Spring Break
Accounting no longer just an 'option'
College of Business offers new major based on current program
Glenn Semrad
Issue date: 4/6/07 Section: News
Oregon State University students can receive a degree of accountancy from the College of Business for the first time since the college was founded in 1900.
In the past, the College of Business has only offered a degree in business administration with options in accounting, finance, general or international business, management, marketing management, and management information systems.
Starting 2007 spring term, students pursuing an option in accounting can graduate with a bachelor's of science in accounting.
Roger Graham, professor and department chair of accounting, finance, and information management, was instrumental in the conversion of the accounting option into a formal major.
Graham said OSU led the state the last two years in the Certified Public Accounting exam and in the General Business portion of the exam. OSU students placed within the top five among other colleges in the nation.
In the past, students majoring in business administration with an option in accounting were already taking enough accounting credits to achieve a full degree in accounting, but never had that option.
The State of Oregon Board of Accountancy regulates the amount of credits required to earn a degree in accounting.
The change from an option to a major requires no additional faculty or classes, and no additional cost to students.
Graham characterizes the transition as, "changing what we already had into something else with no additional cost."
"We think that it will increase the value of the degree," Graham said.
The College of Business is trying to eliminate any confusion on the part of potential employers who may not recognize an option as a degree.
"An accounting degree is less confusing," Graham said.
The accounting major will only be able to accept about 90 students per year.
This may lead to a more competitive admissions process for students entering the College of Business.
"We cannot serve the number of students who want to be business majors with the funding available," said Carol Brown, an associate professor of accounting at OSU.
"All of this is part of an integrated package to move to a professional school model to offer the highest quality of education to our students," Brown said.
It is a goal for the College of Business to transition all of the options within the business administration major to majors of their own.
Accounting was a logical first step for this change because many students already take all the credits they need to graduate with an accounting degree, Graham said.
"I think it is a good move," said Joy Gibbons, a senior in accounting and president of Beta Alpha Phi, the accounting club on campus.
"Making the formalized major brings more prestige to an already excellent program," Gibbons said.
"We haven't changed anything, we've rebranded it," said James Coakley, associate dean of academic and student services for the College of Business.
In the past, the College of Business has only offered a degree in business administration with options in accounting, finance, general or international business, management, marketing management, and management information systems.
Starting 2007 spring term, students pursuing an option in accounting can graduate with a bachelor's of science in accounting.
Roger Graham, professor and department chair of accounting, finance, and information management, was instrumental in the conversion of the accounting option into a formal major.
Graham said OSU led the state the last two years in the Certified Public Accounting exam and in the General Business portion of the exam. OSU students placed within the top five among other colleges in the nation.
In the past, students majoring in business administration with an option in accounting were already taking enough accounting credits to achieve a full degree in accounting, but never had that option.
The State of Oregon Board of Accountancy regulates the amount of credits required to earn a degree in accounting.
The change from an option to a major requires no additional faculty or classes, and no additional cost to students.
Graham characterizes the transition as, "changing what we already had into something else with no additional cost."
"We think that it will increase the value of the degree," Graham said.
The College of Business is trying to eliminate any confusion on the part of potential employers who may not recognize an option as a degree.
"An accounting degree is less confusing," Graham said.
The accounting major will only be able to accept about 90 students per year.
This may lead to a more competitive admissions process for students entering the College of Business.
"We cannot serve the number of students who want to be business majors with the funding available," said Carol Brown, an associate professor of accounting at OSU.
"All of this is part of an integrated package to move to a professional school model to offer the highest quality of education to our students," Brown said.
It is a goal for the College of Business to transition all of the options within the business administration major to majors of their own.
Accounting was a logical first step for this change because many students already take all the credits they need to graduate with an accounting degree, Graham said.
"I think it is a good move," said Joy Gibbons, a senior in accounting and president of Beta Alpha Phi, the accounting club on campus.
"Making the formalized major brings more prestige to an already excellent program," Gibbons said.
"We haven't changed anything, we've rebranded it," said James Coakley, associate dean of academic and student services for the College of Business.
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Carol Pshigoda
posted 4/06/07 @ 5:07 PM PST
This was well written, concise, and very informative.
Thanks for providing the information.
Carol Pshigoda
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