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Why hire a Penn State Behrend Accounting graduate?
The Accounting degree at Penn State Behrend is part of the Institute of Management Accountants’ Higher Education Endorsement Program—the IMA’s “stamp of approval” for excellence in coursework and career preparation. Our program integrates training in accounting with a solid foundation in core business functions like management information systems and finance. This develops critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities in our students, preparing them to anticipate and proactively respond to challenges in the public accounting profession and the corporate world.
More Than Just a Degree
Our accounting students can power up their degree with a second major, a minor, or a certificate—or all three. Typical second majors for accounting students are a B.S. in Finance or a B.S. in Management Information Systems. Students also have the option of pursuing a certificate in Financial Controllership or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) with SAP.
Pathways to CPA
Students who wish to pursue the 150 credit hours required to earn the CPA designation can do so by taking additional courses in the supporting disciplines, often by pursuing a second major and/or minor.
What do our students study?
- Financial accounting
- Managerial accounting
- Advanced financial topics
- Federal taxation
- Accounting technology
- Cost accounting
- Accounting information systems
- Auditing
Who hires our graduates?
- Bechtel Plant Machinery
- HBK
- Felix & Gloekler
- McGill, Power, Bell & Associates
- Schaffner, Knight, Minnaugh
- Maher Duessel
- Deloitte
- KPMG
- PwC
- EY
- Erie Insurance
- Lockheed Martin
Our students can fill these positions within your company:
- Audit associate
- Tax associate
- Staff accountant
- Budget analyst
- Financial analyst
- IRS special agent
- Trade specialists
- Underwriters
- Internal auditors
- Financial institution examiners
Perspectives on the Accounting Program
Nicole Overby
2020 Graduate, B.S. in Accounting & Master of Professional Accounting
During Nicole’s time at Penn State Behrend, she completed four internships, including one with the Commercial Real Estate division of Bank of America in Manhattan. In this role, she worked on both the underwriting and monitoring side of loans provided for commercial real estate funds and developers based in the New York City metropolitan area. Her education prepared her to complete the CPA exam in three months and receive a full-time job offer at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Banking and Capital Markets assurance practice. Currently, she works in Charlotte, North Carolina, on integrated audits for companies in the Top 50 of Fortune 500 companies.
Mitchell Kalkhof
CPA, Partner, McGill, Power, Bell & Associates
At McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP, we have hired many students from the Penn State Behrend accounting program over the years. The students from this program truly stand out with their level of preparedness. The skills they develop at Behrend in analytical and critical thinking, adaptability, professionalism, and overall business acumen are all top notch. These crucial skills, along with their ability to effectively communicate, have clearly prepared them for success in their careers, and both our internal team and our clients have greatly benefited.
Ready to learn more?
If you’re ready to learn more about our Accounting graduates, please contact:
Penn State Behrend
Black School of Business
5101 Jordan Road | Erie, PA 16563
814-898-6107 | [email protected]
behrend.psu.edu/accounting
facebook.com/behrendbusiness
linkedin.com/company/behrendbusiness
