Department of Accounting
On behalf of the faculty of the Department of Accounting, we welcome you to our website.
Our department prides itself on:
- High-caliber graduates, who work in a variety of positions in Northeast Indiana and beyond.
- Supportive faculty, each thoroughly educated and experienced in his or her field.
- All students, from Freshman to Seniors, are encouraged to attend our over 16 networking events each academic year that are organized through our student organizations, Accounting Society and Finance Society.
For additional information, email or contact our department secretary, Jane Hirschbiel,
at 260-481-6471.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Janet Papiernik, Chair
Department of Accounting
Accounting is the study of how businesses track their income and assets over time. The field of accounting offers challenging work that is constantly evolving.
Accounting Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Accounting is to serve the needs of the department's constituencies by providing accounting education to citizens of northeastern Indiana, service and support to the professional and university communities, and opportunities for faculty development.
The major objective of the accounting program is to provide a program of professional accounting education that will enable graduates to become productive and contributing members of the accounting profession and provide them with a foundation upon which continued life-long learning can be built. To meet this objective, students graduating from the accounting program should possess the following knowledge and skills.
- An understanding of generally accepted accounting principles and the accounting theory that provides an overall framework for the development of such principles.
- An understanding of financial and managerial accounting, commercial law, taxation, auditing, and other elements of accounting as they apply to business enterprises, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
- The analytical ability to develop and utilize accounting, legal, taxation, and other information to solve complex and unstructured business problems.
- The ability to communicate clearly and persuasively about accounting and other related matters, both in writing and orally, to business professionals.
- An understanding of ethical behavior in the accounting profession and an awareness of situations with ethical ramifications that will provide the student with a framework useful for developing solutions to ethical dilemmas.
Auditing
Financial
Managerial
Tax
CPA Firms
Other
Employers are regularly on campus to network with and hire our students. We believe that finding the right fit for the student and employer is crucial. Therefore, all students from Freshman to Seniors are encouraged to attend our numerous networking events coordinated through the Accounting Society and Finance Society. Students will have the opportunity engage in at least 16 networking events every academic year. Several of these employers also work with our Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Office to hire our students to gain real-world experience while completing their studies and Career Services to hire students for full-time employment after graduation.
Internships
Students are gaining real-world accounting and finance experience through the Co-Op Program at PFW. Participation in this program allows students to earn academic credits while gaining real-world business experience. A faculty mentor works with the employer and student to ensure beneficial experience. Opportunities are available in public firms and private companies in Northeast Indiana and Ohio. Approximately 25 students participate in this program each semester. Examples of participating companies include many already mention above as well as those listed in the following table:
