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Bachelor of Arts in Management & Accounting

Whitworth's management & accounting program can prepare you to:

  • Meet the academic requirements to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam
  • Be equipped for positions in senior management
  • Identify economic and financial conditions of organizations
Snapshot
Course Format Online or in person; two evenings per week (accounting sequence); one evening per week & occasional Saturdays (management sequence)
Locations
Online
U-District
North Spokane*
Average Completion Time 4 years with A.A. or select A.A.S. degree transfer, attending part time
6-6.5 years with no transfer credits, attending part time 
Ask your advisor how you can complete your degree sooner.
Cost Per Credit $560** per credit (financial aid & scholarships available)
Application Deadline Four weeks prior to start date 
Cohort Model Yes

*The accounting sequence is not currently offered on campus in North Spokane.

**for the 2022-23 academic year

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What will I study?

Management & accounting majors will learn:

  • Fundamental processes of accounting
  • The mechanics and applications of accounting principles
  • How to lead and manage teams
  • Problem-solving and decision-making in the business context
  • Personal and professional ethics

Why does AACSB accreditation matter? 

The Whitworth University School of Business is an accredited member of AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB accreditation is considered a benchmark of quality for business education and represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Click here to find out more. 

"Less than 5 percent of all schools offering degree programs in business at the bachelor level or higher worldwide hold AACSB accreditation."

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Cohort Format

Whitworth's B.A. in Management & Accounting program is offered in a cohort format. Once you begin either the management or accounting major sequence, you'll be part of a group of approximately 15 other students that takes each course, one at a time, and completes the major together. Because you'll stay with the same group of students throughout each program, you'll have the chance to develop a stronger sense of community and collaborative learning while instructors build upon a knowledge base that increases with each successive course.

"I was very surprised with the relationships that I made. I thought as an adult it would be different, but it wasn’t. The cohort became a second family."

Shannon Roeber

Transfer Information

Already have an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Applied Associate Degree (A.A.S. or other)?

With an A.A. or applied associate degree from a community college, you may transfer to Whitworth's management & accounting program as a junior, receiving 60-64 semester credits toward your bachelor's degree. Check out our generous transfer policy here.

Credit for Prior Learning

If you've obtained knowledge through experience outside of the traditional classroom, you may earn up to 32 semester credits of electives through subject tests, certifications, licenses, self-directed study, work-related trainings and more. For more details about credit for prior learning, click here.

Degree Requirements

Whitworth designed the management & accounting major to prepare you to take the CPA exam. If you don't need the 150-credit degree and you don't plan to take the CPA exam, but you want the accounting and management coursework for others reasons, we have an option for you, as well. For other convenient degree plans, or to receive a complimentary transcript evaluation, please talk with one of our advisors.

For course descriptions and learning outcomes of this major, please view the course catalog.

Business Management Major Sequence – 36 credits

Courses for the major may be completed in just 18 months. Time to degree completion varies, depending on courseload and transfer credits.

COM 351 Group Dynamics 3 credits
BU 352 Human Behavior In Organizations 3 credits
BU 354 Management of Human Resources 3 credits
BU 457 Employment Laws and Regulations 3 credits
BU 356 Managerial Marketing 3 credits
EC 356 Applied Economic Principles 3 credits
BU 355 Managerial Accounting & Finance 3 credits
CS 459 Managing Technology 3 credits
COM 461 Applied Cross-Cultural Communication 3 credits
BU 461 Ethics in Management 3 credits
BU 458 Strategic Management 3 credits
BU 353W Organizational Development and Change 3 credits

Accounting Major Sequence – 24-30 credits

Courses for the accounting sequence may be completed in less than two years. Time to degree completion varies, depending on course load and transfer credits.

BU 230 Financial Accounting Prerequisite
BU 231 Managerial Accounting Prerequisite
BU 357 Financial Management 3 credits
BU 334 Intermediate Accounting I 4 credits
BU 335 Intermediate Accounting II 4 credits
BU 466 Principles of Auditing 3 credits
BU 336 Introduction to Taxation 4 credits
BU 332 Cost Accounting 3 credits
BU 240 Business Law 3 credits
Accounting electives Dependent on credits transferred  

Graduation Requirements & Electives

All adult education programs from Whitworth must include Whitworth Inq (shared curriculum) and elective coursework to complete degree requirements. Some of the requirements may be met by courses offered in the major. Check with an advisor for details.

Minimum Credits Needed to Graduate and be Eligible for the CPA Exam – 150

Total credits needed at Whitworth will vary depending on credits transferred from other institutions and/or earned via credit for prior learning. To access the education requirements for taking the CPA exam, visit the Board of Accountancy for Washington State website.

What type of job can I get?

  • full-charge bookkeeper
  • staff accountant
  • senior financial analyst
  • office manager
  • consumer-loan underwriter
  • accounting technician
  • fiscal technician
  • public accountant
  • chief financial officer
  • accounting supervisor
  • accounts-payable clerk
  • accounting clerk

Accounting is an ideal choice for career growth and stability. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% increase in accounting job openings between now and 2030. U.S. News ranks accountant as the No. 13 Best Business Job.

While it's easy to think of accounting in narrow terms, there are dozens of opportunities for career choices within the accounting field itself, ranging from financial analyst to controller.

Our grads get great jobs.

Strong management and accounting skills are needed in every business. At Whitworth, you'll gain the professional experience and training you need to excel in any industry. Students in Whitworth's management and accounting program are employed at the following places:

  • Spokane Teachers Credit Union
  • City of Spokane
  • World Wide Trust Co., LLC
  • Columbia Bank
  • Pioneer Human Services
  • Peterson Enterprises
  • Witherspoon Kelly
  • Bank of America
  • Moss Adams, LLP
  • KeyTronic
  • Catholic Charities
  • North Idaho College
  • Spokane Guild School
  • Whalen Family Chiropractic