At A Glance
Four-year degree program where students can focus on a particular area of study including forensic accounting.
Prepares students to enter various areas of accounting including public, corporate, governmental, managerial and tax.
Employment continues to grow with opportunities increasing by 7% from 2020 to 2030.
The median annual salary for an accountant is $77,250.
Available at the Scranton campus.
Welcome to Accounting-Bachelor’s Program
If you like analyzing data and are a numbers person, Lackawanna College’s Accounting bachelor’s degree program could be for you. The program prepares students to work in different areas of accounting and for different organizations.
Your Career Starts Here
With the accounting field expected to grow by 7% over the next 10 years, there should be plenty of jobs for graduates. Graduates with bachelor’s degrees can find employment as:
- Internal auditor
- External auditor
- Tax preparer
- Business accountants
- Financial analyst
- Accounting software developer
- Organizational controller
- Accounting professor
More About the Program
Lackawanna College’s bachelor’s degree in accounting prepares students to enter various areas of accounting, including public, corporate, governmental, managerial and tax. As “the language of business,” a bachelor’s degree also prepares students for careers in management, consulting, law and entrepreneurship. Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate mastery of accounting principles, practices, and procedures.
- Define fundamental business principles through the study of business ethics, fraud prevention, law, management, economics, and computer technology.
- Recognize the importance of ethical behavior and professional responsibilities in accounting and business as a whole.
- Define the role of a forensic accountant, demonstrating knowledge of auditing concepts, and explaining the different types of financial fraud schemes. Evaluate appropriate fraud prevention measures and the internal controls necessary to deter fraud.
- Analyze and communicate information gained through proper investigative techniques developed for forensic accountants including interviewing, obtaining information from public records, tracing transactions, evaluating deception, and report writing. Describe the legal ramifications of conducting forensic accounting examinations, including criminal and civil law, rules of evidence, rights of the accused and accuser, and expert witness matters.
- Examine current accounting fraud schemes to analyze the fraud triangle, role of organizational culture in the perpetration of occupational fraud, and importance of sound business ethics. Define digital forensic analysis by examining computer forensic techniques, including data-mining concepts and strategies.
- Prepare for a career in accounting through critical thinking and hands-on application in coursework, combined with the completion of internship opportunities.
If you’re interested in becoming a Certified Public Accountant or holding a more senior position, Lackawanna’s associate degree graduates may want to continue their education by pursuing the College’s bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Others may find they have a strong foundation to enroll in the College’s bachelor’s degree in Business, which requires additional courses.
Students in the program are typically able to focus their studies on a particular area of interest, including the Forensic Accounting track. This subset of the degree explores fraud prevention and deterrence, financial transactions, fraud schemes, as well as investigation and law. The Forensic Accounting track offers students:
- Our innovative concentration in Forensic Accounting offers exciting courses that give our students a look at cutting-edge technology and advances in the field of accounting.
- This program prepares students for entry into various specializations of accounting, including public, corporate, governmental, managerial and tax. The Forensic Accounting concentration readies students for careers in Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting.
- The Forensic Accounting concentration gives the students the added benefit of preparing to test for the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential. Also, students will participate in the National Fraud Awareness week each year, along with hundreds of other organizations, aiming to bring fraud awareness to their communities.
The Course Work
Our bachelor’s degree in accounting offers exciting courses that give students a look at cutting-edge technology and advances in the field of accounting. Courses and lessons that students can expect from a bachelor’s degree in accounting include:
- Business Finance
- International Accounting
- Auditing
- Financial Statement Examination
- Government Accounting
- Accounting Software and Technology
Graduates will be prepared to pursue further studies and transfer their credits to most institutions with graduate programs with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Accountancy (MAcc) or law school.
Additional Information
Students have the opportunity to participate in the Phi Beta Lambda (Business Club), which is an organization that helps expose students to the business world.
Lackawanna College is approved by the Pennsylvania State Department of Education to grant bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, and professional certificates and is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, which is designated as a National Accrediting Agency by the U.S. Office of Education.