Accounting
Bachelor's, Degree Completion
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Finish your bachelor’s degree with this entirely online completion program and gain the skills you need to pursue careers in accounting.
Why Study Accounting at Winona State?
Accounting extends well beyond auditing, taxation, and business advisory services.
Accountants also:
- help guide good managerial decision making.
- keep track of organizational financial commitments.
- report budgetary information to government entities.
- do forensic accounting work, like investigating white-collar crimes.
With the Accounting online degree completion program at Winona State, you’ll be ready to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam and pursue a career in any industry or sector.
This fully online program is meant for students who have already completed general education requirements. Students who are well suited for the Accounting online degree completion program include working adults, parents, and distance learners.
The Accounting bachelor’s degree program is offered through the Accounting Department. This major is also 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 Major?
As an Accounting major, you’ll learn how to record, translate, and report accounting data using industry software and technology.
You’ll also:
- know best practices for making recommendations to improve financial performance.
- expand your professional network to earn a paid internship or post-graduate job in your field.
- get hands-on experience completing real-world audits, tax returns, and other career-relevant projects with local companies.
Your coursework will prepare you for graduate studies or work at small organizations, large corporations, or the government.
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
Coursework is delivered entirely online, making the Accounting program great for anyone who wants to fit their education into their personal and professional lives.
With fully asynchronous classes, you can complete your assignments anytime, anywhere. This means you can take your career to the next level at your own pace.
The Accounting major curriculum prepares you to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.
This designation through the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) is extremely valuable for getting hired and/or promoted in accounting.
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.
Hear from Alumni
Careers & Outcomes
Whether you want to help businesses make better financial decisions, support responsible use of resources, or become licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), accounting skills can give you more ways to make an impact.
for Accountants and Auditors
for Budget Analysts
for Financial Analysts
Learn more about what careers are possible with this degree completion program 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.
This program does not meet F-1 visa requirements for international students.
However, more than 90% of Winona State’s majors and programs meet F-1 visa criteria.
Learn More about International Services
Bachelor's, Degree Completion
Bachelor's, Degree Completion
Bachelor's, Degree Completion