Accounting Control Systems

Career potential

A major in accounting control systems at the University of North Texas will prepare you for numerous corporate and government careers that require a strong background in business and accounting, but not the expertise of a certified public accountant.

As a graduate of this program, you might work:

• as a budget administrator, helping prepare annual budgets and monitoring the operating budget
• a financial aid officer at a college or university.
• in a bank as a loan officer, a branch manager or a trust officer
• for the FBI or other crime-fighting agency

Studying accounting control systems also will prepare you to enter a company's management training program or to open your own business. You will need a master's degree in accounting to qualify for most specialized public and government accounting jobs. However, with a bachelor's degree in accounting control systems, you can become a certified internal auditor or a certified management accountant. Internal auditors review financial records and reports to help agencies and businesses function economically. Management accountants are employed by private corporations and businesses and perform a variety of accounting and finance functions.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can assist you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

Majoring in accounting control systems

As an accounting control systems student, you will study assets and investments, auditing, budgeting, computerized and manual accounting systems, the flow of transactions, gross profit analysis, principles and concepts underlying financial statements, and taxation.

You also will complete courses in business communication, business computer information systems, business law and policy, economics, finance, management, marketing and statistics. In many of the courses, you will use computer programs to study accounting. The College of Business Administration has three computer labs, with 200 terminals, open 100 hours a week.

During your senior year in the program, you may choose to switch to UNT's combined bachelor's and master's program in accounting. The BS/MS degree will prepare you for a career as a certified public accountant or other more specialized accounting career.

Accounting faculty members are dedicated teachers. Two faculty members have been named Regents Professors for outstanding teaching and research. Regents Professors devote at least half of their teaching load to introductory-level courses. Two faculty members have received the President's Council University Teaching Award.

Accounting faculty members are also regularly named “Top Profs” by Mortar Board, a senior honor society.

The Accounting Scholarship Committee awards many scholarships and excellence recognition awards on the basis of academic excellence, merit, professionalism and need. Many of the scholarships are funded by major accounting firms. To be eligible for a Department of Accounting Scholarship and Academic Excellence Recognition Award, you must be a declared accounting or accounting control systems major enrolled in 12 credit hours (9 hours if you are a graduate student).

Several student organizations are open to accounting students. Beta Alpha Psi is a national accounting honor society. Only colleges that are members of AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) may host chapters. For several years, the UNT chapter has been recognized as one of the nation's best. The national organization presents chapters that receive superior status with a $1,000 scholarship each semester for the most active and outstanding pledge. UNT also has a chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants. These organizations will provide you numerous opportunities to gain direct contact with professionals in accounting.

Getting hands-on experience

Upon completion of 12 semester hours at UNT with at least a 2.5 GPA, you may work in a job related to your major through UNT's Cooperative Education and Internships office. Co-op employers pay extremely well, and the jobs usually last several semesters, often until graduation.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Charting your path with academic advising

A staff advisor in the College of Business Administration Advising Office will help you each semester select courses you will need to earn your degree. Your professors also can give you career advice. The advising office is in the Business Administration Building, Room 123.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.