Central’s accounting program prepares students professionally for careers in public, private, government and not-for-profit accounting. The college’s accounting graduates are well qualified, as demonstrated by recent success on national standardized professional exams such as the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) programs. Several graduates have received the highest CPA exam scores in the state of Iowa. Students can choose to complete the 150 semester hours required by most states and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) at Central or pursue a graduate degree. Central's accounting department maintains its own website with more information about majoring in accounting at Central.
Abigail Sparks ’12 works as a tax accountant for Hormel Foods, a job she earned after interning there during her Central career.
Junior accounting major Elizabeth Benson leveraged her Central network to find an accounting internship at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center.
For the November Meet the Pros event, alumni who work for the government returned to campus to meet with future professionals in their field—Central students.
Looking for experience? An internship might be the answer. When it comes to future employment or entrance into graduate school, students with internship experience have a proven track record in a professional environment. In today's competitive job market, proven experience is a priceless commodity. In addition to internships sites in Iowa, Central offers internship opportunities in both Chicago, Ill. and Washington, DC.
Past internships include:
Learn more about internships at Central.
Central offers courses that cover all aspects of accounting and prepare students for careers and graduate studies. Central’s course offerings include:
Freshman year
Sophomore year
Junior and/or senior years
Note: Students who plan to take the CPA exam are strongly advised to take the following courses (not required for the major):
Get more details from the course catalog! (Note: this is a PDF file)
The Weller Center for Business and International Studies houses faculty offices and classrooms for the economics, accounting, business management departments and the international education office. The $3.9-million building was completed in 1999 and includes state-of-the-art technologies and a very energy efficient design, including solar panels on the roof. There is a 24-hour computer lab on the main floor and eight high-tech classrooms, two of which contain student computers.
Central’s economics, accounting and business management department maintains its own website with even more information about majoring in accounting.
The Accounting Club provides professional growth opportunities for students interested in the accounting profession and related fields. Club activities throughout the year include presentations from accounting professionals, job search discussions and social events. The EAM Club is open to economics, accounting and management majors.
Accounting majors are encouraged to study abroad and nearly 50% do!! In this global economy, employers want to hire students who have a larger world perspective. Check out Central's eight international programs.
