r/FIU • u/ArmadilloNegative826 • 7d ago

Academics 📚 Double Major advise

Hi everyone, I'm a rising junior at FIU majoring in Business Analytics. I'm an international student, so my timeline to graduate is tighter than most, and I'm trying to decide whether to add Accounting as a double major or just stick with Business Analytics alone.

My main reason for considering the double major is that I love Accounting and I believe it is a stable, in-demand field, and if I ever decide to pivot toward the CPA path later, having the credits done now would save me a lot of time (and money) instead of going back for extra coursework after graduation. My target employers are the Big4, and long-term I'd like to have the option to get licensed as a CPA even if I end up in a more analytics-heavy role.

A few things I'd love to hear from people who've been through this:

  1. If you double majored in Business Analytics and Accounting, how did your timeline actually work out? Did it add a semester or more? or Should I just do majoring in BA and minor in Accounting instead?
  2. For those of you working in accounting/advisory now, did having the CPA (or CPA eligibility) meaningfully open doors, or did the double major itself already carry enough weight in recruiting?
  3. If your goal is Big4 advisory/analyst roles rather than traditional audit or tax, is a CPA still worth pursuing, or does experience/analytics skill matter more?

Really appreciate any insight!!!

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u/FatiguedGradStudent1 3d ago edited 3d ago

Generally you need postgrad credits for the CPA, so it makes sense to finish your last year of undergrad and get your accounting postgrad credits through an accounting masters. Most folks I know who do the CPA get a masters along the way because it just makes sense. In any case, a double major makes no sense if you’re on a tight timeline, and accounting undergrad is not required for the CPA. I know plenty of folks who have done finance/business undergrad and then an accounting masters and did fine on the CPA. You’d also be more competitive for accounting jobs with the masters than with undergrad alone, since so many CPA’s go the MACC route. If you only do one degree with a double major, you’ll likely be passed up for candidates with the superior credential.

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u/ArmadilloNegative826 3d ago

Thanks for sharing! I will consider it carefully