Why study Finance / Accounting at MC?
According to a Carnegie Foundation study published in Rethinking Undergraduate Business Education: Liberal Learning for the Profession, “…Students need to develop intellectual perspectives that enable them to understand the role of business within the larger global society, as well as to gain technical knowledge and skills. They need an education that cultivates a sense of professionalism grounded in loyalty to the mission of business to enhance society’s prosperity and well-being.”
The Finance Accounting (FNAC) Major offers students the opportunity to learn finance and accounting practice and theory in the context of a liberal arts education. Liberal arts courses allow students to expound upon and further engage in the disciplines of finance and accounting. Through case study, collaborative projects, problem sets and journal readings, students in the Finance/Accounting major develop strong critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills. Students learn to read and interpret financial statements, to prepare a financial analysis, the importance of budgets and variance analysis in management accounting, and about the role of money and banking in the economy. Through personal attention and small classes, students receive an education which allows them to successfully pursue entry positions in areas as corporate accounting, banking, brokerage, financial planning, trust and estate planning, as well as provide a solid foundation to enter graduate programs in business and accounting.
Accounting (Minor)
The Minor in Accounting is designed to supplement a student’s preparation in a major field. It provides additional depth in the field and background for further study. The minor is not open to students majoring in Finance/Accounting.
To be eligible to take the CPA exam, an individual must have earned a degree from an accredited college or university and complete a total of 150 semester hours with certain designated hours in accounting and in business. Several universities offer Master of Accountancy programs tailored for liberal arts college graduates; the admission standards of these programs require no additional accounting courses beyond what is offered through the accounting minor at Maryville College. Students interested in accounting, who have completed a Maryville College degree and accounting minor requirements may be eligible for the 15-month Master of Accountancy program available at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville upon completion of 3 additional accounting courses at UT in the summer following graduation.
Maryville College(MC) partners with Marriott Business Services(MBS) to offer More
Maryville College and MBS formed a community partnership in 2010, benefiting MC students, MBS, MC, and the community at large. The partnership continues to thrive and provides extraordinary opportunities for FNAC majors at the college. FNAC majors as well as accounting minors have the opportunity to apply for and participate in paid summer accounting internships with MBS. Often these internships result in part-time work or full-time positions upon graduation. MBS serves as the sponsor of the capstone accounting class in the FNAC major, BUS366 – Advanced Financial Reporting, and provides professional speakers for core business classes. MBS executives invite FNAC majors to participate in a tour of company operations. MBS is an important segment of Marriott International, providing accounting services nationally and internationally to support all Marriott brand hotels. MBS is conveniently located in Louisville, TN, less than 10 miles from the MC campus.
Interested in entering a Masters of Accountancy program after graduation from MC?
Good News – MC has an arrangement with the UT-Knoxville MAcc program whereby an MC FNAC major or accounting minor may take 3 courses at UT-Knoxville in the summer following MC graduation and, upon successful completion, have met the curricular requirements to enter the UT-MAcc program that same fall. The three courses needed for the MAcc program are Information Management 341(Business Processes), Accounting 411(Auditing), and Accounting 431(Tax). IM341 is offered the first summer session at UT-Knoxville. ACC411 and ACC431 are offered the second summer session at UT-Knoxville.
The Major in Finance/Accounting is designed to provide student a knowledge of the basic principles and analytical tools of finance and accounting as well as an understanding of the environments in which organizations operate. The curriculum prepares students for careers in finance and accounting and graduate study in business.
Meet a Current Scot
Sydney O’Hara
Hometown: Louisville, Tennessee
After taking her first finance and accounting courses, Sydney knew that the Finance/Accounting major was the right decision for her, and by her junior year, she was preparing for a summer internship with the Dollywood Company’s finance department. There, she had the freedom to explore and suggest answers to questions posed to the department. “Building upon skills and knowledge that Maryville College has equipped me with, I was confident in my abilities to complete these tasks and to be challenged in the process,” she said.
Upon graduation, Sydney would like to further her education with a master of accountancy degree and become a certified public accountant.
Meet a Recent Grad
Javon Crane ’22
Currently: Financial representative with Northwestern Mutual
During his senior year, Javon juggled both basketball and an internship with Northwestern Mutual, a company for which he’s now a full-time employee. With a personal goal of becoming the best financial planner in the Maryville and Knoxville areas, he has worked hard to build a professional network, joining the Chambers of Commerce in both Blount and Knox counties and participating in the Leadership Blount program as the youngest person to ever be selected.
He credits MC faculty and staff members for preparing him for the profession.
“They’ve all been an important part of my journey in becoming an entrepreneur, and Maryville College in general has helped me out in a lot of different ways: trying out new things, learning about different things and getting involved with more people,” he said.