Accounting
Accounting students can be on either the CPA track or the Non-CPA track. Certified public accountants (CPAs) are accountants who have state certification to practice as public accountants. Certification as a CPA comes with a variety of rights and responsibilities conferred by the state that issues it. Non-CPA accounting students can also be accountants and bookkeepers for companies and organizations, but the scope of what they can do may be limited.
Accounting students will major in accounting, naturally, but the CPA track will have a significantly different path from the Non-CPA track. For Non-CPA track students, the path is simple: They will spend four years at Brooklyn College taking classes accumulating 120 credits toward their bachelor of science degree. Upon graduating, they can find many jobs at companies, government agencies, or organizations, working in accounting, corporate finance, finance accounting, tax preparation, etc.
The CPA track is very different. These students will spend five years at Brooklyn College accumulating 150 credits. They must then sit for a rigorous state exam covering four major areas of accounting. Finally, they must work for one year for a certified public accountant. After these three requirements are successfully met, then the student becomes a CPA. Students who plan on applying to the "Big 4" or a midsized accounting firm for either a job or an internship must also be mindful of their GPA and extracurricular activities: These firms require at least a 3.30 GPA; internships will become important in securing a full-time job; and extracurricular activities will help to set them apart from their competition.
Note: The CSTEP program supports CPA-track students only.
