Accountants are problem solvers and business advisers who often work at the top levels of their companies. If you appreciate challenge and variety in your work, you will find that accounting offers great rewards and options for career mobility.

Why Iowa?

Iowa's Undergraduate Program in Accounting will give you a strong base of Accounting courses but also knowledge of information systems, written and oral communication skills, leadership ability, and teamwork skills. Completion of the program qualifies you to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exams. 

Accounting is one of seven Undergraduate Business Majors offered through the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Program in the Tippie College of Business.

Admission Requirements

Students may be admitted to the Tippie College of Business either through Direct Admission or Standard Admission.

Direct Admission is for first-year students with a 3.60 high school grade-point average (GPA) and an ACT composite score of 26 or higher. Applicants who meet the high school course requirements and either the GPA or test score requirement will be carefully considered for Direct Admission.

Standard Admission is for current Iowa Pre-Business students that meet the established admission criteria, typically after their first year.

In addition to the college's admission requirements, Accounting majors must have a 3.00 Iowa and cumulative GPA and a B- in Financial and Managerial Accounting.

 Information

Major(s)
Accounting
BBA
  Honors Courses
  Four-Year Graduation Plan
  Selective Admission
Admission Process

Careers and Outcomes

Iowa graduates have a 95 percent job/grad school placement rate within six months of graduation. Our Pomerantz Career Center offers multiple resources to help students find internships and jobs. 

Iowa ranks second nationally in the first-time pass rate for the CPA exam with 80.4 percent. The national average is 55 percent. More than 120 firms recruit Accounting students on the Iowa campus every year. 

Student Opportunities

In addition to more than 500 student organizations, Iowa students choose from more than 100 study abroad programs and multiple undergraduate research opportunities

Business students at Iowa are very involved in student activities. There is also a UI chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, a professional accounting fraternity for qualifying Accounting students.

Scholarships

The University of Iowa provides a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students through the Iowa Scholarship Portal. Scholarships are available to first-year, transfer, and currently enrolled students. For additional details on scholarships for your program of study, check directly with the department or college. 

Over 300 scholarships are available to business students, some designed specifically for first-year students.

The Office of Admissions and the Office of Student Financial Aid are great resources for students seeking scholarships. 

Coursework

Once admitted to the Accounting Program, the curriculum includes courses in income measurement, valuation of financial claims, accounting for management analysis and control, business law, taxation, applied information systems, and auditing.

Find Accounting in the UI General Catalog to learn more about courses required for the major, the college's General Education Requirements, and the graduate-level Master of Accountancy (MAc) degree.

Tippie RISE

All Tippie College of Business students must successfully complete at least one experiential learning in the form of Research, Internship, Study Abroad, or an Experiential course (RISE). By completing at least one Tippie RISE experience as part of the undergraduate degree, students will bridge the classroom with the real world and gain a competitive edge in the job market and in admission to graduate school.