VSB’s accounting programs are designed to prepare students for careers with accounting firms, corporations (public and private), governmental organizations, and other professional groups. A major in Accounting provides a solid foundation for almost any business career and experience that is highly valued in the marketplace. A major in accounting also provides students with the tools necessary to understand business, communicate with executives, and handle demanding tasks. With over 90 percent of all accounting majors employed by graduation, VSB students are wellpositioned and prepared to secure a rewarding career opportunity upon graduation.
Since practically every non-accounting job requires accounting skills, a minor in Accounting will supplement almost any business degree. Popular matches are with Finance and Information Systems, as these jobs use and rely on accounting information or accounting systems as an integral part of day-to-day tasks.
Major Requirements
In addition to the core curriculum and business curriculum, each student must take courses specific to their declared major. These requirements are listed below.
Required Courses
Two of the following elective courses:
Minor Requirements
Required Courses
Plus two of the following:
Student Societies and Extracurricular Activities
Students who study accounting can participate in the Villanova Accounting Society, Beta Alphia Psi, and the accounting special interest group of the Multicultural Business Society.
Internships/Coops
In the spring semester of junior year, accounting students may participate in a formal full-time internship with a select group of firms that participate in VSB’s annual spring accounting internship program. Students earn elective credits for their internship experience and then have an opportunity to complete 12 credits the following summer. The internship program is a challenging and rewarding experience, and often leads to full-time employment with the internship firm.
Students also participate in summer internships, externships, and CoOp programs. CoOp opportunities include the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Forensic Accounting/Economic Crimes CoOp and the Johnson & Johnson Finance/Accounting CoOp. Many students who participate in these opportunities are also offered full-time employment.
Type of Job Opportunities
The professional job market for students with accounting degrees is very strong. While accounting majors often find jobs in auditing and taxation, there also are many opportunities in the fields of corporate finance, consulting, mergers and acquisitions, systems planning, forensic accounting, and government agencies - including the FBI and the IRS. Many VSB students have an initial assignment as an auditor and then leverage this experience to obtain a job in corporate finance, on Wall Street, or in internal auditing. In addition, many corporate finance and internal auditing positions are filled by candidates with accounting backgrounds. Many accounting firms also have opportunities for international assignments.
Companies
The following is a selection of companies that have hired accounting students for full-time and internship positions:
- Bank of America Merril Lynch
- BDO Seidman
- Citigroup, Inc.
- Credit Suisse Group
- Deloitte
- Ernst & Young
- Grant Thornton, LLP
- Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.
- JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- KPMG
- PriceWaterhouseCoopers
- The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
