Piedmont University to Offer Bachelor of Science in Accounting Beginning in Fall 2022

Piedmont University will offer a new degree program for aspiring accountants beginning in fall 2022.

“We listened closely to what our students needed, and we responded with the Bachelor of Science in Accounting program,” said Dr. J. Kerry Waller, dean of Piedmont’s Walker College of Business.

“We are pleased to offer this degree as a direct, comprehensive path to a successful career in the accounting field.”

Previously, Piedmont offered accounting as a concentration of its Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program. Now, students will be able to earn a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

The new degree program is designed to help students meet all educational requirements to become a Certified Public Accountant.

“We took a close look at the curriculum, and made changes where necessary, to ensure we’re covering all major content areas of the CPA exam,” said Assistant Accounting Professor Savannah Brookshire, who along with Assistant Accounting Professor Jay Long III, led the creation of the new accounting program.

“Piedmont accounting students will be preparing for the CPA exam from their very first day in the program. We’re making every minute count toward their professional preparation.”

To become a licensed CPA, students must have completed 150 college credit hours, including 30 upper-level accounting credit hours. Students in the Bachelor of Science in Accounting program are able to seamlessly transition into the Master of Business Administration program. In doing so, they will earn two degrees in just five years and meet CPA education requirements.

(CPA requirements vary slightly from state to state. Piedmont will assist accounting students in understanding and meeting licensure requirements in their intended state of practice.)

“This is a direct path straight into the workforce,” Waller said. “We’ve created a step-by-step path for aspiring accountants to enter their chosen career.”

Piedmont’s Bachelor of Science in Accounting includes all necessary prerequisites for upper-level coursework, making it an ideal choice even for students who intend to complete their graduate work at another institution.

Another requirement for CPA licensure is that students must complete a certain number of professional working hours. Piedmont maintains close relationships with accounting firms throughout Georgia. Long and Brookshire will work closely with accounting students to understand their interests and aspirations, then direct them to professional opportunities that align with their life goals.

Both Brookshire and Long hold CPA licensure and have numerous years of experience in the field.

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be about 135,000 openings for accounting positions over the next decade.

For more information on Piedmont’s new degree, visit piedmont.edu/accounting.