May 17, 2025  
Undergraduate Record 2023-2024 
    
Undergraduate Record 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Accounting Concentration


Return to: McIntire School of Commerce: Degree Programs   


The accounting program is designed to help students understand the role and responsibilities of accounting professionals. Graduates work as business consultants, financial managers, independent auditors, and tax advisers. McIntire’s accounting program is widely recognized as one of the country’s best, and graduates are highly sought. The program builds on the broad liberal arts background acquired during a student’s first two years at the University. It is designed to give the student both a sound general business foundation and the analytical and conceptual skills essential to an understanding of current accounting practices.

Accountants supply quantitative information to various users. Primarily financial in nature, this information is essential to decision making and control. As corporate financial managers, they also participate in financial decisions that allocate scarce resources within and among private and public organizations to achieve both economic and social goals. Equally important, accounting provides information to investors, creditors, government, and society on management’s stewardship and the effective use of an organization’s resources. Independent certified public accountants provide a wide variety of audit, tax, and consulting services to clients.

Admission Requirements


University of Virginia students who have been admitted to the McIntire School of Commerce may apply for, and be accepted to, the McIntire M.S. in Accounting degree program after completing two semesters of study as a Commerce School student. Because this is a competitive admissions process, acceptance to the program is not guaranteed but ultimately hinges on the candidate’s record of accomplishments.

Requirements for admission to the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination (CPA Exam) vary by state. Students planning to sit for the CPA Exam should determine the requirements for admission to the examination by contacting their State Board of Accountancy.

Information on requirements for the Certified Management Accountant certification can be found at: https://www.imanet.org/

Academic Requirements


The basic requirements for the accounting concentration are COMM 3110 and 3120 during the third year and two courses from the list below. Students seeking professional certification (e.g., certified public accountant, certified management accountant, or certified internal auditor) should consider taking all accounting courses offered at McIntire.

Fourth Year


Select an additional 6 credits from the following list:

  • Credits: 3
  • Credits: 3
  • COMM 5110 - Financial Statement Analysis Credits: 3
  • COMM 5130 - Advanced Financial Accounting Credits: 3
  • COMM5140 - Accounting for Decision Making and Control Credits: 3
  • COMM 5160 - Government and Nonprofit Accounting Credits:1.5
  • COMM 5460 - Taxes & Business Strategy Credits: 3
  • COMM 5519 - GCI: Topics in Accounting Credits: 1 to 3
  • COMM 5559 - New Course in Commerce Credits: 1 to 3
  •       Approved Topic: Environmental, Social, and Governance Accounting