Public Accounting Major

The public accounting major was designed for students interested in practicing public accounting or desiring the Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.) designation in private industry or the not-for-profit sector. This major fulfills the 150 semester hour requirement of the Iowa Board of Accountancy and other state boards adopting the 150-hour requirement. Coe offers full-time students a 60% discount on tuition if a fifth year of coursework is needed to complete the requirements.

The public accounting major requires ten accounting courses: two principles, two intermediate, two auditing, one each in managerial accounting and tax accounting, and two of three courses in advanced tax accounting, advanced accounting, or fund accounting & advanced topics. The major also requires two economics courses, one course in either advanced management topics or strategic management, and one each in statistics, business law, entrepreneurship, and computer applications.

There is substantial overlap between the managerial accounting major and the public accounting major so that students can readily switch between the two degrees as their career interests change. Succeeding in an accounting career requires a broad understanding of the business environment. The Department recommends that accounting majors double major in Business Administration.