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Accounting

Accounting majors study the process of recording and interpreting financial data, as well as examining accounting concepts, procedures, and standards. Accounting and financial ethics are emphasized throughout the major. Best current practices in the field are constantly explored.

The Lewis Accounting curriculum qualifies majors to pursue professional licensing as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). 

For students interested in pursuing an Illinois CPA license, the Illinois Board of Examiners’ (ILBOE) requires a minimum of 150 earned credit hours of academic coursework prior to applying for the CPA exam.   The educational requirements stipulates that 30 semester credit hours must be earned in the specific content coverage in Managerial Accounting, Taxation, Financial Accounting and Auditing.  In addition 3 semester credit hours in Business Ethics and 2 semester credit hours in Business Communication are required.  

For definitive answers to questions about educational and examination requirements for CPA candidates, the Illinois Board of Examiners may be contacted at Phone 815-753-8900 or additional information can be obtained from their website:  http://www.ilboe.org. Anyone interested in obtaining CPA licensing should first contact the board of examiners.

Under this Illinois professional state licensing requirement, Lewis University students majoring in Accounting and who are interested in taking the exam have two pathways to be eligible to sit for the exam:

  1. Students can apply to any of the Graduate School of Management’s Bachelor of Science Business Degrees to Graduate Business Degree 4+1 Programs.  All Graduate Business programs require an minimum of 30 earned credit hours which provides the necessary academic coursework to meet the eligibility requirements for the CPA exam in Illinois.
  2. Students can earn an additional 22 credit hours any time prior to applying for an Accountancy licensing exam in Illinois.

For further information about the Lewis University Accounting/MBA degree option program, see the BS Business Administration to MBA 4+1 Program.