Your Accountancy Academic Advisors are available to answer your questions via email, express advising or by appointment (in-person or Zoom). Please be sure to check which advisor you have been assigned to prior to making the appointment.
Please use our Bookings Links to schedule an in-person or zoom appointment. You can also email an advisor directly. Walk-in's are encouraged to visit Express or Peer Advising as our availability is limited by other student appointments.
Undergraduate Students can stop by the Student Success Lab (1041 BIF) from 10am-Noon and 1pm-3pm Mondays through Fridays to quickly meet with an advisor. These meetings are designed to be around 15-minutes and are best used to answer quick questions about various university or college policies/procedures. For longer questions or course planning, we prefer students schedule a full advising appointment.
MAS students also have Express Advising; however, it is not during the undergraduate Express Advising sessions. Instead, MAS Express Advising will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3pm-4pm in the Accountancy Student Center (1045 BIF).
Can I become CPA Eligible before leaving Gies?
Yes. There are two ways our students become CPA eligible. One is referred to as the BSA-150 and may be able to be completed in your undergraduate program. However, there are additional requirements students must complete with this route, so we highly encourage students to meet with one of our advisors to create a course plan to help ensure all requirements are met before graduation.
The other route is to stay 1 additional year and complete the MAS program, because completing a graduate degree in Accounting from an accredited university also makes you CPA eligible. We still encourage students who plan to become CPA eligible through the MAS program to meet with an advisor and make sure this is the best route for you.
For more information about the CPA exams, requirements, and how to begin testing, please check out our CPA Resource Page.
What is the MAS Program?
The Master of Accounting Science (MAS) Program is our 1-year Master's program for Accountancy students. The program provides the opportunity to gain specialized knowledge of accounting in a variety of accountancy and business concentrations. Completing this graduate program also leaves you CPA eligible in Illinois and provides our students more in-depth content coverage for the CPA exams. For more information, follow this think here.
How do I apply for CPT?
Like our domestic students, international students in accountancy often look to work an internship prior to graduation. To do this during their program, they will need to work with ISSS and their department to remain compliant with their visa by applying for Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Check out ISSS's page on CPT here.
For international Accountancy students, you will likely enroll in ACCY 290 during the semester you work your internship. Please work with your academic advisor to ensure this is the correct course for you to take. Check out our page here for more information on the course.
Can I receive academic credit for an internship?
No. While we have an Accountancy internship course, ACCY 290, this course is designed for students who have an internship but need to remain a full-time student during their internship semester. This is required for international students to remain compliant with their visa requirements.
Should I double major with Accountancy?
It depends. While it is not uncommon for Accountancy students to double major, that should not be the sole reason you decide to pick up a second major. This is because adding a second major may not benefit you professionally and it may limit what you can do prior to graduation. For example, double majoring sometimes limits the ability to study abroad, participate in RSOs, take an internship semester, and even leaving here CPA eligible. So before declaring a second major, we highly encourage you to meet with an advisor and make sure this is the right choice for you.
A lot can happen in your college career, so it is important to know what other resources you have at your disposal. These resources can address various academic, mental health, and physical health concerns you may face; however, this list is not exhaustive, so for a more complete list, please check out the wonderful page managed by the Success Lab here.
The Student Success Lab assists our students with the various academic challenges before them.
Peer Tutoring is also available for both Business Core Courses and our undergraduate ACCY Courses.
The Conny Frank CARE Center locates other resources for students overcoming hardships on campus.
Disability Resources and Educational Services provides equal opportunity for everyone to benefit from an education at UIUC.
The Counseling Center helps students manage their mental health. We also have an embedded counselor in Gies, Jen House.
The Food Resources page connects students facing food insecurity with local and off campus services because no one should go hungry.
