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Finance and Accounting Degrees Offered at Clayton State University

Clayton State University appears in our ranking of the 20 Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s in Accounting.

Clayton State University offers an array of accounting degree options for undergraduate, graduate and online students. All accounting degree programs are offered by the university’s College of Business, and they include:

  • 5 undergraduate majors
  • 8 undergraduate minors
  • 5 MBA concentrations, including one in accounting
  • Master of Science in Supply Chain Management
  • Master of Strategic Leadership Development

Faculty of the College of Business are published in major journals and other publications, and many of them have practiced accounting in the field. The college offers a major mentorship program along with internship opportunities, networking events, specialized business research centers, and several business-focused student organizations.

Undergraduate students who wish to pursue Bachelor of Business Administration, or BBA, degrees in accounting can do so through the College of Business’s BBA program. The accounting concentration program is a rigorous one with a curriculum that is focused on the global economy. A total of 120 credit hours is required to earn a BBA in accounting from this school, including 30 general education credits and 90 core curriculum credits. Courses that may be taken to fulfill the core curriculum requirement include:

  • Principles of Financial Accounting
  • Introduction to Business
  • Business Statistics
  • Corporate Finance
  • Taxation of Individuals
  • Accounting Information Systems

Clayton State University’s College of Business also offers an undergraduate minor in accounting, which requires the completion of 18 credit hours of core curriculum courses.

The school also offers a popular Master of Business Administration, or MBA, program with a concentration in accounting. A fast-track degree program, it is comprised of eight-week sessions and requires a total of 33 credit hours. If desired, students may complete additional upper-level courses to qualify to sit for the CPA, or Certified Public Accountant, exam; the CMA, or Certified Management Accountant, exam; or the CIA, or Certified Internal Auditor, exam.

Courses that are part of the core curriculum of the MBA in Accounting program include:

  • Accounting Concepts
  • Advanced Topics in Taxation
  • Corporate Finance
  • Leadership and Organizational Behavior

An online MBA in Accounting program is also offered through the College of Business. It consists of 33 credit hours and can be completed in as little as 12 months. Required core curriculum courses include Accounting Concepts, Commercial Law for Accountants and Corporate Finance.

About Clayton State University

Located in Morrow, Georgia, which is part of Metro Atlanta, Clayton State University is situated on 192 acres and has an undergraduate student population of around 6,900. Founded in 1969, the public university started out as Clayton Junior College. In 1986, the school achieved four-year status, and its name changed to Clayton State College. When the Georgia Board of Regents opted to rename schools in the system in 1996, its name changed to Clayton College and State University. The school obtained its current name in 2005 to reflect its growing array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

In U.S. News and World Report’s 2020 Best Colleges rankings, the school was ranked 51st in Top Performers on Social Mobility and 172nd in Best Online MBA Programs.

Clayton State University Accreditation Details

Clayton State University holds regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or SACS. Its College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – a distinction that is held by only 5 percent of business schools in the U.S.

Clayton State University Application Requirements

With approximately 54 percent of applicants being admitted to the school, Clayton State University is fairly competitive in terms of admissions. In the most recent year, 1,073 out of 1,974 applicants were admitted into the university. Of those who were admitted, 60 percent opted to enroll, which suggests that the school is a top choice for many of its applicants.

To be eligible for enrollment at Clayton State University, students must have completed the 17 Required High School Courses, or RHSC, which all accredited high schools in the state of Georgia are required to offer. The school also imposes a minimum GPA of 2.0, which is not particularly competitive.

As for standardized testing, students need an SAT of at least 24 in reading and 22 in math to be accepted into the school. For ACT test-takers, a score of at least 17 in English; at least 17 in math; and at least 17 composite is needed. Students who meet or exceed these requirements are far more likely to be accepted into the university.

Tuition and Financial Aid

In-state tuition for one year of undergraduate study at Clayton State University is $5,538. Out-of-state tuition for one year of undergraduate study averages around $16,260. Graduate students at the university pay an average of $7,000 per year in state and $14,000 out of state.

Tuition for Clayton State University College of Business’s online MBA degree programs is $12,705, making it one of the more affordable online MBA programs out there.

Incoming undergraduate students of Clayton State University should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, to determine their eligibility for various types of financial aid. Many types of need-based financial aid are available to students and private, merit-based financial aid options are available as well. Roughly 94 percent of the school’s students receive some type of financial aid, and most of them receive a combination of scholarships, grants, and loans.

The average grant or scholarship amount awarded to Clayton State University students is $4,806. Students receive an average of $4,516 in Pell grants and an average of $7,302 in federal student loans.

Institutional scholarships offered by the university include the Alumni Association Dream Maker Scholarship; the Clayton State Veterans Annual Scholarship; the Retention Scholarship; and the Honors Program Scholarship, which is available to entering freshmen and students who are entering their junior year.

Accounting majors in the College of Business may qualify for the Southside Chapter of Georgia Society of CPAs scholarship, which is awarded to high-achieving juniors and seniors.

Students who are looking for finance and accounting degree programs will find plenty of options at Clayton State University.