships
Because of the accounting program's strong alumni support network, we are thrilled to offer over 10 different scholarship opportunities to incoming and current accounting major students.
Soft skill integration
The Association of International Certified Professional Accounts (AICPA) says, “Accountants are taking an increasingly visible role within their organizations, working on cross-departmental projects ranging from strategic planning to information technology initiatives. In addition, they are presenting data to a number of diverse audiences. As a result, employers look for accounting professionals who not only possess financial expertise but also strong communication skills.”
This major offers a distinctive experiential program that incorporates the teaching of communication into the upper-level accounting course sequence. Evaluated for accuracy, clarity and succinctness in both written and oral forms of communication, you will learn soft skills necessary for working with peers and communicating solutions to executives.
The 150 Hour Accounting Education Requirement
Program accreditation
Messiah's accounting program has specialized accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
ACBSP is the premier accrediting body for colleges and universities that emphasize teaching excellence; 900 institutions around the world are accredited by ACBSP. This accreditation signifies the department’s commitment to a focus on mission and on continuous quality improvement. For students, parents, prospective employers and graduate schools, accreditation demonstrates that Messiah has met rigorous standards in curriculum, strategic planning, leadership, stakeholder focus and measurement of student learning.