Accounting is the study of measuring, analyzing and interpreting financial activity by providing assurance of financial information, as well as compiling and preparing financial records. Managers, tax authorities and investors within organizations, companies and public agencies, such as the government, use this information to allocate resources.

Accounting electives are typically taken as directed studies, that is, taken by an individual student under the tutelage of an Accounting Area faculty member. Such electives focus on a specialized area of interest to the student and the faculty member, and can be helpful in filling in gaps in your knowledge in preparation for doctoral research. Accounting refers to the tracking of the consumption of NAS resources by users.

This information may be used for management, planning, billing, or other purposes. Accounting seeks to measure the results of an organization's economic activities and convey this information to management, investors, creditors, regulatory agencies, consumers, and employees.

Under this broad definition, the field includes such distinct areas as auditing, management accounting, financial accounting, international accounting, tax accounting, and public-sector accounting.

Accounting topics of current concern to faculty and students. Offered only when faculty are available and sufficient student interest exists. Accounting activities may occur within or outside the organization.

Although accounting is usually identified with privately owned, profit-seeking entities, its services also are provided to not-for-profit organizations such as universities or hospitals, to governmental organizations, and to other types of units. Accounting majors have gone on to become business owners, investment bankers, loan officers, actuaries, economists, tax specialsists, and so much more.

Accounting reform measures of some kind have been taken in each generation to attempt to keep bookkeeping relevant to capital assets or production capacity. However, these have not changed the basic principles, which are supposed to be independent of economics as such.

Accounting majors need only to complete the application for scholarships available through the Department or the Deans office in order to be considered for all scholarships available in any given year. Accounting is the language of business, encompassing all phases of business operations as well as specialized accounting knowledge. Accounting is oriented to both preparers and users of financial information.

Accounting faculty members at a school of business are actively engaged in various research projects related to economic and risk management aspects of information assurance.

From the teaching perspective, information assurance is now an integral part of most accounting courses at the Smith School, including such courses as: auditing, managerial accounting, ethics and professionalism in accounting, business ethics, accounting systems, financial statement analysis, taxes, international accounting, and financial planning and control systems for managers and consultants.

Accounting Clerk positions require applicants to have basic accounting knowledge and typically some computer training. The courses offered at West Valley College include a computer component designed to give the students working knowledge of the way accounting is done in today's technological environment. Accounting clerks post transactions in journals and on computer files and update the files when needed. Senior clerks also review computer printouts against regularly maintained journals and make necessary corrections.