The undergraduate certificate in accounting fundamentals provides non-business students the opportunity to gain accounting knowledge and skills that are fundamental for many careers, but especially for wealth management, financial planning, corporate finance, and other finance-related careers. This certificate allows for a lot of flexibility so that students can customize their coursework to best align with their career interests.
Students who complete the certificate would be prime candidates to continue their study in the MS in Financial Management and Accounting (MS FMA) graduate program, which would expand potential career opportunities. For more information on the MS FMA program, please see the website at https://business.wisc.edu/graduate/masters/financial-management-accounting/ or contact the program director, Brett Killion (bmkillion@wisc.edu).
How to Get in
The certificate is open to undergraduates declared in a major outside of the School of Business who are in good academic standing. Students declared in a major in the School of Business are not eligible for the certificate. To declare the certificate, go to the Academic Forms page and complete the Business Major and Certificate Declaration form.
Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT I S 100 | Introductory Financial Accounting | 3 |
| or ACCT I S 300 | Accounting Principles | |
| ACCT I S 211 | Introductory Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT I S 301 | Financial Reporting I | 3 |
| FINANCE/ECON 300 | Introduction to Finance | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
A minimum 2.0 GPA must be earned on all course work used to meet the requirements (12 credits) of the certificate program. All certificate credits must be earned in residence at UW-Madison.
Certificate Completion Requirement
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
Learning Outcomes
- Articulate Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (and relevant assumptions, principles, and constraints) utilized to prepare financial statements.
- Describe management accounting and control systems and their role in the implementation of an organizational strategy.
- Describe conceptual and quantitative tools that are the foundation of corporate finance.
Advising and Careers
Academic Advising
Certificate students will be assigned to the Business Certificate Advising Committee.
Drop-in advising and scheduled appointments are available to students who are declared in the certificate. Students can schedule their appointments via Starfish.
For more information on accessing academic advising, please see the Academic Advising page.
Please note enrollment in required courses is subject to availability. As a result, completion of the certificate within an individual student's intended graduation timeline cannot always be guaranteed.