When accounting senior Mike DeBona came to MSU, he had the intention of majoring in a business-related field. After initially choosing marketing, he eventually changed his major to accounting because of the strength of the program.
“The economy’s tough and I wanted job security,” DeBona said. “The fact that (the program) was recognized so highly and challenging … I thought it would provide me with a versatile degree.”
MSU has been recognized for having one of the best undergraduate accounting programs in the country by accountingcareersfordummies.com — a website launched in 2010 to provide information for prospective accounting students.
MSU earned a No. 2 ranking in the state, only behind the University of Michigan.
Wayne State, Michigan Tech and Western Michigan universities rounded out the top five.
This year’s top accounting schools were determined by criteria including academic rigor, class size, accreditation and financial aid availability, said John Lukrich, the website’s owner and CEO, in an email.
Lukrich said the program particularly excelled in helping prepare students to enter the career field.
There currently are about 1,100 undergraduate students pursuing an accounting degree at MSU, according to the Office of the Registrar.
Integration of professional development into the curriculum and the strength of job and internship opportunities for students were other reasons Lukrich named for MSU’s high ranking.
Department of Accounting and Information Systems chairman Sanjay Gupta credited MSU’s prestige to the school’s ability to attract the best students and faculty in the program — which he called a “who’s who” of the industry.
“It’s a phenomenal reputation that we enjoy with the accounting profession,” Gupta said. “What that results in for our students, specifically, is the opportunity to be interviewed by the top accounting firms in the country (and) in the world.”
Gupta said MSU annually produces the largest number of certified public accountants in the state and maintains a strong relationship with the largest international accounting firms — Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young and KPMG.
The department also employs nearly 30 full-time faculty members, an unusually large amount when compared to programs across the country, he said.
DeBona said he feels the ranking is valid, as the high standards for admission combined with knowledgeable faculty are what make the accounting program at MSU successful.
“I think not only does the faculty do a good job, but I think they bring out the best in their students,” he said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
