<p>Do accounting majors always become accountants? Or can accounting majors also delve into the world of finance or consulting? When I say consulting, I mean recruited for a junior analyst position in one of the major consulting firms.</p>
<p>And are accounting majors, who don't plan to work for a large public accounnting firm, still generally expected to be CPA certified?</p>
<p>Based on what I've heard and read so far, accounting is a career that can lead to other careers. Every business professional must know it. An accounting degree can definitely lead to finance or consulting. There are CPA auditors out there who became investment bankers later on. Many become consultants for corporations or personal financial planners. I think an accounting degree can do more than just accounting. Plus, a CPA certification looks good no matter what you do in business. The bottom line: Accounting can be applied to any business.</p>
<p>About your second question: These days, if you want a CPA certification, you need to complete 150 credit hours of school. That might mean you need a graduate degree if your undergraduate school doesn't cover the 150 credit hours. In other words, if you want to become a CPA, you need to show more dedication than a general accountant. Not all accounting majors can lead to CPAs.</p>
<p>you can go to law school and become a tax lawyer.</p>
<p>i think accounting is one of the most useful majors, especially in conjunction with finance. for any type of financial investment job (e.g. investment banking, trading, etc.) you need to look at the public info to figure out what's going on in the company. that public info is in the form of SEC filings. SEC filings are written by accountants. therefore, it helps if you understand that language ... </p>
<p>lots of people i know who start out as just finance and target banking/trading end up taking at least a couple of upper level acct classes if not picking up a major/concentration in it.</p>