Department of Management, Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics

By combining the conceptual and quantitative elements of accounting while promoting the integration of theory and practice, the accounting major provides graduates with the academic requirements for the postgraduate pursuit of a Professional Accounting designation. Students will develop the technical, analytical, evaluative and communication skills needed for a successful career in accounting and related management areas.

The program provides a strong foundation of accounting and general business knowledge while allowing significant opportunity to develop breadth and depth of knowledge in related areas of study.

Students pursuing a professional accounting designation should visit the Department of Management website for links to the requirements.

Elective options enable students to select courses which support or complement their primary field of study. 

The Co-op program in Accounting is designed to facilitate the transition of students from academic studies to a professional career by enhancing the integration of theory and practice. 

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Bachelor of Commerce program, graduates will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to think critically by identifying, evaluating and integrating relevant information from a variety of sources to solve complex business problems
• Demonstrate an ability to work effectively in teams, through the application of appropriate knowledge and skills such as responsible decision-making and personal accountability
• Identify and professionally respond to team issues and develop a new approach to enhance team performance
• Discuss and apply principles of corporate social responsibility to business issues and operations. 
• Communicate effectively in a business context through written documents to a variety of audiences
• Communicate effectively in a business context through oral communication to a variety of audiences
• Demonstrate competency and understanding of core business knowledge and concepts.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the ability to integrate knowledge and understanding within specific majors through analysis and recommendation of solutions to ‘major specific’ business problems and business decision-making.  

Accounting major graduates will also be able to:

• Technical knowledge: Demonstrate technical knowledge in the areas of financial accounting; strategy and governance; management accounting; audit and assurance; finance and taxation.
• Analysis: Demonstrate the ability to prioritize and analyze issues in situations of moderate complexity. 
• Evaluation: Apply technical knowledge and draw logical conclusions for issues in situations of moderate complexity.
• Professional Ethics:  Identify and address situations with ethical complexities. 

​

Minor Learning Outcomes

• Upon completion of the Minor in Accounting students will be able to:
• Technical knowledge. Demonstrate technical knowledge in the areas of financial accounting; strategy and governance; management accounting; audit and assurance; finance and taxation.
• Analysis. Demonstrate the ability to prioritize and analyze accounting issues in situations of moderate complexity. 
• Evaluation:  Apply technical accounting knowledge and draw logical conclusions for issues in situations of moderate complexity.
• Professionalism and ethics: Identify and address situations with ethical complexities. 

​

The Certificate in Accounting is designed to be beneficial to those who are not enrolled in a Business program but wish to gain specific accounting knowledge. It provides participants with opportunities to develop financial accounting, management accounting, financial management, taxation, and audit skills.  Participants may customize their learning through their choice of restricted electives by either focusing on one particular subject area or selecting from different subject areas for more breadth. The Certificate in Accounting is available to both undergraduate students and open learners, with the exception of those students enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce, Minor in Accounting, or Minor in Business.

Certificate Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Certificate in Accounting students will be able to:

• Technical knowledge. Demonstrate introductory technical knowledge in the areas of financial accounting; management accounting; financial management.
• Analysis. Demonstrate the ability to prioritize and analyze accounting issues in situations of low to moderate complexity. 
• Evaluation:  Apply technical accounting knowledge and draw logical conclusions for issues in situations of low to moderate complexity.

Major Requirements (Honours)

This is a major within the degree: Bachelor of Commerce. 

Credit Summary

(20.00 Total Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Core Courses		13.00
Restricted Electives (see semester 7 & 8)		1.00
MGMT*1100	Business Career Preparation	0.00
Liberal Education Electives		1.50
Free Electives		4.50
Total Credits		20

Recommended Program Sequence

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Semester 1
ACCT*1220	Introductory Financial Accounting	0.50
ECON*1050	Introductory Microeconomics	0.50
MATH*1030	Business Mathematics	0.50
MGMT*1000	Introduction to Business	1.00
Semester 2
ACCT*1240	Applied Financial Accounting	0.50
ECON*1100	Introductory Macroeconomics	0.50
HROB*2090	Individuals and Groups in Organizations	0.50
MCS*1000	Introductory Marketing	0.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Semester 3
ACCT*2230	Management Accounting	0.50
MCS*2020	Information Management	0.50
MGMT*1100	Business Career Preparation	0.00
STAT*2060	Statistics for Business Decisions	0.50
1.00 electives		1.00
Semester 4
ACCT*3330	Intermediate Financial Accounting I	0.50
FIN*2000	Introduction to Finance	0.50
MCS*3040	Business and Consumer Law	0.50
MGMT*3320	Financial Management	0.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Semester 5
ACCT*3280	Auditing I	0.50
ACCT*3340	Intermediate Financial Accounting II	0.50
ACCT*3350	Taxation	0.50
HROB*2290	Human Resources Management	0.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Semester 6
ACCT*3230	Intermediate Management Accounting	0.50
FARE*3310	Operations Management	0.50
MGMT*3020	Corporate Social Responsibility	0.50
1.00 electives		1.00
Semester 7 - Fall
ACCT*4220	Advanced Financial Accounting	0.50
Semester 8 - Winter
ACCT*4230	Advanced Management Accounting	0.50
Semester 7 or 8 - Fall or Winter
MGMT*4000	Strategic Management 1	0.50
2.50 electives		2.50
Select 1.00 credits from the following:
ACCT*4270	Auditing II 2	0.50
ACCT*4290	IT Auditing and Data Analytics 3	0.50
ACCT*4340	Accounting Theory 3	0.50
ACCT*4350	Income Taxation II 2	0.50
ACCT*4440	Integrated Cases in Accounting 3	0.50

¹

Students may take in either Fall or Winter.

²

Offered in the Fall only.

³

Offered in the Winter only.

Co-op Requirements (Honours)

This is a major within the degree: Bachelor of Commerce. 

The Co-op program in Accounting is a five year program including four work terms. Students must follow the academic work schedule as outlined below (also found on the Co-operative Education website: https://www.recruitguelph.ca/cecs/). 

Accounting Academic and Co-op Work Term Schedule

Co-op Information

Year	Fall	Winter	Summer
1	Academic Semester 1	Academic Semester 2 COOP*1100	Off
2	Academic Semester 3	COOP*1000 Work Term I	Academic Semester 4
3	Academic Semester 5	COOP*2000 Work Term II	Academic Semester 6
4	COOP*3000 Work Term III	COOP*4000 Work Term IV	Off
5	Academic Semester 7	Academic Semester 8	N/A

Please refer to the Co-operative Education program policy with respect to work term performance grading, work term report grading and program completion requirements.

For additional program information students should consult with their Co-op Co-ordinator and Co-op Faculty Advisor, listed on the Co-operative Education web site.

Credit Summary

(22.00 Total Credits)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Core Courses		13.00
Restricted Electives (see semester 7 & 8)		1.00
Liberal Education Electives		1.50
Free Electives		4.50
Co-op Work Terms		2.00
Total Credits		22

Recommended Program Sequence

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Semester 1 - Fall
ACCT*1220	Introductory Financial Accounting	0.50
ECON*1050	Introductory Microeconomics	0.50
MATH*1030	Business Mathematics	0.50
MGMT*1000	Introduction to Business	1.00
Semester 2 - Winter
ACCT*1240	Applied Financial Accounting	0.50
COOP*1100	Introduction to Co-operative Education	0.00
ECON*1100	Introductory Macroeconomics	0.50
HROB*2090	Individuals and Groups in Organizations	0.50
1.00 electives		1.00
Summer Semester
No academic semester or work term
Semester 3 - Fall
ACCT*2230	Management Accounting	0.50
ACCT*3330	Intermediate Financial Accounting I	0.50
MCS*1000	Introductory Marketing	0.50
STAT*2060	Statistics for Business Decisions	0.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Winter Semester
COOP*1000	Co-op Work Term I	0.50
Semester 4 - Summer
ACCT*3280	Auditing I	0.50
ACCT*3340	Intermediate Financial Accounting II	0.50
ACCT*3350	Taxation	0.50
MCS*2020	Information Management	0.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Semester 5 - Fall
FARE*3310	Operations Management	0.50
FIN*2000	Introduction to Finance	0.50
HROB*2290	Human Resources Management	0.50
1.00 electives		1.00
Winter Semester
COOP*2000	Co-op Work Term II	0.50
Semester 6 - Summer
ACCT*3230	Intermediate Management Accounting	0.50
MCS*3040	Business and Consumer Law	0.50
MGMT*3020	Corporate Social Responsibility	0.50
MGMT*3320	Financial Management	0.50
0.50 electives		0.50
Fall Semester
COOP*3000	Co-op Work Term III	0.50
Winter Semester
COOP*4000	Co-op Work Term IV	0.50
Summer Semester
No academic semester or work term
Semester 7 - Fall
ACCT*4220	Advanced Financial Accounting	0.50
Semester 8 - Winter
ACCT*4230	Advanced Management Accounting	0.50
Semester 7 or 8 - Fall or Winter
MGMT*4000	Strategic Management 1	0.50
2.50 electives		2.50
Select 1.00 credits from the following:
ACCT*4270	Auditing II 2	0.50
ACCT*4290	IT Auditing and Data Analytics 3	0.50
ACCT*4340	Accounting Theory 3	0.50
ACCT*4350	Income Taxation II 2	0.50
ACCT*4440	Integrated Cases in Accounting 3	0.50

¹

Students may take in either Fall or Winter.

²

Offered in the Fall only.

³

Offered in the Winter only.

Minor Requirements (Honours)

This minor cannot be combined with a major in Accounting.

The Minor in Accounting focuses on developing the broad set of knowledge and skills expected of accounting professionals. The courses are unique, varied and relevant to students who are interested in pursuing careers in public accounting, management accounting, consulting, management, or other related fields.

In addition to the general overview, students develop the following five competency areas:

• Financial Reporting
• Management Accounting
• Audit and Assurance
• Finance
• Taxation

The courses in the Minor in Accounting satisfy the majority of the core course requirements for the CPA prerequisite course requirements

A minimum of 5.00 credits is required, including:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
ACCT*1220	Introductory Financial Accounting	0.50
ACCT*2230	Management Accounting	0.50
ACCT*3230	Intermediate Management Accounting	0.50
ACCT*3280	Auditing I	0.50
ACCT*3330	Intermediate Financial Accounting I	0.50
ACCT*3340	Intermediate Financial Accounting II	0.50
ACCT*3350	Taxation	0.50
ACCT*4220	Advanced Financial Accounting	0.50
ACCT*4230	Advanced Management Accounting	0.50
MGMT*3320	Financial Management	0.50

Certificate Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
ACCT*1220	Introductory Financial Accounting	0.50
ACCT*2230	Management Accounting	0.50
ACCT*3330	Intermediate Financial Accounting I	0.50
MGMT*3320	Financial Management	0.50
Restricted Electives
Select 0.50 credits from the following:
ACCT*1240	Applied Financial Accounting	0.50
ACCT*3230	Intermediate Management Accounting	0.50
ACCT*3280	Auditing I	0.50
ACCT*3340	Intermediate Financial Accounting II	0.50
ACCT*3350	Taxation	0.50
MGMT*3140	Business Analytics	0.50

For more information about this Certificate, please visit the Open Learning and Educational Support website: Certificate in Accounting - UofG OpenEd (uoguelph.ca)