Degree
- Bachelor of Business Administration https://www.stmarytx.edu/academics/programs/accounting-data-analytics/ https://www.stmarytx.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/accounting-data-analytics-900×600-1.jpg
Department
Accounting and Data Analytics at St. Mary’s
In today’s dynamic global economy, organizations are faced with pressure to reduce costs, develop sustainable business processes, make ethical and fact-based decisions, and develop innovative products and services. Students in the Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Data Analytics program at St. Mary’s University develop both the personal and technical skills to succeed in this ever-changing environment. Our curriculum emphasizes a holistic approach to education to ensure students develop strong skills in communication and in ethical and critical reasoning, as well as acquire knowledge in key technical areas.
Graduates with a combination of knowledge and skills in accounting, data analytics and information security are among those demanded most in today’s job market and those predicted to be in demand in the future.
Institute of Management Accountants Endorsement
The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Higher Education Endorsement Program identifies business curricula that meet the quality educational standards required to enable students to earn the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) designation. IMA’s globally-recognized CMA program is a relevant assessment of advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in areas such as financial planning, analysis, control and decision support — each of which is increasingly critical in meeting the changing needs of business and, therefore, essential learning for students of accounting and finance.
To qualify for endorsement by IMA, schools must meet the following criteria:
- The program must substantially cover the CMA exam content;
- The program must have adequate faculty resources to deliver this content;
- The program must be accredited by a recognized accreditation organization and
- A faculty member must be designated as an IMA Campus Advocate.
Program of Study
Students complete the curriculum for the basic 120-credit-hour Accounting major, which qualifies them to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.
They also complete an additional 30 undergraduate credit hours in Accounting, Data Analytics, Information Systems and electives. This allows them to satisfy all educational requirements for CPA licensure.
This degree path has the additional advantage of allowing students to maintain their undergraduate financial aid. However, financial aid may be reduced for students who graduate with 120 or more credit hours but continue to take undergraduate courses or who elect to satisfy CPA and other examination requirements by enrolling in graduate courses.
Degree Plan
Students complete the basic 120-credit-hour Accounting major plus an additional 30 credit hours in accounting, data analytics, information systems and electives.
Highlighted Courses
The curriculum has been designed around input from industry and the employment market.
Course highlights include:
- Business Intelligence
- Database Management
- Enterprise Resource Management
- Financial Modeling
Become a CPA
The State of Texas recently changed the CPA examination education requirements. Although students may take the examination after completion of the 120-credit-hour B.B.A., final licensure requires completion of a total of 150 credit hours. The Accounting and Data Analytics major satisfies all requirements for students to qualify for licensure and maintain their undergraduate financial aid past the usual 120 hours.
What can I do with a degree in Accounting and Data Analytics?
Career Opportunities
- Budget analyst
- Data analyst
- Management analyst
- Information security analyst
- Financial analyst/ examiner
- Forensic accountant
- Financial statement auditor
- Information systems auditor
- Supply chain and logistics specialist
- Tax and financial planning
Top Employers
- Ernst and Young
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Frost Bank
- Internal Revenue Service
- KPMG
- NuStar
- Southwest Business Corporation
- USAA
- Valero
Technical Skills
- Data-driven decision making
- Information systems security
- Business systems integration
- Financial statement auditing
- Tax planning and compliance
- Cost and budget analysis
- Data mining
- Data analytics and visualization
- Forecasting
- Financial statement analysis
I am currently working as a tax accountant and I cannot emphasize enough how advantageous it was for me to choose Accounting and Data Analytics as my major. I use Excel and different ERP systems on a daily basis so my data analytics background has helped me develop the perfect skills for this job.”
Sandy Y. Guevara (B.B.A. ’16)
Outside the Classroom
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
In the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, students and faculty volunteer thousands of hours each year to assist low-income families in our community.
Accounting Club
The St. Mary’s University Accounting Club provides students with networking opportunities with businesses and organizations that regularly recruit on campus, such as Valero, NuStar Energy, USAA, EY, KPMG, ATKG LLP, PwC, RSM, Sol Schwartz & Associates, Frost Bank, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and many others.
Faculty
-
Thomas Madison, Ph.D., CPA (TX – Ret.) Chair of the Department of Accounting
-
Ying “Caroline” Chen, D.B.A., CPA, CMA Assistant Professor of Accounting
-
Teri Grimmer, D.B.A. Assistant Professor of Accounting
-
Mark B. Persellin, Ph.D., CPA (TX), CFP Professor of Accounting
-
Kent W. Royalty, LL.M. Emil C. E. Jurica Distinguished Professor of Accounting
Similar Programs
Accounting
- Bachelor of Business Administration https://www.stmarytx.edu/academics/programs/accounting-data-analytics/ https://www.stmarytx.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/accounting-data-analytics-900×600-1.jpg
Finance and Risk Management
- Bachelor of Business Administration https://www.stmarytx.edu/academics/programs/accounting-data-analytics/ https://www.stmarytx.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/accounting-data-analytics-900×600-1.jpg
Related Stories
Learn More
We’re eager to hear from you and answer any questions you have! Feel free to reach out to learn more about St. Mary’s University.