Finance and Accounting Degrees Offered at the University of St Francis
The University of St Francis appears in our ranking of the Top 40 Best Online MBAs in Finance.
The University of St Francis (USF) is a Catholic-sponsored higher education institution dedicated to the highest of standards toward the education of its students while maintaining an ethical protocol superior to almost any school in the land. The college has used every possible tool available for the expansion of an academic program that started with students limited t the few nuns housed within the convent. Keeping with its tradition of service to the community, students pursuing finance and accounting degrees volunteer their services for the poor and moderate-income families in and around Joliet, Illinois. The school is nationally noted for its excellent graduates who enter the workforce with bachelor’s that include majors or minor in finance or accounting, master’s in the finance and accounting fields, or those who seek to sharpen their skills at USF with post-undergraduate certifications in the two fields
Students at USF are encouraged to add a minor degree to a major field of study they are pursuing. Undergraduates studying another area in their major use their time in school well when they add a minor in either finance or accounting. Both minors require 15 hours of classes, either online or in classrooms. Such minors work to round out the repertoire of a graduate and serve as new horizons for students pursuing majors in other fields such as the Bachelor of Science in Education in Mathematics as a practical application of their major field.
A traditional Bachelor of Science in Finance at USF requires the student to complete 120-semester credits. The undergraduate seeking a finance degree at USF can choose to concentrate on one of four areas. The choice includes:
- Banking & Credit Analyst
- Entrepreneurial & Small Business Finance
- Finance Planning
- General Financial Management
USF uses the time the school has with its students in a unique fashion. The faculty are qualified instructors as well as members of the business community and bring real-world experience to the classroom. Students work in intern programs, some paid some unpaid, to bring what they have learned in the courses at USF into focus in a real-time environment. Modern technology helps to fashion students by projecting results through established computer models.
Students who pursue USF’s highly regarded Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting enter a rigorous program that updates with every advance in the field, including any technological advances and problem-solving programs that surface every year. The intensity of the program wins accolades from organizations outside USF. Students are expected to reach these five outcomes:
- Decision modeling: Students demonstrate their knowledge of crucial approaches to decision making in accounting
- Risk analysis: Students demonstrate the ability to formulate, analyze, and think through the theories of risk management
- Measurement and Reporting: Students develop the skill of communicating clearly and objectively through the use of appropriate professional language
- Research: Students demonstrate their ability to research through difficult databanks, analyze the data, and submit accurate reports
- Technology: Students demonstrate the ability to use updated technology to find and use appropriate accounting tools
Accounting students in their final two years of study volunteer to prepare tax returns for those in the surrounding communities who are unable to prepare their returns. The task provides an insight for the students into the real-world while injecting Franciscan values into their curriculum The experience of helping those who are unable to help themselves is one of the principal positive comments left by USF students as the graduate and move into the world.
For undergraduates in finance or accounting programs, USF offers the chance to finish their undergraduate and graduate degrees simultaneously. Students who wish to pursue this line elect to take nine graduate-level credit hours during the last two years of their baccalaureate degree and stay on for another year to finish the remainder of their masters-level curriculum.
In recognition of the intense work environment and family life of students who are working, USF offers graduate certificates in both finance and accounting. The Professional Graduate Certificate in Accounting and its brother in finance are offered either in the classroom or online to busy professionals. These certificates are designed to sharpen the skills of the students in their respective fields and apply as credits earned if the student later seeks a master’s degree at USF.
The fields of finance and accounting are specializations in USF Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degrees. A student choosing to enter these masters-level programs expects to complete 36 credit hours of study including a capstone project that reflects their knowledge of their subject. Those students lucky enough to graduate with an MBA from USF are quickly snatched up by competing employers, effectively raising the graduates earning potential.
About University of St Francis
USF started as an internal educational opportunity in 1920 for the members of the Congregation of the Third Order of St Francis of Mary Immaculate. By 1925, the school recognized the needs of the surrounding community and opened its doors to women outside the membership. In 1930, the first four-year curriculum was advanced and grew as more subject materials, and knowledgeable faculty became available. In 1971, the school became coeducational, and in 1980 the first masters-level programs grew out of the needs of the surrounding community. The school exhibits its ethical standards and its mission through its graduates. The life of this Franciscan school revolves around community involvement.
USF is ranked highly by outside organizations for its educational programs. In 2020, the school humbly acknowledged the US News & World Report rankings on their list of Best Regional Universities, Best Value Schools, and Best Online Programs. The prestigious Money Magazine rates USF as one of its Best Colleges for Your Money and has appeared on The Princeton Review’s list of Best Colleges: Region by Region for each year since 2008.
University of St Francis Accreditation Details
USF is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Programmatic accreditations include:
- The Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
- Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)
- Council of Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions (COAPRT)
- Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Board (IAODAPCB)
- Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
University of St Francis Application Requirements
First-year students seeking admission to USF must submit an unopened official high school transcript reflection a minimum GPA of 2.50 or above. An SAT score of 1020 or an ACT score of 20 is also required. To be automatically accepted, a high school transcript must show passing grades in:
- Four years of English
- Three years of mathematics
- Two years of social sciences
- Two years of sciences (one with lab)
- Three years of a foreign language or computer science or music/art or a combination of two of the three areas
- Three years of electives
Graduate-level applicants must already hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school. To apply for the MBA program at USF, the applicant must also submit all transcripts from every post-secondary institution they attended. There is no application fee.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The tuition costs ate USF for undergraduates pursuing full-time education is $34,000 or $850 per credit hour if the student is taking part-time classes. Tuition for graduate students pursuing an MBA runs at $798.00 per credit hour, while those seeking a graduate certification pay $399.00 per credit hour.
Scholarships are available at the university for qualified students. Some employers are involved with a comprehensive compensation program that may cover all tuition and book costs. Check with your employer to see if they area part of the program. The Financial Aid Department helps students find funds through multiple sources like Pell Grants, Need Grants, and state or community endorsements. The school offers assistance in applications to the Federal Student Loans Programs as the last contingent for students needing help.
The reputation of a school travels with its graduates. The ethical and professional standards developed of years of work has created a mystique at the University of St Francis that translates into quick job opportunities for its graduates.
