More and more, having basic accounting skills can give a job candidate an important advantage when applying for positions in the financial services industry and other business areas.
As a result, the School of Accounting at Florida International University (FIU) has introduced a minor in accounting for upper-level College of Business students, beginning with the Fall 2013 semester.
The accounting minor was frequently requested at a student forum conducted last fall by David R. Klock, then incoming dean at FIU’s College of Business.
“Dean Klock was instrumental in enabling us to move forward with the offering,” said Ruth Ann McEwen, director of the School of Accounting. Additional Accounting faculty members added for the 2013-14 school year will make the new minor possible, she said.
McEwen understands why business students, especially finance students, were asking for the added opportunity.
“A minor in accounting opens up huge career opportunities,” she said. “This curriculum will deliver the basic accounting skills and information that those going into finance and other areas of business should know.”
To be eligible for the minor, College of Business students must have earned 60 credits, and have completed the two introductory accounting courses with a 3.0 or better. To earn the minor, a business student has to take four courses in addition to their two introductory offerings.
“Finance majors need an accounting minor the most,” said McEwen. “An accounting minor will allow them to interview with financial services firms. Those additional 12 credits in accounting will certainly help.”
McEwen to teach Applied Accounting Principles.
As McEwen was finalizing plans for the accounting minor, she saw an opportunity to help launch the program. She will teach Applied Accounting Principals, a financial course she taught for 30 years. Subject matter will include both U.S. GAAP and IFRS rules but geared especially to those minoring, rather than majoring, in accounting.
“I’ve always enjoyed teaching this course, which gives non-majors an overview of why accounting principles are so central to all business fields,” she said.
Other courses in the accounting minor curriculum cover cost accounting, internal auditing and personal taxation.
