Bachelor of Science in Accountancy

NIU's Bachelor of Science in Accountancy program provides essential study in accounting to prepare students to enter the profession or graduate study. At the successful completion of the program, graduates not only have a solid accounting foundation but also a broad based general education, and a useable base of business knowledge. Our students develop technical competence, effective problem-solving & communication skills, and ethical accounting professional values.

To learn more about the program's learning goals and objectives click here.

Academic Advisement

All students are strongly urged to contact an academic advisor concerning their course schedules. Basic study accountancy majors (students who have not met the requirements for 300- and 400- level business courses) should work with the College of Business advisors. Accountancy majors enrolled in 300- and 400- level business courses should see the department advisor.

Career Planning & Placement

NIU Accountancy students have several programs designed to aid in their career planning and job placement.

• Accounting Career Planning Seminar (ACCY 370) and Accounting Career Skills Seminar (ACCY 470).
  These one hour courses are required for the Accountancy degree. ACCY 370 is designed to assist students in identifying and developing career goals, job search strategies, and interpersonal skills. Activities include self-assessment and career goal planning, resume writing, mock interviews, role-playing, and information interviews. ACCY 470 studies the interpersonal skills necessary for a successful accounting career. It explores a variety of situations that accounting professional experience in their careers and discusses the necessary skills and appropriate behaviors in those situations.
• Meet the Firm Night
  Companies and firms come to campus in late September/early October to interview students for permanent job placement. The company/firms are seeking students who will graduate by the end of the fall term or the next spring or summer term. In general, students should begin interviewing six to twelve months before graduation.
• Meet the Intern Night
  Companies and firms who select Northern Illinois University Accountancy interns come to campus in November to meet with upper-level accountancy majors about academic internship opportunities. learn more...
• Career Services
  NIU helps its students and alumni identify and secure employment through this center. Available services include counselors to talk about job-related concerns; workshops on resume writing, interviewing and job search strategies; on-campus interviews; part-time and temporary off-campus job listings; weekly job bulletins; and alumni resume referral service. learn more...

Endorsed Internal Auditing Certificate

NIU is a member of The Institute of Internal Auditor's (IIA) Internal Auditing Education Partnership. To receive an IIA Certification of completion, a student must have either a B.S. in Accountancy at NIU or an M.A.S. degree at NIU and complete ACCY 360, ACCY 462, an approved business elective, and an academic internship (ACCY 473) in the internal audit area. An independent study project (ACCY 472) may be substituted for the academic internship with approval.

Professional Certification Examinations

Both undergraduate and graduate Accountancy programs at NIU provide students with the technical skills necessary to pass professional certification examinations. NIU Accountancy graduates have been very successful in passing the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), the Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and the Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Students are strongly encouraged to defer sitting for professional examinations until they have completed the appropriate courses. NIU has review courses to help you successfully complete these important professional examinations. learn more...

On-Campus Recruiting

At least 83 companies have recently recruited accountancy majors on campus including:

• Abbott Laboratories
• Accenture
• Ace Hardware
• Aerotek
• Archer Daniels Midland Company
• AXA Advisors, LLC
• Bansley & Kiener
• BDO USA
• Blackman Kallick LLP
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• BMO Harris Bank
• California Franchise Tax Board
• Career Education Corporation
• Caterpillar
• CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP
• CNA Insurance Companies
• Crowe Horwath LLP
• Deere
• Deloitte
• DiGiovine, Hnilo, Jordan, & Johnson
• Dukane Corporation
• E.C. Ortiz Co, LLP
• Eder, Casella & Co.
• Edward Jones
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Ernst & Young, LLP
• First Investors Corporation
• First Midwest Bank
• Grant Thornton, LLP
• Greenlee/A Textron Company
• H.T. Associates, Inc.
• Hertz Corporation
• Huron Consulting Group, Inc
• Hyatt Regency Chicago
• Illinois Agricultural Auditing Assoc.
• Illinois Department of Insurance
• Invesco
• ITW
• Johnson Lambert & Co.
• Jones Lang LaSalle
• JP Morgan Chase & Co.
• Kemper Corporation
• Kessler Orlean Silver & Co. PC
• Kohl's Department Stores
• KPMG, LLP
• Kraft Foods
• Lawson Products
• MB Financial Bank
• McDonald's Corporation
• McGladrey
• Meaden & Moore
• Medline Industries
• Menards, Inc.
• Midwest Manufacturing
• Miller Cooper & Co., Ltd.
• Motorola
• Mowery & Schoenfeld
• Mueller & Co.
• Navistar
• New York Life Insurance Company
• Northern Trust Company
• Paycom
• Phillips
• Plante & Moran, PLLC
• Porsche Business Services
• Porte Brown LLC
• Proctor & Gamble
• PwC
• Protiviti
• Prudential Financial
• Reznick Group, P.C.
• Ryan & Co
• Sassitti
• Scholle Packaging, Inc.
• Sears Holdings Corporation
• Selden Fox, Ltd.
• Sikich LLP
• Solo Cup
• Standard Bank and Trust
• Steinberg Advisors, Ltd.
• Sullivan & Johnson Ltd.
• Target Stores
• Techtronic Industries Co.
• The McTigue Financial Group
• True Value Company
• U.S. General Accountability Office
• Walgreens
• Warady & Davis, LLP
• Weiss & Company, LLP
• Wells Fargo
• Wipfli
• Wolf & Company, PC
• Zurich North American Insurance