Accounting
Minor
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Get started with budgeting. Learn Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Enhance your financial knowledge.
Why Study Accounting at Winona State?
Accounting is more than just bookkeeping and reporting. From setting a budget to filing taxes to analyzing financial performance, accounting is part of our everyday lives.
And that’s why accountants are in high demand in the workforce. They’re the ones who help individuals, businesses, and organizations achieve their financial goals.
The Accounting minor through Winona State’s Accounting Department is meant for anyone who wants to complement a business major or intends to start their own business someday. This minor is also a good fit for students who are passionate about using data to inform decisions.
The Accounting minor is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
available annually to Accounting and College of Business students of all levels through the WSU Foundation.
of business schools worldwide are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)—and Winona State University is one of them! This is a significant honor.
Four Winona State Business students—including Aanuoluwapo “Favour” Ogunwole ’26, an Accounting and Management Information Systems double major—developed a plan for a non-profit to offer mentorship and job training to refugees, impressing judges at an international contest.
Read Their Story
What Will You Learn as an Accounting Minor?
As an Accounting minor, you’ll learn the fundamentals of accounting and tailor your studies to your personal interests—from budgeting to filing taxes to using accounting systems.
You’ll also:
- analyze customer profitability
- study the basic accounting cycle and the environment of accounting
- use product costing systems and standard costing systems to aid managerial decision making
- know how to account for cash, receivables, inventories, plant and equipment, and intangible assets
Aside from major- or minor-specific requirements, you’ll need to complete additional requirements through the General Education Program (GEP) to earn your degree from Winona State University.
Learn More about the GEP
Program Highlights
Real-World Training
The College of Business Engagement Center is your hub for experiential learning.
This space includes the Winona National Bank Financial Markets Lab, Strauss Center for Sales Excellence, Federated Insurance Role Play Room, and an event area dedicated to collaborating with guest business partners.
You’ll receive personalized business student advising services and other support from when you enroll in this program to when you graduate.
There are also business-focused career advising services to help match you with a local organization in need of new talent.
Beyond the Classroom
Apply what you learn in the classroom by traveling the world. At Winona State, you can earn credit that applies to your degree while exploring the globe.
Learn about the history of money in Italy or sports business and law in Portugal and Spain.
Or explore the business of health care in France and the business of tourism in Chile.
You can also check out our more than 100 other study abroad programs across 40+ countries.
This minor’s curriculum is directly influenced by the physical environment.
Winona and the surrounding area comprise a rich variety of thriving accounting firms, businesses, and organizations.
By engaging with our partners, you can participate in internships, network with employers for job shadowing experiences, and practice your skills in solving their real-world dilemmas through case studies and projects.
Want to meet like-minded students and explore accounting? Get involved in campus organizations that share your passion.
Like the Accounting Association, Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, and Financial Management Association.
You might also want to check out Women in Business.
With over 100 clubs and organizations, there’s something for everyone.
Hear from Alumni
Careers & Outcomes
Although an Accounting minor alone can’t guarantee you a job in the field, it can take your business major to the next level.
for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
for Cost Estimators
Learn more about what careers are possible with this minor and where our alumni have gone after graduation.
Program Admission
To become a College of Business student, you’ll need to be accepted to Winona State first.
Once you’ve been accepted to Winona State, you must meet the following admissions criteria before you can be admitted into the College of Business and apply to your business-specific program.
Admissions Criteria
To be admitted into the College of Business, you must:
- have earned 30 credits or more at the time of your application. Most students have 30 credits after their first 2 semesters at Winona State.
- have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- have completed all prerequisite courses at Winona State (or course equivalents at another institution) prior to starting your chosen program. You must have a grade of “C” or better in all 3-credit college level prerequisites.
Prerequisite Courses
| Course Code | Course Title | Alternative(s) |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 211 | Financial Accounting Principles | |
| CMST 191 | Introduction to Public Speaking | You can substitute CMST 191 by completing CMST 192 (Introduction to Effective Communication). Marketing majors are encouraged to take CMST 192. |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | You can substitute ECON 201 by completing ECON 202 (Principles of Macroeconomics). |
| ENG 111 | College Reading and Writing | |
| MATH 110 | Finite Mathematics | You can substitute MATH 110 by completing any of the following courses: MATH 112 (Applied Precalculus), MATH 115 (College Algebra), MATH 120 (Precalculus), MATH 140 (Applied Calculus), or MATH 212 (Calculus I). Math requirements vary by business major, but any of these math courses will be used for College of Business admission. |
| STAT 110 | Fundamentals of Statistics | You can substitute STAT 110 by completing any one of the following courses: STAT 210 (Statistics) or ECON 222 (Statistics for Business and Economics). Statistics requirements vary by business major, but any of these statistics courses will be used for College of Business admission. |
Completing Prerequisite Courses at Other Institutions
If it would be better for your schedule to complete these prerequisites at another institution, make sure your credits will satisfy the requirements.
If you decide to complete any College of Business prerequisite courses at an institution within the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities System, you must use eServices to confirm whether the institution offers course equivalents that Winona State will accept.
If you choose to complete any of these prerequisites at an institution outside the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities System, you can use Transferology to understand how your credits may transfer to Winona State.
You can also meet with a counselor who specializes in transfer admissions to confirm you’ve got your bases covered.
Application Process
After you complete the prerequisite courses and meet the admissions criteria, you can be admitted into the College of Business with 2 applications.
Declare Business Program(s)
Declare your business major or minor using Winona State’s Declaration/Change of Major/Minor form.
Your business program must appear on your Degree Audit Report (DARS) before you can move on to the final step.
Declaration/Change of Major/Minor FormApply to the College of Business
Submit your College of Business application—and you’re in!
You can now begin taking upper-level business courses for your selected program(s).
College of Business ApplicationHave Questions?
Learn more about College of Business program admission requirements.
If you still need assistance, you can meet with the College of Business Advisor by scheduling an online or in-person appointment.
