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Washington State University
Carson College of Business Accounting Department

Accounting

"Accounting is the language of business." – Warren Buffett

Remembering Dr. Jason Porter

The WSU Carson College of Business’s esteemed faculty member Dr. Jason Porter passed away unexpectedly on August 23, 2023.

The Jason Porter Memorial Fund is being established to honor his legacy as a teacher, mentor, scholarly author, and award-winning associate professor of accounting at the Carson College.

Thank you for thinking of Jason and helping us create a legacy of his important work and the many friendships he nurtured at WSU and across the accounting profession.

Give in Honor of Jason


Accounting is…

…the art of recording, classifying, and summarizing in a significant manner and in terms of money, transactions and events which are, in part at least, of financial character, and interpreting the results thereof. — AICPA

…the system of recording and summarizing business and financial transactions and analyzing, verifying, and reporting the results. — Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Not only does the Carson College of Business hold accreditation from the AACSB but the Accounting department also holds supplemental accounting accreditation, one of approximately 185 accounting programs around the globe.

Bachelor of Arts in
Business Administration
– Accounting Major

Curriculum

The required course work to obtain an accounting degree includes general business classes along with a well-rounded foundation in accounting including audit, taxation and accounting systems. Many of the classes are taken sequentially as they build on each other so it is helpful to meet with an academic advisor as soon as possible to plan coursework.
 
Accounting Graduation Requirements

Scholarships

The Carson College has a number of general and major-specific scholarships available to undergraduate students. Read how a scholarship can make an impact on your education.
 

Carson College Scholarships

Internships

The majority of accounting firms and many of the large businesses and government agencies who hire WSU students offer summer and winter internships. Due to Pullman’s location, most students choose to participate in summer internships, however, spring internships are possible by supplementing with online courses. This option requires early planning with the assistance of an advisor. Recruiting typically starts in the student’s junior year though students are encouraged to start networking as soon as they know they want to pursue accounting as a major. The accounting department and Beta Alpha Psi (international honor organization for accounting, finance and MIS majors) offer two major recruiting events each year. Summer Leadership/Early Internship is held in February and Meet the Firms is in September.

Dedicated Accounting Career Advisor

WSU is fortunate to be one of the few universities in the US to have a dedicated accounting career advisor. Our advisor assists students with career exploration, resume and cover letter preparation, networking, mock interviews, introductions to recruiters and more.

Marla Meyer Head Shot

Marla Meyer
Accounting Relation Manager
m.meyer@wsu.edu
509-335-6974

Faculty & Teaching

Dr. Bernard Wong-On-Wing
Department Chair

Courses taught by Accounting Department Faculty

Acctg 220 Introductory Accounting for Non-Business Majors: Richard Barnes
Acctg 230 Intro to Financial Accounting: Richard Barnes & Nori Pearson
Acctg 231 Intro to Managerial Accounting: Susan Gill, Chase Potter, & Ryan Sommerfeldt
Acctg 298 Introduction to Financial and Managerial Accounting – Honors: Nori Pearson
Acctg 330 Intermediate Accounting I: Jacob Jaggi & Richard Barnes
Acctg 331 Intermediate Accounting II: Susan Gill & Jeffrey Gramlich
Acctg 335 Taxation of Business Entities and Individuals: Richard Toolson
Acctg 338 Cost Accounting: Beau Barnes
Acctg 430 Advanced Accounting: Susan Gill
Acctg 433 Accounting Systems and Auditing: Seung Kyo Ahn
Acctg 435 Individual Income Taxes: Richard Toolson
Acctg 439 Auditing: Kat Harris
Acctg 498 Accounting Internship: Susan Gill
 

Contact Accounting Faculty

Learn About CCB Research in Accounting

CPA Requirements – State of Washington

Many students want to be prepared to sit for the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam. Passing this exam is one of the steps needed to become a Certified Public Accountant. In Washington state, as with most states, the education requirements for taking the CPA exam include 150 semester hours of college credit (30 credits beyond the requirements for a bachelor’s degree) to sit for the exam.

The additional 30 credits can be earned a variety of ways in Washington, including taking additional undergraduate courses or earning a masters’ degree. Other states’ requirements vary, so students should plan a course of study early on with an academic (or accounting career) advisor.

CPA Resources

Visit the following sites for information about the CPA exam.

Contact the Department

Department of Accounting
Todd Hall 242
PO Box 644729
Washington State University
Pullman, WA USA 99164-4729

cb.accounting@wsu.edu
509-335-8541
Fax: 509-335-4275

Office hours: 
M–F, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., and 1:00–5:00 p.m.
 

Get Involved!

Accounting in the News

Anonymous $1.5 million gift to lift WSU’s Department of Accounting

Career preparation for WSU accounting students focus of $3.5 million gift

Beau Barnes named one of Provost’s Featured Faculty for 2020-2021

Chase Potter: Empowering Students’ Business Acumen

Family of Former Nike Executive Donates $3 Million to Support Accounting Scholarships

Randy and Sue Fenich: Using Corporate Matching Gifts to Benefit Accounting Students

Student Engagement

Join Beta Alpha Psi

A national scholastic and professional organization for future financial information professionals, Washington State University’s Delta Epsilon chapter is one of the 238 chapters in the nation. For questions, please contact the faculty advisor:
Richard Barnes, at richard.s.barnes@wsu.edu.

Events

Meet the Firms – Fall: (held the first Friday after Labor Day) Get to know representatives from accounting firms in an open forum. You can gather information and talk informally with industry professionals.

BAP Case Competition (held in the fall in September or October on a non-football game weekend) If you are an accounting, finance, or information system major, Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) invites you to participate in its annual case competition. Working in teams of three or four students, participants analyze a new case, focused on a unique aspect of financial decision making. Based on their analysis, students present formal recommendations to a team of professional judges. The competition provides the opportunity for students to develop networking, critical thinking, oral presentation, teamwork and technical skills, plus a chance to win prize money. This competition is for juniors and above in accounting and other majors who have taken or are taking ACCTG 330.

Meet the Firms – Spring: (held in February) A spring recruiting event primarily for juniors who still have two years left complete before being CPA eligible with 150 semester credits. This event is primarily for those students who want to work for a CPA firm. Students will meet professionals to help identify which firms they would like to apply with for an internship the year following their senior year. If students perform well during their internships, they may receive a full time job offer as many students do.

Banquet: (held in April) The BAP Spring Banquet is the student’s opportunity to showcase their achievements through the past year, to celebrate graduating students and to announce the Accounting Department Scholarships for the following school year.

WA State Tax Forum (August 8-9, 2024) The Washington Department of Revenue and the Washington State University Hoops Tax Institute will host a day and a half forum for state and local tax professionals and state tax administrators. Learn More

Mentorship Programs

BAP has its own award winning mentorship program with accounting professionals. Please contact the department for more information.

About Accounting Careers

Career Possibilities

Jobs for accountants are projected to grow faster than the national average over the next five years.

Actuarial AccountingAdvisory/ConsultingAuditing
Financial AccountingFinancial AnalysisForensic Auditing
Government AccountingInternal AuditingManagerial Accounting
Risk AdvisingTax Accounting

Average accountant salary in Washington – $60,451

ziprecruiter.com

Starting salaries range from $46,000 to $80,000 based on WSU student surveys. These figures do not include additional bonuses that may be paid.

Note that a job in Western Washington will pay more than the same job for the same company in eastern and central Washington due to cost-of-living variances.

Examples of Who Hires WSU Accounting Majors

Alaska AirlinesAmazonBader MartinBank of America
BDOBoeingBrighton JonesCBIZ Berntson Porter
Clark NuberCliftonLarsonAllen (CLA)CostcoEide Bailly
Grant ThorntonMoss AdamsRSMSchweitzer Engineering
Sweeney Conrad StarbucksWashington State Auditor’s Office Weyerhaeuser