Finance and Accounting Programs at the University of Charleston
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The School of Business and Leadership at the University of Charleston offers two degree programs in finance and accounting at the undergraduate level. One of those is a specialized program with a major in accounting. Graduates of this program work for some of the top accounting firms in West Virginia and across the south.
Accounting majors must take 42 credits of business courses and 21 credits of advanced accounting classes. All undergrads take a class called University Orientation in their first semesters, which introduces them to college. Accounting majors will also take Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Accounting I, II and III, Accounting Information Systems, Introduction to Business and Intermediate Accounting I and II. The University of Charleston also offers the accounting program as a fast track option for those who plan on entering grad school. Instead of spending four years to finish a bachelor’s degree, students can earn their bachelor’s accounting degrees in only three years.
Though the university does not offer a full finance program, it offers a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) that features some finance classes. Students will take 48 credits of core business classes, including Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics, Business Software, Business Writing, Business Law and Business Finance. They will also do an internship that is worth between one credit and six credits. Those who want to study finance can do their internships in banks and other financial institutions. Finance majors can take electives such as Retirement Planning, Issues in Capitalism, Money and Banking and Security and Portfolio Analysis too.
About the University of Charleston
The University of Charleston is a private university named for the West Virginia city of Charleston. Established in 1888 when the Southern Methodist Church founded a seminary in the area, it used the name Barboursville Seminary of the Southern Methodist Church. Morris Harvey, a local man and member of the church, donated a large sum of money to the seminary near the turn of the century, which led to the seminary changing its name to Morris Harvey University. It would move to a new location in the heart of Charleston in 1935 and become affiliated with the Mason College of Fine Arts and Music. The university did not become the University of Charleston until the 1970s.
Though some call the university UC, it also uses the UCWV nickname to show that it’s in West Virginia and not affiliated with other schools with the same name in other states. Though it operated a small campus in Martinsburg, Virginia, the university would close this campus and open in a new location before finally closing that branch for good. A second campus in Beckley opened in 2013, though UC would close this campus and reopen it in a new location within that city a few years later. UC also added new online programs, which helped its overall enrollment climb to more than 2,000 students.
University of Charleston Accreditation Details
The teaching, pharmacy and nursing programs offered by UC have accreditation from professional agencies, but the university also has its own accreditation. UC earned regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which covers the entire university and all its degree programs. Prospective UC students can transfer credits into the school and all types of students can apply for financial aid because of HLC accreditation.
University of Charleston Application Requirements
UC recommends that students learn more about its finance and accounting programs and the campus before they apply. Students can tour either campus and request information to find out what programs the university offers online too. They can also attend UC Scholarship Days to get help applying for institutional scholarships before the semester starts.
The main requirements for incoming freshmen include at least six semesters of high school classes and a history of helping others. Students can write about any volunteer work they did in the past on the application and express their interests and any hobbies that they have. The application also asks about their extracurricular activities because the university wants to know more about students than just what classes they took. A minimum score of 19 on the ACT or 900 and a GPA of 2.25 are also required.
To apply to UC, students will use the application and select the Charleston campus or another campus on the form. They will then submit transcripts that show they took the required high school classes. Transcripts should also show the grades earned in each course and the student’s cumulative GPA. UC looks for students who took a variety of classes, including English, science, math and social studies classes as well as foreign language courses and electives. Those who do not have a high school diploma need to have a GED score of 500 or higher on the most recent test. Though UC recommends that students write an essay as part of the application, it requires that they submit a standardized test score.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Freshmen and other undergrads attending the University of Charleston pay $29,900 a year on the main campus. They also pay $9,180 for room and board, though the university offers different packages that can change that amount. Students usually spend $2,800 a year on fees and textbooks too. Those attending the Beckley campus pay $320 per credit hour, and online students pay $380 per credit hour. First responders, members of law enforcement agencies and military students receive a discount for online classes that will drop their rates to $250 per credit hour.
The UC financial aid process begins as soon as it receives the FAFSA filed by a student. It compares that form to the student’s application to determine if that individual qualifies for need and/or merit aid. The government aid awarded to students includes loans and grants, though their parents can apply for separate government loans. Many students also work for the university through the Federal Work Study program. Multiple scholarships go to students enrolled in classes on the Charleston campus. Those with a GPA of at least 2.25 qualify for an $11,000 scholarship, which increases to $15,000 for students with a GPA of 4.0 or higher. The University of Charleston encourages accounting and finance majors to file for financial aid, even if they assume that don’t qualify.
