Accounting

Prepare for a successful accounting career through Stark State College’s comprehensive degrees and certificates. 

Accounting offers a wide range of career paths, including public (auditing and tax), governmental, industrial/cost, nonprofit and corporate accounting.

As an accounting student at Stark State, you can take the path that fits your strengths and interests. Choose from 13 degrees and certificates that match your career goals, whether you want a strong foundation in general accounting theory or decide to specialize in public (CPA) or corporate accounting. 

You also have several options after graduation. Enter the workforce right away, or transfer your associate degree to a bachelor’s degree program and possibly on to graduate school. Graduates are eligible to take Ohio’s Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination.* 

*A bachelor’s degree is required to take the CPA exam, with 30 hours of accounting and 24 hours of business courses. Once the candidate has completed two years of work experience (or one year of work experience if they have a master’s degree), they can be licensed.

Accounting majors and certificates

Program learning outcomes

• Prepare and analyze the various types of financial information essential for internal and external recordkeeping, reporting and decision making.
• Interpret and apply laws and regulations for the purpose of various types of business tax reporting, compliance and planning.
• Apply appropriate mathematical concepts, such as time value of money, to business decisions.
• Identify and implement sound internal accounting controls to ensure safeguarding of an entity’s assets, preparation and reporting of reliable financial information, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Prepare and analyze the various types of financial information essential for internal and external recordkeeping, reporting and decision making.

Businesses require all prospective employees to have good communication skills, both written and oral, and to interact with co-workers and clients in a professional manner. Employers expect their workers to have strong computational skills, to be computer literate, and to be able to think critically. All students completing a program at Stark State will be introduced to and provided practice in these basic competencies, which they are expected to master.

Accounting programs flow chart

This flow chart illustrates how stackable certificates can be earned along the way and directly apply toward an associate degree in applied business in accounting.