Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics

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The mission of the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics is to develop ethical, effective practitioners and scholars in the related disciplines of accounting, finance and economics.

Distinctives of the Accounting Program

The accounting program was one of the first programs accredited for accounting by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. The accounting program is recognized for its academic excellence and preparation of students for successful careers in the accounting profession. The accounting program has experienced a 100 percent placement rate for accounting graduates over many years and has a proven track record of preparing students for the CPA Examination.

The accounting program offers several attractive options in accounting education:

• An undergraduate accounting major which includes: BBA core requirements covering a broad spectrum of business courses, a set of five required courses and 2 electives that can include course work in:

      • Data Science

      • Finance

• An 18-hour Certificate of Accountancy Program (CAP) designed for students with a bachelor’s degree who did not major in accounting but aspire to become eligible to sit for the CPA Examination

• A 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Professional Accountancy, which can be conveniently combined with the undergraduate CAP certificate to obtain 30 hours of accounting

• A 30-hour Master of Accountancy degree (MAcc)

• An Integrated Accounting Seminar (Accounting Boot Camp) for MAcc candidates who were not accounting majors

Majors in accounting are required to have an accounting internship to further integrate the academic and experiential areas of accounting.

Our accounting faculty has extensive experience in the professional practice of accounting, auditing and tax planning and are able to translate this experience into practical classroom applications.

Activities and Organizations

• Annual Meet the Firm and Meet the Firm Lite Events. Students network with employers about career opportunities.
• Internships/Part-time jobs. Students are required to participate in the internship program where positions are available with large to medium-size public accounting firms, publicly-traded corporations and other organizations. Internships provide students with opportunities to work in a professional environment while earning academic credit. Most accounting internships provide excellent compensation. Also, Middle Tennessee offers excellent opportunities for non-credit part-time work in accounting and business.
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. The accounting program works with the Internal Revenue Service in a joint program, known as the VITA program, providing tax return preparation services for low income families and the elderly. This program very successfully integrates the practice of accounting with service to the community.
• Alpha Kappa Psi. Lipscomb’s only national co-ed business fraternity.
• Student Center for the Public Trust. Lipscomb University is home to the inaugural Student Center for the Public Trust chapter, created in 2009 by the NASBA Center for the Public Trust, to focus on educating and engaging future business leaders in the areas of ethics, accountability and integrity.
• IMA Student Chapter. The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) student chapter is a part of the Nashville IMA Chapter and exists to provide students a greater knowledge of careers in management accounting and corporate finance. Chapter activities include meetings, service projects, and attendance at local IMA events. 
• Honors program.  The College of Business supports students in the Honors college with special sections of core business classes, trips to meet business leaders and tours.  

Career Opportunities - Accounting

• Public accounting
• Internal auditing
• Managerial accounting
• Corporate accounting
• Government and nonprofit accounting
• Data analysis
• Law school

Lipscomb’s Accounting Program and the CPA Examination

The Tennessee State Board of Accountancy requires candidates for the CPA license to pass all four parts of the Uniform CPA exam and complete 150 hours of education, with specific requirements in both accounting (30 hours) and business (24 hours). 

In order to prepare our students for the CPA examination, Lipscomb University offers the following options:

1. Obtain the B.B.A. and M.Acc. degrees. This option provides both an undergraduate degree with a business major and a Master of Accountancy degree in 150 total hours of course work.
2. Obtain the B.B.A. and M.B.A. degrees. This option provides both an undergraduate degree with a major in accounting and a Master of Business Administration degree with a maximum of 10 hours in accounting and finance.
3. Obtain the undergraduate Certificate in Accountancy and the graduate Certificate in Professional Accountancy. Together, the 18-hour undergraduate Certificate in Accountancy and the 12-hour graduate Certificate in Professional Accountancy provide for a total of at least 30 accounting hours. These hours will be combined with the student’s existing hours for a total of 150 hours.

For students not pursuing the CPA credential, the B.B.A. degree with a major in accounting is available by taking the prescribed coursework provided under the accounting major details below.

Distinctives of the Finance and Economics Program

Lipscomb offers a BBA in Finance.  The program includes a set of four required courses and three electives. Electives can be chosen from any upper division finance or accounting course as well as approved courses from other fields of study.

Tennessee Valley Authority Investment Challenge

Students enrolled in FI 3703  Equity Investing and FI 4813 Investment Fund Management  participate in the TVA Investment Challenge, an annual competition among 25 schools in the TVA service region. Each team manages an all-equity portfolio of approximately $500,000. Students perform all of the analysis and make all transaction decisions related to managing the portfolio.

CFA Research Challenge

The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a global competition between university-sponsored teams that research a designated publicly traded company, prepare a written report on that selected company, and then present their findings to a panel of judges. Students assume the role of research analysts and are judged on their ability to value a stock, write a research report, and present their recommendations. 

Other Events and Programs

• Annual Career and Networking Event. Students can network with employers at this event and learn more about career opportunities.
• Internships. Students are required to participate in a finance internship program with excellent opportunities being available in Middle Tennessee and other locations.
• Student Center for the Public Trust. Lipscomb University is home to the inaugural Student Center for the Public Trust chapter, created in 2009 by the NASBA Center for the Public Trust, to focus on education and engaging future business leaders on ethics, accountability, and integrity.
• Finance Club. The Finance Club extends an open invitation to all students with an interest in finance, offering a platform for active engagement in diverse finance-related pursuits. Our club facilitates opportunities for members to partake in mentoring, gain insights into the financial industry, foster valuable connections through networking, and engage in competitive events, among other activities. Students participating in these initiatives may anticipate enhancing their understanding of finance while gaining opportunities to develop essential skills through practical engagement.
• Honors program.  The College of Business supports students in the Honors college with special sections of core business classes, trips to meet business leaders and tours.  

Career Opportunities

• Commercial banking
• Investment banking
• Asset management
• Real estate investment
• Personal financial planning
• Corporate financial management
• Law school

Program of Study Requirements

• Accounting, B.B.A.
• Finance Major, B.B.A.

• Accounting Minor
• Finance Minor
• Financial Markets Minor

• Certificate in Accountancy Program (CAP)

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