Accounting

The Accounting major Chatham University equips you with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in professional accounting roles. These skills include data analysis, financial reporting, auditing, forecasting, tax preparation, and risk and opportunity assessment. You will be able to examine, process and report an organization or economic entity’s financial information, including large or small businesses, government or nonprofit organizations.

WHY MAJOR IN ACCOUNTING?

Analytical Skills

Gain practical skills for implementing sustainable solutions in business management.

Expertise

Prepare for leadership roles in the rapidly growing corporate socially responsible green economy.

Certifications

Contribute positively to the environmental and social entrepreneurial impacts throughout your career.

ACCOUNTING CAREER PATHS

Public Accounting

Internal / External Corporate Auditor

Budget Analyst

Forensic Accountant

Management Accounting

Financial Analyst

Tax Account / Advisor

Financial Manager / Portfolio Manager

OTHER APPLICATIONS OF ACCOUNTING

Non -Profits

Non-Profit organizations pursue advocacy and work to address social and/or environmental issues. These organizations still require cost management strategies and sound accounting in order to succeed in their mission. Students emerging from our accounting program will have the necessary skills to support non-profit organizations from an accounting standpoint.

Investment Analysis

Oftentimes the world of investing is an external area of focus that individuals must research and learn about on their own. The accounting major provides students with the ability to make informed investment decisions by analyzing financial metrics.

Personal Finances

Accounting major or not, everybody has a responsibility to manage their own personal finances. Students will not only be prepared to pursue accounting as a career path, but they will also be able to apply their knowledge to assume greater control of their own personal finances.

Project Management

From weddings, to parties, to building your first home, cost management and accounting always have a role. Students in the accounting major will be able to apply cost management strategies to endeavors outside of their immediate job responsibilities in order to optimize financial benefit.

Accounting & Sustainability

At Chatham University, sustainability is a core pillar woven into every discipline, including the accounting major. Accounting students learn to play a critical role in advancing sustainable practices by taking on responsibilities such as compiling sustainability reports aligned with standards like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). They are taught to evaluate the financial implications of sustainable initiatives—such as transitioning to renewable energy or reducing waste—and to assess their long-term benefits to an organization. Furthermore, accounting students at Chatham focus on integrating financial and sustainability data into comprehensive disclosures, ensuring that an organization’s sustainability commitments are transparently communicated to stakeholders. By analyzing the sustainability of supply chains, they help organizations recognize areas for improvement in sourcing and operational efficiency. This integration of sustainability principles with accounting skills equips Chatham graduates to be leaders in ethical, environmentally-conscious financial management.