Course description
f you’re thinking about pursuing a major in the Department of Business and Accounting, you're not alone. The department is one of the largest at Furman and, with majors in both accounting and business administration, has a strong record of preparing its graduates for advanced study or careers in business.
As an accounting major, you will study an array of complex issues from the modern business world, but your education will still be grounded in the liberal arts. You can also expand your knowledge through study abroad programs, meetings with visiting business leaders, and internships.
The Major
A carefully designed curriculum which combines classes from the business and accounting, economics, computer science and mathematics departments helps to ensure that accounting majors are receiving a well-integrated, comprehensive education. Accounting majors study financial, managerial, and cost accounting, as well as auditing, federal income taxation, and information systems. This diverse program of study prepares Furman graduates for success, whether they choose to pursue a career as a CPA, go on to graduate study, or seek employment in the private sector.
In keeping with Furman’s commitment to Engaged Learning, the department offers its majors the chance to familiarize themselves with economic trends in other countries through a unique series of study abroad opportunities. In alternate years, the Business and Accounting department sponsors “June in Ireland,” which allowed students to spend three weeks in the Irish Republic and one week in Northern Ireland. Participants make on-site visits to companies, educational institutions and government agencies which allows them to examine issues such as Ireland’s role in the global business arena and possibilities for economic development. Furman faculty from the Business and Accounting departments are available to provide students with further discussion and analysis.
In addition to the Ireland experience, accounting students may participate in the “Fall Term in Europe” programs and in our affiliate program in Northern Italy. Majors are given the opportunity to analyze the economic climate of the European Union through a tour of the continent led by Furman faculty and are offered the possibility of completing a European internship. Students visit institutions such as the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, the European Court and the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg, and the Secretariat of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. Students may also spend the fall term in Paderno del Grappa, Italy at the Consortium Institute for Management and Business Analysis (CIMBA), in a unique opportunity to study international business issues with students from dozens of other schools.
Engagement Through Internships
Majors are encouraged to develop an individualized internship which is approved by a designated faculty sponsor. Students determine objectives for the internship experience, read relevant literature, prepare written assignments, and submit reflective summaries of their internship activities. This intensive and unique prospect provides students with “real-world” work experience even before they obtain their degrees, and employers in the business world have taken notice.
Superior Facilities
As an Accounting major, you’ll have access to all the resources of Furman’s 38,000 square foot Herman N. Hipp Hall. The first building in South Carolina to become LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, Hipp Hall features state-of the art projection systems, as well as DVD and CD-ROM capabilities and internet access in each classroom. The building is also equipped for wireless internet access and the computer lab features software such as Stata and EViews for statistical analysis, various packages for financial and market analysis, as well as Microsoft Office programs. In addition, Hipp Hall also contains a number of team rooms that are used by students for studying and project work.
Looking To Your Future
Most importantly, Furman Accounting graduates are always in high demand in both the public and private sectors. They enter the work force and graduate schools with a highly-valued skill set, due in no small part to the department’s demanding curriculum, focus on engaged business learning, and internship opportunities. Almost all of our accounting majors attend graduate school and most become CPAs.
