Athens State University Bachelor of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

58.4 of 100

Cost (20%)

10.0 of 10

Graduate Earnings (20%)

2.5 of 10

Completion (15%)

5.5 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

4.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

9.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

7.6 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

2.5 of 10

Cost per Credit

$270 per credit

Credits

124

Tuition

$33,480

Format

Fully Online, On Campus

Time to Finish

24 months

Accreditation

ACBSP (confirmed on the official list)

See exactly how we score on the methodology page. We checked the school's figures on October 7, 2026.

Athens State builds its accounting major around a three-course Intermediate Accounting sequence and closes with a Cost Accounting capstone in your final semester. You can take the degree entirely online or on campus.

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting sits in the College of Business at Athens State University, a public school in Athens, Alabama. The school specializes in junior- and senior-level courses, so you'll find most students arrive with credits. The 124-credit degree needs no minor.

• Transfer students: you're paired with a personal transfer advisor from day one, and the upper-level focus fits credits you already hold.
• Future Alabama certified public accountants (CPAs): the school says the major with no minor meets the coursework needed to sit for the Alabama exam.
• Students drawn to government work: the electives include Government Contract Accounting I and II, from procurement to contract audits.
• Career changers with a non-accounting degree: the catalog lists recommended courses for the Alabama CPA exam.

You start with Intermediate Accounting I, II and III. They run from financial statements and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) through major assets to liabilities and equity. Federal Tax Accounting I covers individual taxpayers, and part II covers partnerships and corporations. Auditing teaches how an independent auditor certifies financial statements. Advanced Accounting covers business combinations and foreign currency.

Two electives come from Law for Accountants, Government Contract Accounting I and II, QuickBooks Accounting, Advanced Auditing and Fraud Examination, and Forensic Accounting I and II. AC 471 Cost Accounting is the accounting capstone, and MG 420 Business Policy is the business capstone with a business simulation. A 2-credit internship course, AC 462, asks for at least 100 hours of work-based experience.

The degree totals 124 credits. That's 59 hours of general education and prerequisites plus 65 hours of major courses. The school gives an average completion time of 2 years, which shifts with the credits you transfer in and the courses you take each semester.

MG 320 must be your first-semester course. Through accelerated enrollment, you can apply up to 6 hours of graduate accounting courses to your two electives, with advisor approval.

Distance tuition is $270 per credit, and you'll pay the same rate whether you live in state or out of state. A $90 technology fee, a $1 student activity fee and a $1 bond surety fee per credit hour also apply.

Classes are on demand online, so you can reach lectures and coursework when it suits you. Intermediate Accounting III, Advanced Accounting and Cost Accounting each run online in fall, spring and summer. Student Success Coaches guide online students. The Accounting Lab offers tutoring by email or Zoom, with day, night and weekend hours.

The College of Business holds ACBSP accreditation, and its curriculum follows the ACBSP Common Professional Component. The school says finishing the major also meets requirements to sit for the certified management accountant (CMA) and certified fraud examiner (CFE) exams. The Accounting Club ran a CMA certification meeting that drew 51 students.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

An alumnus who reviewed the school on OnlineU called Athens State a great fit for someone working full time to pay for school. Research.com included Athens State in its 2027 ranking of best online bachelor's in business programs in Alabama, as the school reports. The accounting club won the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Award of Excellence in 2026 after holding 12 meetings, averaging 50 students each.

• How many of my transfer or work-experience credits count toward the 124?
• Which two electives fit my plans: government contract, forensic accounting, QuickBooks or auditing?
• How does the AC 462 internship course work, and how do I find a placement that counts toward the 100 hours?
• Which graduate accounting courses could I take early through accelerated enrollment?

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