Accounting

Dorothy Kennedy is an accounting professional with over 25 years of experience in the field. She has been affiliated with international accounting firms such as Coopers & Lybrand and Price Waterhouse, as well as small CPA firms. In addition, she brings industry experience in not-for-profit businesses and hospital accounting and personal financial planning. She is a graduate of Central Wesleyan College and completed her graduate work at Clemson University with an emphasis in taxation. She has been teaching accounting for over 7 years. Her teaching career began at Augusta Technical College in Augusta Georgia before coming to GTCC. She teaches a variety of subjects and is a key member of the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. She has an enthusiastic attitude that helps bring out the finest in students. Her mission is to help each student perform to the best of their ability. In addition to teaching she enjoys her family, pets and horses.

Mark Harrison (Associate Professor) teaches different Business Administration and Accounting classes.  Prior to teaching, he worked in a law firm as the accountant.  Dr. Harrison also has worked in a furniture factory, a cookie factory, corrugated box factory, and grocery stores.  He started teaching at High Point University from 1998-2000, GTCC in 2000-2006, and at Southeastern University in 2006-2015.  He returned to GTCC in 2015.  Dr. Harrison serves as the head of the audit committee at his local church.  He is committed to preparing students to be productive in their professional goals and to learn valuable lessons that will greatly enhance their lives.  His hobbies include swimming, traveling, and video games.

Education:

• High Point University, BS in Business Administration/Finance Concentration
• High Point University, MBA
• Nova Southeastern University, DBA in Finance

Both the Certificate and the AAS will give you options for gaining entry-level employment or assist you with career advancement in the accounting profession.  With the AAS Degree, you will gain more depth and training in accounting and complete general education and business coursework. 

In general, the educational requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam as a North Carolina candidate is a bachelor’s degree (with at least 120 hours) including (or supplemented by) at least 30 semester hours in accounting. 

If you already have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than accounting, the Diploma program at GTCC can provide the necessary 30-hour concentration in accounting as required by the North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners.  Please note that no more than six semester hours of accounting principles and no more than three semester hours of business law will be counted toward the 30-hour requirement.  It is your responsibility to verify with the NC State Board of CPA Examiners the courses you are planning on taking meet its requirements.

For more information about the requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam as a North Carolina candidate and to be licensed as a North Carolina CPA, contact:

North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners
P.O. Box 12827
Raleigh, NC  27605-2827
Phone: 919-733-4222
Fax: 919-733-4209
Website: www.nccpaboard.gov/applicants

To maximize the amount of credit hours that will transfer to the four-year school, you should earn an Associate in Science degree and not the AAS in Accounting.  The goal is to complete most of your general education requirements at GTCC and then complete your major requirements at the 4-year school.  We recommend that you work closely with your advisor at GTCC and the admissions office at your destination college to ensure you are taking the appropriate coursework.

You can earn your degree by taking classes on a part-time basis in the day or evening.  You can complete about two thirds of the required coursework online.  The remainder of the coursework – the higher level accounting courses – are only offered in a traditional seated face-to-face environment.