Multiple professional certifications exist for many of the areas of accounting.  The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is probably the most common and well-known.  The CPA is widely respected and sought-after even in areas of work outside public accounting.  Other professional certifications in the field of accounting are also highly-valued, including ones for management accounting, internal auditing, information systems auditing, fraud examination, and forensic accounting.  Students can become involved even while still in college in professional associations for those certified in these areas.  Websites for these professional organizations offer a wealth of information.  The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (at the national level), with approximately 350,000 members, and the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (at the state level) welcome student members and offer many benefits to students, including scholarships for college and career networking.  As another example, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), with approximately 50,000 members, welcomes student memberships.  ACFE members work in areas such as internal audit, independent audit, industry accounting, law enforcement, criminal and civil investigation, management consulting, governance, risk, and compliance, computer forensics and information technology security, and law.   

For more information about the accounting major and careers in accounting, students may contact Dr. Keith Smith, Dean of the School of Business and Professor of Accounting, Dr. Tom De Berry, Director of Graduate Studies in Business and Professor of Accounting, Judy McKenzie, Associate Professor of Accounting, or Dr. April Brashier, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Economics.