Bachelor’s in Accounting Degree Programs in Illinois (M-Z)
Enrolling in one of the top bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois is a good way to start your accounting career off on the right foot. These programs are open to students with an interest in accounting, economics and other areas of finance. Once you graduate, you can enroll in a graduate program and sit for the certified public accountant exam in Illinois, which lets you earn your CPA license. Illinois programs provide students with opportunities in the form of clubs filled with other accounting majors and internships working for some of the top firms in the state.
For the first part of our list, see: Bachelor’s in Accounting Degree Programs in Illinois (A-L)
McKendree University
School of Business
As you search for bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois, you’ll probably come across McKendree University, which is a smaller college that maintains a low ratio of teachers to students. You’ll work with some of the same professors you did as a freshmen later in the program. Available through its School of Business, McKendree created a four-year plan that all students will follow. Though you’ll have the option to take different electives, you will take the same required courses each year. One unique aspect of this program is that it combines elements of both education and accounting, which helps you train and teach your own clients.
Featured Programs
Accounting Degree
To get your accounting degree in a standard four years, you can expect to take between four and five classes each semester. You must take 70 credit hours of accounting, business and similar classes and 21 credits of minor classes. The university requires that you maintain a grade point average of 2.25 to graduate with your accounting degree. Students must also take a class on accounting research and theory before taking a business strategy and policy capstone course. This course requires that you do your own research and complete a paper or project based on that research.
Accreditation
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
Contact
701 College Rd.
Lebanon, IL 62254
(800) 232-7228
Millikin University
Tabor School of Business
Located in Decatur, Millikin University is a top choice for students with an interest in business or accounting because it’s home to the Tabor School of Business, which ranks as one of the top business schools in the state. Students enrolled in any of the programs offered by this school must do a high level of research. The university believes that this gives students more practical knowledge and a better understanding of how the business world operates. The university can help you find an internship in Decatur and will work with you to give you credit based on work that you do in another city.
Accounting
The Millikin University accounting program prepares students for working in different fields, including the nonprofit sector, education and government. All students must take at least 30 credits of accounting courses, complete some electives and finish all general education courses. The university offers a class on volunteer tax assistance, which allows students to work in a clinic on a volunteer basis and help locals file their taxes. Millikin also offers a five-year option, which makes it one of the top bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois for students who want to earn a master’s degree and take the CPA exam.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Contact
1184 W. Main St.
Decatur, IL 62522
(800) 373-7733
Northern Illinois University
Department of Accountancy
Northern Illinois University offers opportunities for accounting students that you might not find in other bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois. Those opportunities include an exclusive job fair that the university holds each year that is only open to accounting majors. Top firms from across the state and from other states recruit employees through this fair. The university also allows students to earn a certificate in internal auditing before they finish a bachelor’s degree. NIU prides itself on having full-time faculty on hand to teach all accounting classes at the 300 and 400 levels too.
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
Before you can enroll in any of the 300 or 400 level courses that you need to take to complete your degree, NIU requires that you maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and that you earn a B grade or higher in two accounting foundation courses. If you have a lower GPA, you can take an exam to prove that you have the knowledge necessary for remaining in the program. You’ll need to take 120 credits to graduate, but the university only lets you take a total of 38 credits of accounting classes like financial reporting and intermediate cost management.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
1425 W. Lincoln Hwy.
DeKalb, IL 60115
(815) 753-1000
univinfo@niu.edu
Robert Morris University – Illinois
School of Business Administration
No matter what are of accounting you hope to work in one day, you can get the solid start that you need with the accounting program offered by the School of Business Administration through Robert Morris University – Illinois. This program can prepare you for doing internal auditing, working in management roles, working in the private sector or working for the government. Robert Morris offers two dual degree programs also. These programs let you earn a business or accounting undergrad degree and then transition to the university’s MBA program. You can get your bachelor’s in accounting and an MBA in five years.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
One of the best bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois might be this Robert Morris program because it requires that you take classes on business subjects like marketing and management in addition to your accounting classes. You’ll take 52 credits to complete the accounting concentration, which includes classes on intermediate accounting, contemporary legal issues, individual taxation and corporate taxation. The university also requires that you take two classes on auditing before doing an internship. Robert Morris is one of the only colleges that requires students to take classes on career development and counseling before they graduate.
Accreditation
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
Contact
401 S. State St.
Chicago, IL 60605
(800) 762-5960
enroll@robertmorris.edu
Rockford University
PURI School of Business
Rockford University understands that accountants need more than just some knowledge of financial topics, which is why it requires that accounting students also take classes on economics, business and finance. Those classes are all available through its PURI School of Business. The program includes classes on global business as well, which helps students understand the impact that accounting and economics has on people around the world. Rockford University is a little unique because it offers two different accounting programs. You can enroll in one designed to help you pass the CPA exam or a second for students who do not want to take that exam.
Accounting
When choosing between the two bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois that Rockford University offers, you need to think about your career goals and what you hope to do with your degree. The CPA route is best for those who plan on attending graduate school and sitting for that exam later. If you do not want your CPA license, you can enroll in the second program. Rockford offers both a BA and a BS in accounting. The BS program requires that you take more research and science classes than the BA program does.
Accreditation
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
Contact
5050 East State Street
Rockford IL 61108
(815) 226-4000
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University has its own Accounting Club that is open to students majoring in accounting. This club hosts regular meetings that allow students to discuss new software and changes in the field, get advice on picking an internship or looking for a summer job and meet with other accounting majors. Roosevelt offers a standard graduate accounting program and a graduate program in forensic accounting. You can apply for a spot in one of these graduate programs during your final year as an undergrad. Roosevelt accepts many of its own undergrads to these programs because it knows its students have the skills for success.
Bachelor’s in Accounting (BSBA)
The BSBA accounting program that Roosevelt offers is one of the best bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois for students in the Chicago area. Though some colleges require that you start your studies at the beginning of the year, Roosevelt will let you enroll in the fall, spring or summer semester. The university does not require that students pick a minor but does recommend that accounting majors minor in finance, marketing, management or another area of business. You can take accounting electives in addition to your required classes like nonprofit taxation, internal auditing and intermediate accounting.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Contact
430 S Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 341-3500
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
College of Business
Southern Illinois University Carbondale also goes by the name of Southern Illinois University because it is the flagship campus in the SIU school system, which also operates regional campuses and smaller satellite campuses in other parts of the state. Its accounting program prepares students for the CPA exam. Once you finish your four undergrad years, you can enroll in the university’s graduate program and earn a master’s degree with a concentration in either auditing or taxation in one extra year of study. SIUC assigns you an adviser as a freshmen who will help you meet all the steps needed to earn your accounting degree.
Accounting, B.S.
Like other bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois, this program requires that you take some general education courses and that you take some electives, but SIUC does not require that you declare a minor. You must take nine required accounting courses that include advanced cost accounting, intermediate accounting, auditing and accounting systems operations. The university requires that you take at least one course on a specialized field of accounting, but you can do an internship in lieu of taking that class. You will need to take prerequisite courses and get at least a C in some of those courses too.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
1263 Lincoln Dr.
Carbondale, IL 62901
(618) 453-2121
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
College of Business
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville is one branch of SIU in the state. Though this campus is smaller than the flagship campus, it offers a similar accounting program that gives students the same opportunities they would get on that larger campus. You may find that you prefer the smaller class sizes, and many students like that they do not face as much competition on the SIUE campus. Its Department of Accountancy, which is a branch of its College of Business, can help students search for jobs in their senior years, find and secure internships and write their resumes.
Accounting (BSA)
SIUE will not let you graduate with an accounting degree unless you maintain a GPA of 2.25 in all the business classes that you took and a 2.5 in all the accounting classes you took. You will also need to complete some type of senior assignment, which is similar to a thesis or final research project. The university requires that you get a grade of C or higher in certain classes too, including classes on macroeconomics, math and financial accounting. SIUE offers a variety of accounting classes for undergrads like accounting theory and practice and accounting systems.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
1 Hairpin Dr.
Edwardsville, IL 62025
(618) 650-5555
Trinity Christian College
Business
If you want to enroll in an undergrad accounting program that caters to your religious beliefs and teaches you how to use your beliefs in the real world, you should enroll in the program offered by Trinity Christian College. This small college has partnerships with some of the top firms in Chicago and in other parts of Illinois. Not only do those firms hire some of its graduating students every year, but those firms also offer internships for current students. TCC has its own business network in place that can help students find jobs and internships in specialized accounting fields.
B.S. in Accounting
Trinity Christian College has a business department that offers degrees in business, finance, accounting and similar subjects. When you choose TCC for college, you’ll have the chance to take classes from all those departments when working on your accounting degree. As one of the top bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois, its program can prepare you for working as a tax accountant who caters to individuals or corporations, but you can also use your degree to do financial consulting or internal auditing. You’ll take classes on taxes, financial accounting, statement analysis and cost accounting in this program.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Contact
6601 W. College Drive
Palos Heights, IL 60463
(708) 597-3000
University of Illinois at Chicago
Undergraduate Programs
The University of Illinois at Chicago wants incoming students to feel confident about choosing its accounting program, which is why the university hosts special events annually. It hosts multiple open houses that let students sit in on accounting classes, meet with professors and chat with other students. Other events are open to prospective transfer students who currently attend another college. Though you will need to submit an application to the university by the end of January, you have until the beginning of May to make your decision and inform the university whether you will start classes in the fall semester.
BS in Accounting
Many students choose the University of Illinois at Chicago accounting program out of all the other bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois because of the unique minor options. You can minor in business analytics and learn how to make major decisions in the business world. The university offers a minor in managerial skills for future accountants who want to lead others. This program requires that you take 45 credits of general education courses, 45 credits of business classes, six credits of electives and 24 credits of accounting classes that include cost accounting, federal income tax and accounting information systems.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
601 S. Morgan St.
11th Floor
Chicago, IL 60607
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
College of Business at Illinois
It’s almost impossible to look at the top bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois without looking at the BS program offered by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Better known as just U of I, this is the flagship campus in the system and one of the largest colleges in Illinois. U.S. News & World Report ranked the U of I business school as one of the best in the United States. The university offers a number of resources for students like a tutoring center that lets them get help in their courses and with any upcoming tests or papers.
Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
U of I only requires that you take seven accounting classes that are worth 21 credits, but you’ll also need to complete the basic courses required for graduation. Those courses include general education classes on math and science as well as electives. Required accounting courses include measurement and disclosure, decision making for accountants, principles of taxation, accounting control systems and either advanced income tax problems or advanced financial reporting. U of I also requires that you do an accounting internship. Your supervisor will report back to your adviser on your progress during the semester to ensure that you deserve credit for the work you do.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
360 Wohlers Hall
1206 South Sixth St
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-0857
accy@illinois.edu
University of St. Francis
Graduates from the University of St. Francis program now work as public accountants, for government agencies, in the nonprofit sector and for major corporations. Like other bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois, this program requires that you take some business classes because the university wants to ensure that you have a strong understand of business ethics and laws. If you decide to double major in business and accounting, you’ll only need to take 10 more classes. The university also has a five-year program that lets you finish an undergrad and graduate accounting degree in five full years.
Accounting Degree
Even if you don’t want to earn a dual degree, you will still like the University of St. Francis program because it lets you gain real income tax experience. All students can volunteer to work for VITA, which is a program designed to help those who fall below certain income levels get help filing their taxes. The volunteer work that you do will look good on your resume. The University of St. Francis can help you reach the minimum number of credits needed to sit for the CPA exam through summer classes and other programs instead of going to graduate school.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Contact
500 Wilcox St.
Joliet, IL 60435
(800) 735-7500
Western Illinois University
Accounting & Finance
As an accounting major at Western Illinois University, you’ll find plenty of programs and organizations that you can join. The university has an honor society open to finance majors and those studying similar subjects that takes regular trips together and several clubs that let you gain more management and practical experience. One of those clubs is the Society of Accountancy, which is responsible for putting on the low-income tax clinic each year. This clinic allows students to work with real clients who need tax help and get experience filing taxes for those clients.
Accounting
One of the only bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois with a study abroad option is the one offered by Western Illinois University. You will need to maintain a high GPA and take some required classes before applying to this program, but the university offers students the chance to study abroad in several areas each year. Though you can enroll in a five-year program to earn your bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the same time, you can also enroll in the university’s traditional accounting program. It features classes on taxation, financial accounting and fraud. You can also do an accounting internship or an independent study project.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
Stipes Hall 431 / 1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
(309) 298-1152
accountancy@wiu.edu
As an accountant, you can work with individual clients or with major corporations and companies. You’ll help your clients keep track of their finances and file their taxes. Enrolling in one of the top bachelor’s in accounting degree programs in Illinois helps you gain the experience and knowledge needed to work in this field.