RMU was founded as the Pittsburgh School of Accountancy in 1921, and the University has a long history of providing high-quality accounting education.

"Generally Accepted Accounting Newsletter", a periodically published newsletter that provides latest information for RMU accounting students and faculty, can be subscribed and accessed here.

Generally Accepted Accounting Newsletter

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Vision

The Robert Morris University Department of Accounting and Taxation will enhance its excellence in professionally focused accounting education and career-readiness.

Mission

Building on our University’s heritage as a school of accountancy and our culture of academic excellence, the mission of the Robert Morris University Department of Accounting and Taxation is to elevate students by providing them with pathways to career success, developing their professional knowledge base and skills in the fields of accounting and taxation, and fostering their overall intellectual acuity
through a student-centered educational approach.

CPA Preparation

The Accounting program at RMU prepares students for careers in both public and private accounting. The educational requirements to become a CPA in Pennsylvania are:

1. Undergraduate degree
2. 24 credits in accounting, auditing, business law, finance and tax.
3. Completion of the RMU undergraduate accounting major check sheet will meet the PA requirements to sit for the exam.
4. 120 credits are required to sit for the CPA exam; 150 credits are required to obtain a CPA license. 

Visit the PA State Board of Accountancy website or speak with your academic advisor for other requirements. 

You might also want to read about “Become a CPA in Pennsylvania” booklet published by the Pennsylvania CPA Foundation here.

In addition, the accounting faculty recommends that following CPA preparation tips:

1. Complete all of the following accounting and business electives in the undergraduate curriculum including: 
   1. ACCT4020 Advanced Financial Accounting
   2. ACCT4040 Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting
   3. ACCT4110 Taxes II: Federal and State
   4. BLAW3050 Business Laws II
2. Do not take the CPA exam without having taken a CPA Review Course.
3. Take the CPA Review Course as soon as possible after graduation.
4. Consider deferring your employment start date to allow for time to take the CPA Review Course and take the exam.
5. Seek employers who will pay for the CPA Review Course.

CMA Preparation

RMU Accounting program is recognized by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)’s Higher Education Endorsement Program for its rigorous academic program. Click here to learn more about becoming a Certified Management Accountant. 
RMU students can are able to receive the CMA certification when they complete their 120-credit BSBA degree and pass the CMA exam.  The accounting faculty recommends that 

1. Complete the relevant accounting and finance courses in the undergraduate curriculum including:
   1. ACCT3100 Cost Accounting I
   2. ACCT4100 Cost Accounting II
   3. FINA3000 Principle of Finance
   4. FINA3200 Corporate Finance
   5. FINA3500 International Finance
2. Enroll in IMA Student Membership by contacting Dr. Abdullah.
3. Apply for IMA’s CMA scholarship by contacting Dr. Abdullah.

Accounting students enjoy above-average job placement rate, thanks to the department’s robust internship program. Students can take internships with or without credits. If students intend to take internship for credit, students must apply and seek approval BEFORE their internship starts. In addition to School of Business guidelines, student applying for accounting academic internship must also follow the following guidelines:

• Department Head Approval
• Minimum GPA: 2.5
• Most internships will be approved for 3 credits if they meet the following criteria:
  • The internship has a valid job description or additional information supplied by the employer that clearly states what professional accounting or taxation skills students will learn.
  • The internship employer has agreed to share or help with student intern evaluations.
• In general, the maximum number of credits per internship is 6. Occasionally, an internship can be approved for more than 6 credits at Department Head’s discretion. For an internship to be approved for more than 3 credits, the following criteria must be met:
  • The internship has a valid job description that clearly states what advanced professional accounting or taxation skills students will learn.
  • The internship employer has agreed to share or help with student intern evaluations.
  • Learning experiences must include significant emerging technologies training provided by the employer. (Emerging technology means new or continuing developed technologies/tools used in practice.)
  • The student has to commit to participating and presenting in an internship expo organized by the department.
• Minimum courses in the concentration completed or taken concurrently at RMU – One (1), has to be either ACCT3030 “Intermediate Accounting I” or ACCT 3110 “Taxes I” except for the VITA internship
• Registration deadlines are the end of the fourth week of the fall and spring semesters and the end of the second week of the summer session.
• In addition to faculty supervisor requirements, students must complete the end-of-internship evaluation survey before credits are awarded. 

To submit your academic internship application, please visit the Career and Professional Development Center’s AIP website.

Submit your end-of-internship evaluation per your internship supervisor instruction.

Submit End-Of-Internship Evaluation

The Department manages and awards multiple endowed scholarships every year. These scholarships include Accounting & Taxation Legacy Scholarship, Alpern Rosenthal Scholarship, Deloitte and Touche Scholarship, Klemash Scholarship, McCutcheon Endowed Scholarship, Oticon Scholarship, Price Waterhouse Cooper Scholarship, Schneider Downs Scholarship, and Accounting Diversity Scholarship. The application typically opens in the mid-Spring semester and the award decisions made by the end of the spring semester.

RMU accounting students are also constant winners of some notable external scholarships, such as the ones provided by the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (PICPA), American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Pittsburgh Chapter, and Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Pittsburgh Chapter.

In addition to scholarships that provide direct financial support, RMU accounting students are eligible for Becker CPA Scholarship and CMA Scholarship that provide free exam preparation materials and other perks such as heavily discounted exam entrance fee. Please consult with your academic advisor for details.

The Department of Accounting and Taxation Advisory Board works with accounting faculty to ensure the RMU accounting curriculum is aligned to meet industry needs and to help raise the program’s profile. As a member of the RMU Accounting Advisory Board, these individuals contribute their expertise to promote the success of department programming and the development of future ones.

Current Advisory Board members are:

• Joseph Battaglia, Director, PwC
• Scott Beaves, Managing Director, FedEx
• Jay R. Daugherty, Tax Managing Director, BDO
• Amanda K. DeCaria, Assistant Vice President, Bryn Mawr Trust Wealth Management
• Eric Fair, Shareholder, Schneider Downs
• Adam Goode, Shareholder, Schneider Downs
• Chelsey Knapton, Managing Director, Audit, KPMG
• Steve Kobert, Manager, Advisory, EY
• Christina Rising, Senior Manager, Deloitte
• Sandy Stewart, Principal, HBK CPAs & Consultants
• Daniel Ward, Audit Director, The Bank of New York Mellon
• Jeffrey A. Wlahofsky, Shareholder, Schneider Downs