Dual Track in Accounting

Dual Track in Accounting

The Smeal Dual Track in Accounting program is available to qualified students admitted to Penn State Summer/Fall 2022 or later.  Students admitted prior to Summer 2022 are not eligible.

Interested students must:

• Have a conditional or permanent offer to Actuarial Science, Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Real Estate, Risk Management or Supply Chain and Information Systems
  NOTE: the Marketing (MKTG_BS) major is NOT eligible for the dual track major in Accounting
• Apply to add the Accounting major before exceeding the Smeal entrance to major credit window
• Meet entrance to major requirements for BOTH majors (primary major AND Accounting)

Students who successfully apply for and enter a Smeal major will be eligible for dual track admission to Smeal’s Accounting major (ACCTG_BS) if they meet entrance-to-major criteria for both majors and take the necessary steps to add the dual track in Accounting prior to completing more than 59 Penn State earned credits.  Once a student has surpassed 59 Penn State earned credits, they are no longer eligible for a dual track in Accounting.

It is required that students meet with their assigned academic adviser prior to requesting a dual track in Accounting.

Process 

Students must first apply for and receive a conditional or permanent offer to a non-Accounting Smeal major using the Update Academics module in LionPATH, requesting to change their major from BA_PMAJ or DUS_PMAJ to a Smeal major.

Once confirmation of a conditional or permanent offer to a non-Accounting Smeal major is received, students who are interested can then request a dual track in Smeal’s Accounting major using the Update Academics module in LionPATH, requesting to add the ACCTG_BS major. 

Important note for Change of Campus Students: Students at locations other than University Park who plan to transition to University Park for the upcoming semester must submit their Update Campus request before using Update Academics to add the ACCTG_BS major. The Update Campus step should be done after the non-Accounting Smeal major is approved, either conditionally or permanently. Once Update Campus is approved, students then use Update Academics the second time to add the ACCTG_BS major.

Both of these steps must be completed within the first 59 Penn State earned credits. 

Students who request a dual track in Accounting and meet entrance-to-major requirements will receive this message:

"Your request has been sent to the college for review.  If you have any questions about your request, contact the college responsible for the requested major/minor/certificate."

This request will remain in pending status until the student receives a permanent approval for their original Smeal major.  Students may exceed the credit window while the request is pending review, as long as they originally applied for the dual track Accounting major while they were still in the credit window.

The dual track in Accounting request will be approved once a student has successfully completed all entrance-to-major requirements for both majors.

Resources 

Career benefits of a dual track in Accounting - Kristy Schenck or Smeal’s Business Career Center

Additional credits required and time to graduation - assigned academic adviser 

Dual Track in Accounting Requirements Checklist

Students interested in the integrated MAcc program - dualtrackaccounting@psu.edu

Questions about using Update Academics to add the dual track in Accounting - Smeal Student Records

Scheduling Accounting courses once accepted into the dual track in Accounting -Tammy Whitehill

This page is subject to change without notice.  This process and policy statement is subject to review and revision at any time.