Academic Catalog

Accounting - BS

Accounting professionals play a key role as decision-makers in all organizations. They are relied on for their critical thinking, communication, and technical skills. Accounting is a versatile major and allows the graduate to work in a variety of roles. Common career paths include public accounting, internal audit, financial analysis, management accounting, and income tax accounting. Accounting is also a basic preparation for fraud and forensic accountants, consultants, and work in not-for-profit organizations. 

The accounting major will prepare you for these many career options. Students will study financial and managerial accounting, intermediate accounting, auditing, tax accounting, auditing, finance, and business law. As part of the business core, accounting students will also study leadership, management, business analysis, and global business. Students will develop a well-rounded business education. 

Accounting is one of the best majors in terms of career options, high compensation, quick career advancement, and career placement after graduation. For students who can think critically, communicate effectively, and develop the ability to analyze and interpret financial information, a career in accounting may be a good fit. 

Public accounting emphasizes auditing, consulting and tax functions, while management accounting emphasizes cost accounting, budgeting, financial statement preparation and analysis and internal auditing.  Government accountants can work at any level of government to analyze and oversee the performance and allocation of funds. Internal auditing emphasizes compliance with organizational policies, accounting controls, accounting systems and operating effectiveness and efficiency. Accountants are also in demand for nonprofit organizations that need specialized expertise in finance, accounting, and policies unique to them as well as financial statement preparation.

Opportunity for advancement is one of the most appealing aspects of professional accounting. Public accountants frequently advance to positions with more responsibility within one or two years. Those who excel may become supervisors, managers or partners; may open their own public accounting, tax or consulting firms; may transfer to executive positions in management accounting; or may become internal auditors in private firms. Management accountants may advance to positions such as accounting manager, chief cost accountant, budget director or manager of internal auditing. Some become controllers, treasurers, financial vice presidents, chief financial officers or corporation presidents. Many senior corporate executives have a background in accounting, internal auditing or finance.

At St. Kate's, students have the opportunity to learn, work and study with accounting faculty who have real-world experience that enriches their theoretical expertise. St. Kate's accounting major offers hands-on experience, internship options, and small classes of 14-20 students. Accounting graduates have secured jobs in their field upon graduation, at leading firms such as PwC, KPMG, Deloitte, 3M, Ecolab, General Mills, and CliftonLarsonAllen.

Each state is responsible for establishing Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure rules and eligibility requirements for taking the CPA exam. With a major in accounting from St. Kate's students will meet Minnesota State Board of Accountancy requirements and will be eligible to sit for the CPA exam. Upon passing the CPA exam students apply for certification. To become certified students must have earned 150 credit hours in undergraduate or graduate course work. In the state of Minnesota individuals have three years upon CPA exam completion to earn the additional 20 credits. To meet this requirement, students can complete an additional 20 credits in undergraduate or graduate courses at St. Kate's.

Common Aspects of All Business Majors

St. Kate’s offers a values-based business education built upon a foundation of liberal arts and guided by the following mission: Grounded in Catholic social teaching, the Department of Business Administration at St. Catherine University delivers a transformative business education, empowering students to develop performance-ready expertise, adaptability, and confidence to become ethical and effective leaders in their chosen field. 

In the classroom, students work to successfully master business fundamentals and gain an appreciation for the interrelated nature of business functions—tools necessary for navigating a global, competitive business environment. By conducting online research and preparing computer-based presentations, students learn to incorporate technology into solutions for business problems and become prepared for careers in worldwide, decentralized organizations. Examples of this type of essential, highly-relevant coursework are collected in each student’s business portfolio, serving as a showcase of academic accomplishments required for graduation.

St. Kate’s business majors benefit from abundant resources as they move through the program towards their career goals. Exceptional instructors, both full-time professors and practicing professionals with a broad range of experience, provide a balanced theoretical and applied business curriculum. Outstanding women role models and accomplished executives participate on-campus as guest speakers, mentors, and recruiters.  Many of them are St. Kate's alumnae and employees of the 60+ companies attending St. Kate's annual on-campus job fair—the largest of any Minnesota private college or university.

St. Kate’s business administration department, part of the School of Business, offers a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science in one of the following fields:

Majors*:

  • Accounting
  • Business Administration
  • Business Management
  • Healthcare Management
  • Marketing and Digital Strategy

Minors*:

  • Accounting

  • Business Administration
  • Business Analytics
  • Finance

  • Healthcare Sales
  • Integrated Marketing Communications and Design
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Marketing

Certificates*:

  • Accounting - Post-baccalaureate Certificate

*See individual descriptions or the Programs of Study section of this catalog for information about which college offers the program (the College for Women or the College for Adults).

See also:  Business Administration, Business Management, Healthcare Management

This major is offered in the College for Women and the College for Adults.

Curriculum

ACCT 2110Financial Accounting4
ACCT 2130Managerial Accounting4
ACCT 3110Intermediate Accounting I4
ACCT 3120Intermediate Accounting II4
ACCT 3150Income Tax4
ACCT 3202Business Finance2
ACCT 3212Advanced Finance2
ACCT 4120Cost Accounting4
ACCT 4130WAuditing4
BUSI 2012Business Analytics2
BUSI 3502Global Business2
BUSI 3642The Legal Environment of Business2
BUSI 3652Business Law - Contracts2
BUSI 4800Business Portfolio0
Upper division accounting course4
Total Credits44
Required Supporting Courses (minimum grade of C- required)
LEAD 2202Leadership and Influence2
MGMT 2402Principles of Management2
MKTG 2302Introduction to Marketing2
Select one of the following:4
ECON 1080
Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences
ECON 1090
Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
PSYC 1090
Statistical Methods in Psychology
STAT 1089
Statistical Analysis with Corequisite
STAT 1090
Statistical Analysis
ECON 2610Principles of Microeconomics4
ECON 2620Principles of Macroeconomics4
Total Credits18

Business Portfolio

All majors are required to complete a business portfolio. The portfolio is the vehicle that enables students to integrate the life skills and knowledge they bring with them and the knowledge, skills and values learned within the courses and field experiences throughout the program. This portfolio allows students to validate their experiences at St. Catherine University.

The portfolio is cumulative in nature; most aspects are completed as part of course work. Students must present the portfolio to their advisor no later than the week of September 15-22 for December graduation or the week of February 15-22 for May graduation.

For specific portfolio (BUSI 4800 Business Portfolio) requirements, please refer to the Professional Portfolio Handbook.

Accounting majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing ACCT 4130W Auditing. They complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other writing-intensive courses (CORE 1000W The Reflective Woman, CORE 3990W Global Search for Justice, and any other writing-intensive course in the Business Administration Department or another department).

This program of study is available in a completely online format and applies to students who begin the major courses in the fall semester.

Fall Term
LEAD 2202Leadership and Influence2
MGMT 2402Principles of Management2
Spring Term
BUSI 2012Business Analytics 12
MKTG 2302Introduction to Marketing2
BUSI 3502Global Business2
Select one from:4
STAT 1090
Statistical Analysis
PSYC 1090
Statistical Methods in Psychology
ECON 1090
Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
HLTH 1090
Biostatistics
Fall Term
ACCT 2110Financial Accounting4
LEAD 3400Leadership, Effective Teams, and Change Management4
Spring Term
ACCT 2130Managerial Accounting4
ECON 2610Principles of Microeconomics4
MKTG 4300Strategic Marketing4
Fall Term
ACCT 3202Business Finance2
BUSI 3642The Legal Environment of Business2
BUSI 3652Business Law - Contracts2
ECON 2620Principles of Macroeconomics4
Spring Term
BUSI 4800Business Portfolio0
MGMT 4490WStrategic Management4
Total Credits48
1

Taken during J-term

This program of study is available in a completely online format and applies to students who begin the major courses in the spring semester. 

Spring Term
LEAD 2202Leadership and Influence2
MGMT 2402Principles of Management2
Fall Term
ACCT 2110Financial Accounting4
LEAD 3400Leadership, Effective Teams, and Change Management4
Spring Term
ACCT 2130Managerial Accounting4
BUSI 2012Business Analytics 12
BUSI 3502Global Business2
MKTG 2302Introduction to Marketing2
Fall Term
Statistics course4
ACCT 3202Business Finance2
Spring Term
ECON 2610Principles of Microeconomics4
MKTG 4300Strategic Marketing4
MGMT 4490WStrategic Management4
Fall Term
BUSI 3642The Legal Environment of Business2
BUSI 3652Business Law - Contracts2
ECON 2620Principles of Macroeconomics4
BUSI 4800Business Portfolio0
Total Credits48
1

Taken during J-Term

This program of study is available in a completely online format and applies to students who begin the major courses in the summer semester. 

Summer Term
LEAD 2202Leadership and Influence2
MGMT 2402Principles of Management2
Fall Term
ACCT 2110Financial Accounting4
LEAD 3400Leadership, Effective Teams, and Change Management4
Spring Term
ACCT 2130Managerial Accounting4
BUSI 2012Business Analytics 12
BUSI 3502Global Business2
MKTG 2302Introduction to Marketing2
Fall Term
ACCT 3202Business Finance2
Statistics course4
Spring Term
ECON 2610Principles of Microeconomics4
MKTG 4300Strategic Marketing4
MGMT 4490WStrategic Management4
Fall Term
BUSI 3642The Legal Environment of Business2
BUSI 3642The Legal Environment of Business2
ECON 2620Principles of Macroeconomics4
BUSI 4800Business Portfolio0
Total Credits48
Fall Term
ACCT 2110Financial Accounting4
LEAD 2202Leadership and Influence2
MGMT 2402Principles of Management2
Spring Term
ACCT 2130Managerial Accounting4
BUSI 2012Business Analytics 12
BUSI 3502Global Business2
MKTG 2302Introduction to Marketing2
Fall Term
ACCT 3202Business Finance2
ACCT 3212Advanced Finance2
ACCT 3110Intermediate Accounting I4
Spring Term
ACCT 3120Intermediate Accounting II4
ACCT 4120Cost Accounting4
3000-4000 level ACCT course4
Statistics course4
Fall Term
ACCT 3150Income Tax4
ACCT 4130WAuditing4
ECON 2610Principles of Microeconomics4
Spring Term
ECON 2620Principles of Macroeconomics4
Fall Term
BUSI 3642The Legal Environment of Business2
BUSI 3652Business Law - Contracts2
Spring Term
BUSI 4800Business Portfolio0
Total Credits62