The Department of Accounting and Finance prepares ethically aware decision-makers with effective analytical and qualitative business knowledge and skills to become professionals in their respective fields in the region and beyond. We commit to high quality teaching and applying scholarship to professional practice, pedagogy, and theory to enhance the professional accounting and finance fields. The department offers the Master of Accountancy degree and two undergraduate majors within the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree: accounting and finance. The department also offers a Certificate in Accounting Information Systems.
The undergraduate accounting program is committed to preparing students to apply accounting and business knowledge in organizations. Students develop competence in a broad range of accounting practices. The curriculum strives to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are prepared to enter professional positions in accounting with business, nonprofit, or government organizations. Accounting programs in the School of Business Administration hold separate AACSB International accreditation.
See the School of Business Administration section of the catalog for additional credit restrictions and residency requirements.
| Required | Credits |
|---|---|
| ACTG 203 Accounting Lab (may be taken with lower core) | 1 |
| ACTG 305 (ACCT 311) Corporate Reporting I | 3 |
| ACTG 306 (ACCT 312) Corporate Reporting II | 3 |
| ACTG 321 (ACCT 310) Accounting Information Systems I | 3 |
| ACTG 401 (ACCT 431) Principles of Federal Taxation-Individuals | 3 |
| ACTG 410 (ACCT 421) Cost Management Accounting I | 3 |
| ACTG 411 (ACCT 441) Auditing I | 3 |
| ACTG 425 State and Local Government Accounting I | 2 |
Plus three (3) credits from the following (NOTE: no more than 3 credits from this list can apply to the 120 credits for the degree): |
|
| ACTG 307 (ACCT 313) Corporate Reporting III* | 2 |
| ACTG 420 (ACCT 422) Cost Management Accounting II | 3 |
| ACTG 426 Accounting for Nonprofit Organizations* | 1 |
| ACTG 432 (ACCT 432) Income Tax Practicum | 1 |
| ACTG 498 (ACCT 498) Accounting Internship | 1-3 |
Note: Students should select, in consultation with their faculty advisor, the accounting courses from the above list that best fit their individual career goals. Some courses (*) are required as prerequisites to M-Acct. coursework, are recommended for CPA exam coverage, or have grade requirements in the prerequisite course (see the course descriptions). Many of these courses may be taught once a year–see advisor for the schedule each academic year.
Certification
Students are required to obtain additional credit hours in accounting and other courses to become licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Montana. The State of Montana (and most other states) requires 150 credit hours to become a licensed CPA, with certain parameters applied to the types of courses required. Students can continue their education in the Master of Accountancy program to meet this credit requirement and/or pursue a variety of other professional certifications.
Master of Accountancy
The Master of Accountancy (M-Acct.) program provides breadth and depth in accounting, taxation, and business to develop a high level understanding, skill and leadership capability for advancement in the accounting profession and other related business careers. This program has achieved national recognition due to the outstanding performance of graduates on the uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examinations and excellent job placement rates. Graduates hold positions in some of the most prestigious accounting firms in the world. Students interested in pursuing the M-Acct. degree must complete the business foundation (see School of Business Administration section of the catalog), and the following undergraduate accounting foundation courses with a C or better: ACTG 203, 305, 306, 307, 321, 401, 410, 411, 425, and 426. Graduate course requirements and additional information on the M-Acct. program can be found at: http://macct.business.umt.edu.
Credit Restrictions
Students completing the requirements for the undergraduate accounting major listed below (120 credits) must take 90 of the 120 credits required for their degree in courses outside of accounting. Accounting majors must complete all required 400-level ACTG courses at the University of Montana – Missoula (ACTG 401, 410, 411, and 425).
See the School of Business Administration section of the catalog for additional credit restrictions.
UG Certificate Programs
The Department offers an undergraduate Certificate in Accounting Information Systems. The requirements to various certificates at the undergraduate level are listed under the general School of Business Administration's Certificates.
The finance curriculum is designed to equip students with a comprehensive foundation in financial management, financial markets and investments. Students will gain competence in making effective decisions, performing complex analyses, providing expert financial advice and utilizing current technology tools and data sources.
All students must complete a faculty approved plan of study during the first semester of their junior year. The plan of study is available from a finance faculty advisor and must be completed and signed by the faculty advisor. Failure to implement and adhere to a program of study may delay graduation. Some courses have grade requirements in the prerequisite course (see the catalog course descriptions). Many of these courses may be taught once a year-see advisor for the schedule each academic year.
| Required | Credits |
|---|---|
| BFIN 420 (FIN 420) Investments | 3 |
| BFIN 424 (FIN 424) Markets, Investments, & Fin Engineering | 3 |
| BFIN 429 (FIN 429) Financial Management I Theory and Analysis | 3 |
| BFIN 439 (FIN 439) Financial Management II Analysis and Problems | 3 |
| BFIN 450 (FIN 450) Banking | 3 |
| M 162 (MATH 150) Applied Calculus (instead of M 115 (MATH 117) in the lower core) | 4 |
| Plus one (1) of the following courses*: | |
| ACTG 305 (ACCT 311) Corporate Reporting I (including coreq: ACTG 203, 1cr) | 4 |
| ACTG 410 (ACCT 421) Cost Management Accounting I | 3 |
| BFIN 301 (FIN 301) Analysis of Financial Statements | 3 |
| ECNS 301 (ECON 311) Intermediate Microeconomics with Calculus | 3 |
| ECNS 302 (ECON 313) Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECNS 403 (ECON 460) Introduction to Econometrics | 3 |
| 2 Additional Courses: | |
| Finance majors must take two (2) additional courses at the 300- or 400-level from a list of courses selected in consultation with their faculty advisor and incorporated into their program of study. Details are available from advisors. | |
*Any substitution must be approved by the advisor and the department chair. Other finance courses may be offered that may be substituted when appropriate.
The Department does not offer independent study credit for any course already offered for credit. Finance majors must complete all required 400-level BFIN courses at the University of Montana – Missoula. (BFIN 420, 424, 429, 439, and 450 (FIN 420, 424, 429, 439 and 450)). See the School of Business Administration section of the catalog for additional credit restrictions and residency requirements.