La Salle’s accelerated B.S./MBA in Accounting program has students on a fast track to professional success.

As the only program of its kind among colleges in the Philadelphia region, La Salle University’s 4-year BS/MBA in Accounting program has earned a stellar reputation.

Big 4 accounting firms like KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers, along with other high-profile local companies and organizations such as the Philadelphia Eagles, routinely hire graduates from the program.

Students also recognize the credibility they stand to gain with potential employers by coming through the program. Take, for example, Julia Horton, ’21.

“I knew having the 4-year BS/MBA in Accounting program on my resume would set me apart from other candidates in interviews,” said Horton, a South Jersey native who is currently in the MBA portion of the program and has previously interned with KPMG and the Eagles. “This program is unique, and it sets you up for success. The value this program has is truly unmatchable. It was a no-brainer for me.”

Unlike traditional undergraduate/graduate programs that take at least five years, La Salle’s program allows students to complete the rigorous coursework for a Bachelor of Science in accounting in three years. The program routinely achieves a 100-percent job placement rate for students within six months of graduation. Students take an accelerated schedule that includes summer courses and then move immediately into the University’s flagship full-time MBA program—all while meeting the 150-credit requirement to sit for the certified professional accountant (CPA) certification and licensure exam in Pennsylvania and all other states.

It’s the depth of accounting knowledge available to the students that sets apart La Salle’s program, said Kristin Wentzel, Ph.D., Department of Accounting chair and the KPMG Endowed Professor of Accounting at La Salle’s School of Business. Niche-focused lessons ready them to hit the ground running in the business world, she said.

“This unique program offers students a lot of value by providing them with a well-rounded business degree through the MBA, coupled with a practical Lasallian approach that prepares them for both the CPA exam and for a productive career in accounting,” said Wentzel. “In a competitive job market, our graduates stand out because of the education and experience they gain in the program.”

For Theoren Honey, ’23, obtaining the comprehensive accounting education that accompanies the MBA in a condensed timeframe can be an attractive selling point to students. It certainly was for him, he said.

“It was an excellent opportunity for me to pursue a major in accounting and accumulate the necessary 150 credits to sit for the CPA exam in a more efficient and inexpensive manner,” said Honey, who began a KPMG internship over the summer and will join Ernst & Young as an audit intern in January 2022. “The education I have received in the BS/MBA program has been transformative.”

Like many students in the program, Honey also values the discipline he has developed from balancing demanding classes and internships on an expedited academic track.

“The added responsibility of taking summer courses while working has really improved my time management and organizational skills,” said Honey, whose family moved from Michigan to Drexel Hill, Pa., in 2018. “I can confidently say that I have become more responsible, more organized, and more goal-driven in my academic and professional pursuits.”

Like Honey, Marie Abegail Estampa, ’21, also had plenty on her plate while studying in the undergraduate portion of the program. The Olney native was working 30 hours weekly in a part-time job, in addition to holding several part-time jobs on campus. She also was frequently interviewing for internships and running errands for her family, while pledging the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi.

Support from professors, she said, enabled her to flourish academically even with so many demands on her time.

“I had professors who were always there to listen to me if I had a problem,” said Estampa, who currently works as an incoming assurance associate at PwC. “With discipline, time management and diligence, I was able to become more responsible and engaged. However, I couldn’t have done it without the support of my professors.”

Going forward, each of these students sees a bright professional future, thanks to the growth they’ve experienced in La Salle’s 4-year BS/MBA in Accounting program.

“After joining this program, I found myself having more drive and being more confident in myself professionally,” Horton said. “I have grown in so many ways that I didn’t think were possible when I started as a freshman.”

The program, according to Honey, has prepared him “for success. The structure has helped me plan my future goals and develop a process to reach them.”

“This program helped jumpstart my accounting career by developing confidence, acumen in accounting databases, and my ability to form interpersonal relationships with my team,” Estampa added. “I feel like I’ve developed my professional identity.”

—Patrick Berkery