Accounting and Finance Degrees Offered at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette appears in our ranking of the 50 Best Online Master of Finance Degree Programs.
Through the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) offers both finance and accounting undergraduate and graduate degrees resulting in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), or Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Students enrolled in the accounting bachelor’s program need a total of 125 credit hours to graduate including 13 core classes covering introductory financial, managerial, tax, and cost accounting, intermediate accounting, and auditing. In addition, departmental staff help students secure two three-credit-hour internships at local companies to provide real-world experience as well as networking opportunities. ULL’s master’s program in accounting consists of 33 credit hours which can be completed in one year. There are six required courses which focus primarily on theory, ethics, and research. Following this, students choose two graduate business electives as well as three electives from seven accounting-related options including Contemporary Accounting Thought, Fraud Examination, and Financial Accounting Research and Analysis. Upon graduation, students are prepared to take the Certified Public Accounting exams.
Undergraduate finance students at ULL need to complete 120 hours before receiving their B.S.B.A. As the field is multidisciplinary in nature, required classes come from the accounting, management, business, law, economics, and marketing departments. In addition, there are six required finance courses which include Money and Banking, Investments, and Financial Problems Analysis as well as two electives. Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the field are directed to the finance concentration of the MBA program which is offered during the evenings on campus or through an accelerated 15-month online program. Both consist of the same 11 classes which consist of seven core business classes including Data Analysis, Organizational Behavior and Leadership, and International Business along with four finance concentration courses.
All students in the business college are encouraged to get involved in campus organizations and clubs. The Institute of Management Accountants Student Chapter of ULL invites industry leaders to speak on campus, plans service-learning opportunities, and holds social events. The Financial Management Association National Honor Society is a worldwide organization available to junior and senior undergraduates studying finance with at least a 3.2 GPA. There are also various professional development opportunities on campus for all students.
About the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Located in the south central region of the state, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette has grown significantly, just in the last decade, both in terms of increasing enrollment with a record high of 19,387 students in 2018 and regarding campus expansion with the recent addition of three new residence halls. The school is now the largest out of the nine state schools that make up the University of Louisiana System, and its graduation rate is among the highest in the state, having increased by 49 percent since 2010. In spite of the campus changes, the university remains committed to its values, emphasizing the importance of research, responsibility, and community involvement in all disciplines. The university is starting to gain national recognition, and the U.S. News and World Report ranked its online business programs 153rd out of 301 schools.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Accreditation Details
The University of Louisiana schools are all reviewed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) which is the certifying body responsible for schools in the southeastern region of the United States. The SACSCOC evaluates a variety of aspects of an institution, both education and business-related. ULL has been accredited since 1925 which means that it has continuously met all standards and is committed to regular self-evaluation and improvement efforts. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is another accrediting organization, but it only looks at specific programs, not the university as a whole. ULL’s school of business is one of 175 schools worldwide to hold AACSB advanced status in business and accounting.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Application Requirements
With an acceptance rate around 55%, undergraduate admission to the University of Lafayette is considered selective with the biggest factors being high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. Cutoff scores for admission are set at a 2.5 minimum GPA and a minimum of 23 on the ACT and 1050 for the SAT. It is recommended that students take the Louisiana Core 4 high school curriculum consisting of four years each of English, math, science, and social studies along with two years of foreign language and one year in the arts.
Students applying to the graduate accounting program must send in the online application, official transcripts from all previous schools documenting completion of a bachelor’s degree, a professional resume, three letters of recommendation, GMAT scores, and a personal statement. All finance MBA applicants with a 3.0+ GPA only need to submit transcripts showing an undergraduate degree. In order for individuals with a 2.75 to 2.99 GPA to meet admissions criteria, they need to include a professional resume showing more than three years of relevant professional experience or a GMAT score above 450. Conditional admission may be granted to applicants with a 2.5 to 2.75 GPA, but they do need to provide a resume and three letters of recommendation as well as a GMAT above 450 for those with less five years of experience.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition at ULL runs almost $10,000 per year for in-state students and $24,000 for residents of other states. The online MBA program costs a total of $12,800 which includes all necessary course materials. The only additional expenses online students have are proctoring fees for certain exams. Graduate students in the master of science or campus-based MBA programs can expect to pay approximately $1650 per class. Assistantships, campus research or teaching positions, can help offset some tuition costs. These are awarded based on academic achievement. Many students in the MBA program work full-time while in school and can take advantage of tuition reimbursement programs offered through their employers. All students are advised to complete a FAFSA to determine eligibility for scholarship, grant, and loan programs like the Louisiana TOPS program. Prospective students are invited to contact the business school or financial aid office with any questions about the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
