Accounting

The Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in accounting theory and practice necessary for entry-level accounting positions and career advancement. It encompasses a common body of concepts, conventions, principles and theories essential to the professional competency of the certified public accountant, controller, industrial accountant, institutional accountant and governmental accountant.

The Master of Science in Accounting degree is for students interested in higher-level positions in banking, taxation, insurance or any company with a financial division. More than just focusing on debits and credits, the M.S.A. degree promotes critical thinking, hands-on application of technology and effective communication and ethical decision-making skills. Graduates pursue careers in auditing, taxation, fraud investigation, law enforcement, investment banking, management and consulting. The flexible combination of required coursework in accounting and electives from a wide variety of business disciplines provides students with a strong foundation in accounting, as well as an understanding of the practical applications of the discipline across all facets of business.

The Kent State Department of Accounting provides three programs to help students obtain both a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting degree and a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree in accelerated ways.

1.)  Direct Admission

Kent State is proud to offer incoming, high achieving undergraduate students, direct admission into a business master's program. With direct admission, students can comfortably complete their Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting degree and Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree within five years.

Our simplified MSA admission process includes a waiver of:

• Graduate school application fees
• The GMAT/GRE
• Application essay  
• Letters of recommendation

Admitted students may defer the start of their master's program for one year following completion of an undergraduate degree. 

The Accounting Analytics graduate certificate presents material relevant to advanced practice of accounting and includes knowledge tested on the CPA exam. The certificate focuses on the application of technology that supports analytical approaches in the accounting profession. The completed certificate may be applied to satisfy a portion of the course requirements for the Master of Science in Accounting degree.

The Accounting Fundamentals graduate certificate provides students with basic knowledge in the areas of financial accounting, tax and audit. The certificate prepares students for entry-level accounting positions or for further graduate study in accounting. The certificate is appropriate for students with a non-accounting bachelor's degree who are considering applying to the Master of Science in Accounting degree in the future.

The Advanced Accounting graduate certificate presents material is relevant to advanced practice of accounting and includes knowledge tested on the CPA exam. The completed certificate may be applied to satisfy a portion of the course requirements for the Master of Science in Accounting degree

Ph.D. in Business Administration - Accounting

The Ph.D. Accounting concentration provides you with research and teaching skills that prepare you for an academic career in accounting. You will gain valuable knowledge and research experience in the areas of auditing, managerial accounting and financial accounting.

VIEW THE UNIVERSITY CATALOG

• Indrarini (Rini) Laksmana, Ph.D., CPA, MBA
  Ph.D. Program Coordinator, Accounting
  330-672-1119
  ilaksman@kent.edu
• 

Concentration Courses

Courses in the accounting concentration focus on relevant areas of knowledge including issues in auditing, financial and managerial accounting, and research methodologies. 

VIEW COURSES

Mentorship

The Department of Accounting considers research mentoring a critical component in the education of our Ph.D. students. Students learn research skills not only during the coursework but also through the graduate assistantship program and in their dissertation work. Students will learn how a research project is conducted right from the start. Faculty mentors and students are encouraged to work on joint research projects. It is expected that papers developed through such joint work are presented at the meetings of the American Accounting Association and submitted to recognized academic journals.

The Department of Accounting also considers teaching mentorship to be an important component of our Ph.D. program. The teaching mentoring program provides students with the opportunity to build their teaching skills. Doctoral students will work closely with an assigned teaching mentor to develop teaching skills in a variety of areas, including communications, student engagement, assessment, and educational technology. The first time a student teaches during the doctoral program, the student will work closely with an assigned teaching mentor for that specific course.

Placement

Graduates of our accounting doctoral program have gone on to accept faculty positions at The University of Illinois, Pennsylvania State University,  The University of Minnesota, The University of South Dakota, Saint Bonaventure University and Concord University. 

Research Faculty

• 
  Indrarini (Rini) Laksmana, Ph.D., CPA, MBA
  ilaksman@kent.edu
  330-672-1119
• 
  R. Drew Sellers, CMA
  rsellers@kent.edu
  330-672-1123
• 
  Wei Li, Ph.D.
  wli2@kent.edu
  330-672-1125
• 

  Shunlan Fang
  sfang2@kent.edu
  330-672-1128

• 

  Rui-Zhong (R.Z.) Zhang, Ph.D.
  rzhang28@kent.edu
  330-672-1113

• 
  Ryan Ballestero, Ph.D.
  rballest@kent.edu
  330-672-1121
• 
  Serena Loftus, Ph.D.
  sloftus2@kent.edu
  330-672-1109

The Accounting minor is for students desiring accounting education in financial statement preparation, budgeting, costing and accounting systems at a level beyond the user of financial information but less than the preparation for being a professional accountant. The minor is especially useful to students whose career paths are in business, not-for-profit and governmental organizations where dealing with financial issues will be an important part of their duties.