Accounting is the field of study that focuses on developing and providing financial information about businesses for internal and external decision-makers and other stakeholders in various organizations. This could include information about the cost of products manufactured, services provided, or about governmental and not-for-profit organizations. At the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, the accounting program is designed to provide students with a depth of knowledge in accounting and business. UW - Eau Claire's Accounting and Finance Department offers a comprehensive major and a minor in accounting.
What will I learn from studying Accounting?
Knowledge:
At UW – Eau Claire, an accounting major’s knowledge draws on the basic principles of financial, managerial, and cost accounting. In addition to these areas, they also obtain an understanding of other areas of accounting such as government, not-for-profit, and auditing. Accounting majors also learn to interpret primary financial statements.
Skills:
- Mathematical skills
- Ability to accurately analyze, compare, and interpret facts and figures
- Oral and written communication skills
- Communication
- Use computers and software packages to increase work efficiencies
What are some of the interests and values related to Accounting?
- Working with numbers
- Organization
- Categorizing tasks
- Leading or influencing either an individual’s or organization’s fiscal decisions
What are related student and professional organizations?
Student:
- Student Accounting Society
- Beta Upsilon Sigma
- Student Accounting Society Scholarship Investment Corporation (SASSIC)
- Financial Management Association
Professional:
- American Accounting Association
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Institute of Management Accountants
- American Society of Women Accountants
- Institute of Internal Auditors
What career fields are related to an Accounting Degree?
Potential Employers:
Accounting graduates can use their education in a variety of fields. In many cases, their positions closely relate to their personal career interests, work values, and transferable skills. A large portion of accounting majors work as wage and salary employees in private, for-profit businesses and corporations. In addition to this, accounting majors work in diverse sectors including education, government/ military, and not-for-profit agencies. Some accounting majors also establish their own accounting practices or begin working for public accounting firms with other certified public accountants.
Potential Job Titles:
- Actuary
- Assistant Controller
- Auditor
- Bank Examiner
- Entry-level Accountant
- Claims Adjuster
- Commercial Banker
- Consumer Credit Officer
- Cost Accountant
- Certified Public Accountant
- Industrial Accountant
- Governmental Accountant
- Personal Financial Planner
- Professor
- Stockbroker
What are some entry-level jobs held by UW – Eau Claire Accounting graduates?
- Staff Accountant, Suby, Von Haden & Associates, Madison, WI
- Financial Business Analyst, Hydrite Chemical Company, Cottage Grove, MN
- Auditor, Ernst and Young
- Staff Accountant, Wipfli, Ullrich, Bertelson, Eau Claire, WI
- Staff Accountant, Boulay Heutmaker Zibell, Edina, MN
How can I learn more about Accounting?
Department
- Contact someone in UW – Eau Claire’s Dept. of Accounting and Finance
- Schneider Social Science 400B, 836-2184
Career Services:
- Meet with a career counselor
- Take interest inventories and self assessment tests
- Ask An Alum & Friends, a database of UW – Eau Claire Alumni & Friends available for informational interviewing
Career Discovery Center:
- Career for Number Crunchers & Other Quantitative Types, Rebecca Burnett
- Careers in Finance, Trudy Ring
- Careers For Financial Mavens & Other Money Movers, Marjorie Eberts and Margaret Gisler
- Opportunities in Accounting Careers, Martin Rosenberg
- Great Jobs for Business Majors, Stephen Lambert
- Careers in Accounting, Gloria L. Gaylord & Glenda E. Ried
Internet:
- Finance and Accounting Career Information
- AICPA Accounting Career information
- Careers in Accounting
- Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Career Bank
What are some opportunities for experiential learning in Accounting?
Internship
Internships are a way to gain hands-on experience in a position that interests you as a potential career. To find an internship in Accounting that suites your interests, visit Career Services (Schofield 230) and speak with a Career Associate about the many available internships. Contact your advisor or the Accounting and Finance department chair about enrolling in ACCT 495 to obtain academic credit for your internship.
Directed Studies or Independent Study Class
By participating in an Independent or Directed Studies course, students will be able to research an area that they find particularly interesting. Contact your advisor about enrolling in ACCT 499.