Accounting, B.S.

The accounting major offered by Saint Louis University's Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business will help you develop strong technical and professional accounting skills, including communication, problem-solving and analytical skills.

Accounting is the language of business decision-making and is a primary means of organizational communication. The accountant’s role has changed substantially over the past decade. Today, accountants are actively involved in analyzing and interpreting financial data and work with other executives in decision-making and problem-solving activities.

Through my involvement in SLU's accounting program, I have built meaningful relationships both personally and professionally with my peers and professors. I am incredibly grateful for the education I received both inside and outside of the classroom, and I can confidently say my time at SLU has fully prepared me to embark on my career." ⁠—Alexis Dunn, Class of 2025

SLU's accounting graduates have a long history of success on the CPA exam, with pass rates exceeding both the Missouri and national averages. Many of our graduates have passed all parts of this critical exam on their first attempt. The 2021 CPA Success Index, published in Accounting Today, ranked SLU No. 26 in the country among large accounting programs.

Students may also choose to pursue an accounting minor in addition to their chosen major.

Curriculum Overview

SLU students may choose to graduate from the accounting program with the 120-credit bachelor's degree; however, those who plan to be licensed after taking the CPA examination are required to complete 150 college credits in most states.

Students may accumulate the 150 required credits in several ways:

• Complete 150 credits at the undergraduate level (often by pursuing a double major).
• Complete the 120-credit bachelor's degree and complete the 30-credit Master of Accounting degree sequentially.
• Complete the Integrated Accounting Program, which allows you to complete both the undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting simultaneously.

The Department of Accounting also offers an Accounting Scholars Program for qualified incoming freshmen.

Internships/Student Organizations

Undergraduate accounting students have the opportunity to work a full-time, busy-season accounting internship in their final semester and remain on track for graduation. St. Louis' metropolitan location provides numerous internship opportunities, allowing students to gain career-related work experience while applying classroom knowledge to practice. Most internships are paid, and students may opt to earn academic credit. SLU's accounting students have interned with a wide variety of organizations, including public accounting firms, Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions and governmental agencies. 

The Saint Louis University chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, an international scholastic and professional honor society for financial information professionals, provides a vital link between students and the accounting profession. Each semester, the chapter connects students with numerous guest speakers from various disciplines and industries. In addition, membership offers students opportunities to establish networking relationships with potential employers. The chapter is regularly recognized for its continued excellence.

Careers

In a survey of SLU's most recent accounting graduates, 100% reported they were either employed or attending graduate school within six months of their graduation. They join a global network of nearly 20,000 alumni from the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business. Accounting graduates from the Chaifetz School have earned employment with public accounting firms, including the Big 4, as well as with prestigious organizations such as Accenture and Boeing.

Possible career paths for graduates with an undergraduate degree in accounting from SLU include:

• Advisory consultant
• Auditor
• Budget analyst
• Corporate accountant
• FBI agent
• Financial planner
• Forensic accountant
• IRS agent
• Risk management consultant
• Tax professional

Admission Requirements

Begin Your Application

Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.

Freshman

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary criterion in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, the applicant must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. 

Transfer

Applicants must be graduates of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED or HiSET.

An official high school transcript and official test scores are required only of those students who have attempted fewer than 24 transferable semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit. Those having completed 24 credits or more of college credit need only submit a transcript from previously attended college(s).

Transfer students must have a cumulative 2.70 GPA to be admitted to the accounting program and a 2.50 GPA for all other majors. In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University.

International Applicants

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students, along with the following:

• You must demonstrate English Language proficiency.
• All academic records must include an English translation. An official course-by-course transcript evaluation may be required and accepted.

Tuition 

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

• Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
• Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

Saint Louis University makes every effort to keep our education affordable. In fiscal year 2023, 99% of first-time freshmen and 92% of all students received financial aid and students received more than $459 million in aid University-wide.

For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1.

For more information on scholarships and financial aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

Accreditation

Saint Louis University's Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the premier business school accrediting body. Achieving AACSB accreditation ensures continuous quality improvement in the learning environment through enhancements to the curriculum, instructional resources, student selection, career planning and placement and the intellectual contributions and qualifications of the faculty.

Approximately 5% of business schools worldwide have achieved AACSB accreditation. The accounting program is also separately accredited by the AACSB, one of only 194 schools to have earned this distinction.

1. Graduates will have the ability to apply relevant accounting standards for financial reporting purposes and apply the appropriate tax laws for planning and compliance issues.
2. Graduates will be able to recognize and evaluate areas of risk in operations, decision making and information technology.
3. Graduates will be able to apply analytical and quantitative techniques to analyze accounting-related issues.
4. Graduates will be able to effectively communicate in both oral and written forms.
5. Graduates will be able to make professional and ethical judgments and demonstrate professional conduct and demeanor.

Note: Many undergraduate courses at SLU fulfill requirements of multiple programs simultaneously. For details, click here. 

Eighteen credits in addition to ACCT 2200 Financial Accounting (3 cr) and ACCT 2220 Accounting for Decision Making (3 cr), which are taken as business Common Body of Knowledge requirements.

Accounting students must earn a grade of “C” or higher in all courses used to fulfill major requirements and a minimum 2.70 cumulative SLU GPA is a prerequisite for all 3000 and 4000 level accounting courses. (All courses are three credits.) 

*

In addition to completing lower and upper division coursework in all areas of business, each student typically selects a business major before or during the first semester of the junior year. 18 major-specific credit hours are required as determined by the appropriate department. To broaden their expertise, students may complete more than one major in business, or a major and a minor in business.  Outside of the Business Common Body of Knowledge (CBK), however, a maximum of one business course (3 credit hours) may be used to fulfill requirements in two business majors/minors.

‡

General electives may be selected from any area of study within the University, giving the student the opportunity to diversify their experiences.  Students should consider University Undergraduate CORE attribute requirements when selecting electives. Students are encouraged to consider ACCT 4200 Accounting Data Analytics (3 cr) as an elective.

Continuation Standards

Accounting students who have commenced their major coursework will be on program probation if their cumulative SLU grade point average (GPA) falls below a 2.70. Students will have one semester to increase their cumulative SLU GPA to a 2.70; if not, students will not be allowed to register for 3000 or 4000 level accounting courses.

Students will be automatically placed on University probation if any of the following occur:

• Their Saint Louis University cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00
• Their Saint Louis University semester grade point average is below a 1.00
• More than two "Incomplete" or two "In-Progress" grades on their academic transcript

During the probationary period, advisors help students achieve academic success by closely monitoring their academic performance. In order to improve scholastically and demonstrate the ability to make progress toward a degree, students on University probation may not register for more than 12 credits of coursework in the fall and spring semesters, three credits in the winter term, and no more than one course/four credits in any single summer session term.

The conditions under which a student is dismissed from the school include:

1. Inability to eliminate probationary status within the two semesters subsequent to the assignment of probation or
2. A grade point average deficit points of more than 15 points

For more information, see the University Academic Policies and Procedures section.

Public Accounting Concentration

Consulting and Advisory Concentration

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

B.S. Accounting

B.S. Accounting, Public Accounting Concentration

B.S. Accounting, Consulting and Advisory Concentration

¹

Must complete in the first 36 credit hours at SLU.

²

Must complete in the first 60 credit hours at SLU.

³

Must take second semester sophomore year unless studying abroad.

⁴

Must have SLU cumulative GPA of 2.7.

⁶

Must have completed all other Business Common Body of Knowledge courses.

⁷

Students are encouraged to take ACCT 4200 Accounting Data Analytics as an elective.

2+SLU programs provide a guided pathway for students transferring from a partner institution. 

• Accounting, B.S. (Jeffco 2+SLU)
• Accounting, B.S. (MAC 2+SLU)
• Accounting, B.S. (STLCC+SLU)