Accounting

Take control of your professional and financial future with a solid career in Accounting. You'll master the theoretical and practical skills necessary to pass the CPA, CMA and CIA exams — and be prepared for leadership roles in whichever financial field you choose

Classroom shot of students working

Ensure your professional and financial future

At Simmons University, you'll master the knowledge and skills needed to pass the CPA, CMA, or CIA exams. Our interdisciplinary curriculum means you will develop complementary skills in areas such as finance, business and communication.

Simmons' Accounting program is unique in that it is one of the few programs that enables students - with careful planning - to complete the educational requirements for the CPA license without the need for a Master's degree or additional tuition payments.

As one of the most active financial cities in the country, Boston offers myriad internships and career opportunities. Simmons' internship program offers exceptional benefits and flexibility. You choose from a variety of experience-for-pay internships ranging from a part-time 4-credit internship to a 16-credit, two-semester, full-time intense apprenticeship.

Whether your goal is to establish a private practice, run a large firm, or something in between, our AACSB-accredited program will help you get there. Our graduates find leadership roles in a variety of exciting career paths, including:

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Forensic Accountant
  • Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
  • Comptroller/Controller
  • Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Healthcare Accountant

Prerequisites for Accounting Majors

ECON100 Principles of Microeconomics 4
STAT118 Introductory Statistics 4

Required Core Courses

ACCT110 Financial Accounting 4
ACCT120 Managerial Accounting 4
BUS100 Introduction to Business and Management 4
BUS234 Organizational Communication & Behavior 4
BUS250 Principles of Marketing 4
BUS260 Financial Management 4
BUS325 Operations Management 4
BUS370A Internship and Career Strategies 2
BUS370B Learning From Internship Experience 2

Required Accounting Courses

ACCT200 Intermediate Accounting I 4
ACCT201 Intermediate Accounting II 4
ACCT207 Tax Accounting 4
ACCT301 Accounting Information Systems 4
ACCT308 Auditing and Assurance 4
ACCT325 Accounting and Business Ethics 2
BUS180 Business Law 4
 

Capstone

BUS340 Strategic Management 4

Electives

Suggested elective to strengthen students’ ability to pass the CPA exam:

ACCT220 Business Applications in Excel 2
ACCT371 Accounting Internship II 0
BUS214 International Business 4
BUS270 Business Analytics 4
ECON101 Principles of Macroeconomics 4

Required Courses

ACCT110 Financial Accounting 4
ACCT120 Managerial Accounting 4
ACCT200 Intermediate Accounting I 4
ACCT201 Intermediate Accounting II 4

Electives (select one):

ACCT205 Cost Accounting 4
ACCT301 Accounting Information Systems 4
ACCT308 Auditing and Assurance 4

You'll work with your advisor to tailor a program to your interests and career goals. Simmons offers many options for customizing your studies, including dual majors, accelerated programs and a wide variety of complementary minors.

Simmons also provides flexible options for students to become Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Simmons meets the requirements for students to sit for the CPA exam, which includes a bachelor's degree with at least 21 credits in accounting and nine credits in business. Simmons is also exploring options for students to become licensed CPA's in Massachusetts, which, along with the CPA exam, requires 150 credit hours. These options may include a post-graduate certificate.

Reach out to Ray Pfeiffer, Professor of Accounting if you have any questions.

Students will have access to a broad array of internships ranging from Big Four accounting firms to regional mid-sized firms as well as a variety of corporate, non-profit and health care settings. All Simmons accounting faculty teaching are professionally qualified or doctoral-prepared in the field and have wide experience and contacts in the accounting industry.

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Student Story

I'm an accounting major, and I’m always looking for ways to connect my accounting work to my passion for live music.

Spotlight on Accounting Students and Alums

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Assistant Professor Patrick Sylvain Offers Insights into Crisis in Haiti

After armed groups overran Port-au-Prince, thereby displacing thousands of residents and hindering access to food, Haiti’s government declared a state of emergency on March 4, 2024. According to Sylvain, Haiti must cultivate strong leadership to overcome the current crisis.


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Millicent Gorham ’76 Defends Access to Anti-Obesity Medications

Earlier in March, the Wall Street Journal reported that many American employers are restricting coverage for anti-obesity medications. CEO of the Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention Millicent Gorham, a Simmons alumna, honorary doctorate, and Trustee, published a letter of...


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Congratulations to the 2024 Senior Scholars

The annual Senior Scholar Award is sponsored by the Provost's Office and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. The award recognizes six graduating seniors for their outstanding scholarship and contribution to a field of study.


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Blowing the Horn for Children’s Literature: One Hundred Years of The Horn Book Magazine

In October of 1924, the first issue of The Horn Book magazine appeared. It began as a newsletter from the Bookshop for Boys and Girls, one of the first children’s book shops in the United States, established in 1916 by...


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Celebrating Simmons’ 125th Anniversary

We will offer a variety of ways for our community – students, faculty, staff, alums, and friends – to participate in this historic moment as we honor the many contributions of this institution and the remarkable Simmons trailblazers, visionaries, and leaders who have and continue to shape our University and our world.


Anna Rodriguez

Anna Rodriguez ’23MSW: Bridging Hearts and Minds as a Mental Health Therapist

Anna Rodriguez is a mental health therapist at Cartwheel Care, a behavioral healthcare company that partners with K-12 schools to provide mental health services to children and adolescents.


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Inclusion & Impact: Honoring Change Makers Of Our Time

We are proud that this year marks the 125th anniversary of Simmons University, an institution founded for equality and dedicated to furthering social justice and economic mobility. We are also celebrating 45 years of The Simmons Leadership Conference , an...


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Maya Balling ’24 Competes in Synchronized Skating Championship

Simmons student Maya Balling ’24 recently traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the Synchronized Skating Championship. Along with other New England skaters, Balling belongs to Team Excel (the adult and collegiate divisions), which finished sixth and ninth out of the 12 teams, respectively.