Business (Accounting and Business Decisions) ,BA
CMA, Certified Management Accountant, Corporate Accountant, Financial Manager, Management Accounting
This program's name has changed effective Fall 2026. The previous name was Business (Corporate Accounting).
Explore the financial operations of organizations and their role in shaping business strategy. You'll build a strong foundation in financial principles as you become well prepared for a career that supports informed financial decision-making across industries.
The Bachelor of Arts program in business with a concentration in accounting and business decisions addresses your educational needs as someone who has an interest in accounting but does not plan to enter public accounting.
Managerial accounting is the emphasis of this program. The six major courses in the concentration prepare you for corporate accounting positions by helping you develop skills in strategic financial planning, control, corporate compliance and decision-making.
Upon completion of the program, you may take the Certified Management Accountant exam.
- College/school:
W. P. Carey School of Business
- Location: Tempe or Online , ASU Local
- Second language requirement: No
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
- First
required math course:
MAT 210 - Brief Calculus
or MAT 117 College Algebra - Math
intensity: Moderate
This video provides an overview of the Business (Accounting and Business Decisions) degree program at ASU.
What If: See how your courses can be applied to another major and find out how to change your major.
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
First-year | Transfer | International | Readmission
Additional requirements:
First-year admission requirements for this program are the same as the university's first-year admission requirements.
This program is not available to students with BA, Bachelor of Science or Master of Science degrees in accountancy.
Readmission requirements: Students must have a transfer GPA of 3.00 (if applicable) and a cumulative ASU GPA of 3.00.
Transfer admission requirements:
Transfer applicants must have a GPA of 3.00 for all transfer work and meet university transfer admission requirements. Transfer students should select an additional major, which must be outside the W. P. Carey School of Business, when applying for admission. Students who are admissible to the university but do not meet admission requirements for this program and did not select a second major or are not admissible to their second major choice are placed in the BA program in applied business and technology solutions in W. P. Carey School of Business, which is offered via ASU Online as well as at the Polytechnic and West Valley campus locations. Students not interested in that program or campus location may reach out to wpcareyug@asu.edu for assistance in selecting another degree program.
Students should visit the W. P. Carey School of Business website to determine whether they meet change of major requirements. Students who are ready to change their major should submit their request through the advising website. This program is not available to students who already hold a BA, BS or MS degree in accountancy.
Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
It is now possible to earn an ASU degree with ASU Local, an integrated college experience in which students take advantage of in-person success coaching and programming experiences on site while completing one of 130+ undergraduate online degree programs, all of which come with online faculty interaction and tutoring support.
ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.
ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.
As globalization continues to impact the way the world lives and works, international experiences have become vital to success in corporate accounting. Through international study and internships, students can gain valuable skills that employers are looking for: communication and interpersonal skills, flexibility, motivation and a real-life perspective on business applications worldwide. Experiences abroad help students understand international accounting methods and grow their portfolio of marketable business skills, making them a competitive candidate in the corporate accounting field. A Global Education program contributes to students' success by enabling them to improve their interpersonal and language skills while they broaden their understandings of international business practices.
The W. P. Carey School of Business recommends these programs for students majoring in accounting and business decisions.
Graduates have many career opportunities and are in high demand. Senior management roles for corporate accountants include chief financial officer. Currently, more than half of CFOs at larger corporations have formal accounting training. The longer term projected trend is for CFOs to have extensive corporate accounting training, particularly given that CFOs at public U.S. corporations personally sign financial statements.
Typical early- to mid-career positions held by corporate accountants include controller, treasurer and vice president in areas such as financial planning, divisional controlling, cost accounting directing, senior financial analysis and senior accounting. Individuals in these positions typically report to the CFO.
Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
| Career | *Growth | *Median salary |
|---|---|---|
|
4.6%
|
$83,680
|
|
|
5.7%
|
$102,740
|
|
|
14.8%
|
$166,570
|
|
|
14.8%
|
$166,570
|
ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.
Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business
|
BA 160
wpcareyug@asu.edu
480-965-4227
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
