Accounting graduates should possess the following:
- Knowledge of the accounting cycle.
- Knowledge of sophisticated financial accounting topics such as business combinations, governmental accounting, partnership accounting and other advanced financial accounting topics (e.g., accounting for: leases, deferred income taxes, pensions, investments, long-term liabilities and earnings per share).
- Knowledge of International Accounting Principles and the impact of global issues.
- Ability to evaluate financial results through examination of relevant data (i.e., income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement and budgets).
- Ability to prepare a federal individual tax return.
- Ability to use current technology (e.g., spreadsheet programs, general ledger software, enterprise resource planning and reporting languages).
- Knowledge of auditing principles and techniques.
- Knowledge of CPA exam education requirements, parts of the exam and topics included.
- Knowledge of the role of the accounting profession in society, experience in community service and participation in the accounting society.
- Ability to work as a team member recognizing benefits of collaborative behaviors in the accomplishment of group tasks.
- Ability to understand ethical dilemmas that occur in accounting.
- Effective communication skills including the ability to conceptualize complex issues into a coherent written statement and the ability to make effective formal and informal oral presentations.