Accounting

Take control of your professional and financial future with a solid career in Accounting. You'll master the theoretical and practical skills necessary to pass the CPA, CMA and CIA exams — and be prepared for leadership roles in whichever financial field you choose

Classroom shot of students working

Ensure your professional and financial future

At Simmons University, you'll master the knowledge and skills needed to pass the CPA, CMA, or CIA exams. Our interdisciplinary curriculum means you will develop complementary skills in areas such as finance, business and communication.

Simmons' Accounting program is unique in that it is one of the few programs that enables students - with careful planning - to complete the educational requirements for the CPA license without the need for a Master's degree or additional tuition payments.

As one of the most active financial cities in the country, Boston offers myriad internships and career opportunities. Simmons' internship program offers exceptional benefits and flexibility. You choose from a variety of experience-for-pay internships ranging from a part-time 4-credit internship to a 16-credit, two-semester, full-time intense apprenticeship.

Whether your goal is to establish a private practice, run a large firm, or something in between, our AACSB-accredited program will help you get there. Our graduates find leadership roles in a variety of exciting career paths, including:

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Forensic Accountant
  • Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
  • Comptroller/Controller
  • Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Healthcare Accountant

Prerequisites for Accounting Majors

ECON100 Principles of Microeconomics 4
STAT118 Introductory Statistics 4

Required Core Courses

ACCT110 Financial Accounting 4
ACCT120 Managerial Accounting 4
BUS100 Introduction to Business and Management 4
BUS234 Organizational Communication & Behavior 4
BUS250 Principles of Marketing 4
BUS260 Financial Management 4
BUS325 Operations Management 4
BUS370A Internship and Career Strategies 2
BUS370B Learning From Internship Experience 2

Required Accounting Courses

ACCT200 Intermediate Accounting I 4
ACCT201 Intermediate Accounting II 4
ACCT207 Tax Accounting 4
ACCT301 Accounting Information Systems 4
ACCT308 Auditing and Assurance 4
ACCT325 Accounting and Business Ethics 2
BUS180 Business Law 4
 

Capstone

BUS340 Strategic Management 4

Electives

Suggested elective to strengthen students’ ability to pass the CPA exam:

ACCT220 Business Applications in Excel 2
ACCT371 Accounting Internship II 0
BUS214 International Business 4
BUS270 Business Analytics 4
ECON101 Principles of Macroeconomics 4

Required Courses

ACCT110 Financial Accounting 4
ACCT120 Managerial Accounting 4
ACCT200 Intermediate Accounting I 4
ACCT201 Intermediate Accounting II 4

Electives (select one):

ACCT205 Cost Accounting 4
ACCT301 Accounting Information Systems 4
ACCT308 Auditing and Assurance 4

You'll work with your advisor to tailor a program to your interests and career goals. Simmons offers many options for customizing your studies, including dual majors, accelerated programs and a wide variety of complementary minors.

Simmons also provides flexible options for students to become Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Simmons meets the requirements for students to sit for the CPA exam, which includes a bachelor's degree with at least 21 credits in accounting and nine credits in business. Simmons is also exploring options for students to become licensed CPA's in Massachusetts, which, along with the CPA exam, requires 150 credit hours. These options may include a post-graduate certificate.

Reach out to Ray Pfeiffer, Professor of Accounting if you have any questions.

Students will have access to a broad array of internships ranging from Big Four accounting firms to regional mid-sized firms as well as a variety of corporate, non-profit and health care settings. All Simmons accounting faculty teaching are professionally qualified or doctoral-prepared in the field and have wide experience and contacts in the accounting industry.

Headshot of Katherine Reidl

Student Story

I'm an accounting major, and I’m always looking for ways to connect my accounting work to my passion for live music.

Spotlight on Accounting Students and Alums

Misty Neader ’25MWS and Devin Ryan ’21

A Mother Follows Her Child’s Footsteps to a Simmons Education

During high school, Devin Ryan ’21 toured Simmons with their mother, Misty Neader. Ryan, who was assigned female at birth and identifies as nonbinary, was drawn to Simmons as a women-centered institution. “I wanted to go where my voice could...


Gracyn Delaune ’24 poses with the coastline of Ireland in the background

A Multidisciplinary Education: Irish Immersion, State House Internship, and Reproductive Health Research

Sociology major Gracyn Delaune ’24 reflects on her time abroad, impactful internships and research opportunities, her favorite professors and what it is like to attend school in Boston.


Professor of Social Work Johnnie Hamilton-Mason

Professor Hamilton-Mason honored by Haymarket People’s Fund

The Haymarket People's Fund has described Professor Johnnie Hamilton-Mason as “an interdisciplinary researcher” and honored her for her work in support of the Fund.


Tessa Culhane ’24

Writing Speculative Fiction and Leading from Within

An interview with Tessa Culhane ’24 What are the most impactful things you have done over the last four years? In the last four years, I graduated from Cape Cod Community College with my Associate’s in Business Administration, and will...


A student sits on a bench outside a building on the Simmons University campus

Honoring National Nurses Week

National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2024, offers a time to reflect with respect and gratitude on the work of nurses. In recognition of the week, here is a round-up of recent stories on the School of Nursing at Simmons.


Professor Sheldon George, Professor Homi K. Bhabha, and Assistant Professor Patrick Sylvain

Professor Homi K. Bhabha Delivers 2024 Robert M. Gay Memorial Lecture

Professor Homi K. Bhabha, the Anne F. Rothenberg Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, was this year’s featured speaker for the Robert M. Gay Memorial Lecture. In his conversation with Simmons faculty and students, Bhabha emphasized the importance of dialogue with people from different backgrounds and points of view on their terms.


Professor Christine Evans, Alia Al-Suwaidi '24MSEd, and CEO of MRC-NECC Dr. Pamela Olsen, courtesy of MRC-NECC.

Lead Therapist of Special Education Teaches with her Heart

Alia Al-Suwaidi ’24MSEd is determined to ensure that all children — regardless of their disability — can learn and thrive effectively. She is a member of the first international cohort of Simmons students at the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Special Education, operated by the New England Center for Children, and the winner of the inaugural Dr. D. Daniel Gould Award for Global Excellence in Special Education Teaching.


The Cupola

Simmons School of Nursing Advocates for the Nursing Profession in the Nation’s Capital

School of Nursing Dean Heather Shlosser and Nursing Student Amanda Whitbeck attended Capitol Hill Day, where they advocated for crucial funding and support with several congressional offices, including those of Representative Ayanna Pressley, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, and Representative Seth Moulton.