Report ranks NIU accountancy
among nation's best programs

by Joe King

Professors across the nation have once again rated NIU's public accountancy programs among the elite in the nation.

The Public Accounting Report's 24th Annual Professor's Survey, ranked NIU's undergraduate program 11th in the United States (down one notch from last year), and its graduate program 10th (up two spots from a year ago). This marked the first time that the graduate program cracked the Top 10.

The recently released survey asks professors in the field what five programs they would recommend to students interested in entering the field. Both the undergraduate and graduate programs have been a fixture on the lists almost since their inception.

“We are very proud to once again find ourselves in the upper echelon of programs on this list,” said James Young, who took over as chair of the NIU Department of Accountancy in January. “The goal of this program has always been, and continues to be, sustained excellence, so it is very satisfying to be included on this list year after year.”

Inclusion in the rankings places NIU in some highly regarded company including six Big Ten Schools (including Illinois ) and Notre Dame. The top two schools (for both graduate and undergraduate programs) were Texas and Brigham Young, respectively. NIU was among the smallest programs ranked, and one of only five where the highest degree available is a masters.

Although pleased by the rankings, Young was quick to point out that they tell only part of the story.

“Rankings are wonderful, but they are only one measure of success,” Young said. “We also pay close attention to ensuring that our students are prepared for the latest challenges in the industry – not just in public accounting, but also in corporate accounting and internal auditing – and that our faculty remain on the cutting edge of research in their fields. I am pleased to report that we are excelling based upon all those measures, also.”

The NIU Department of Accountancy annually graduates approximately 200 bachelor's degree students and 100 master's degree students. The program is currently ranked 25th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report Magazine.

1-23-06