Our schools

The Fisher experience

Intensive academics, taught by the nation’s leading accounting faculty, set our students up for success in the business world. Fisher’s renowned reputation means that the Big 4 and other public accounting firms reach out to meet our students and connect them with leadership programs, internships and job offers.

Programs

Fisher oversees all of Warrington’s accounting programs, from our Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Master of Accounting, and minors to the Ph.D. program.

History

The University of Florida began offering accounting courses in 1923. By 1977, their growing popularity necessitated the opening of an experimental School, which was officialized in 1983 and renamed in honor of alum Fred Fisher in 1985.

Facilities

Fisher operates out of Gerson Hall as one of the nation’s few freestanding accounting schools. In this 36,000-square-foot facility, you’ll meet with advisors, network with accounting professionals, and attend research seminars where experts introduce their latest discoveries.

Mission

Fisher strives to holistically advance the accounting profession by graduating prepared, driven professionals, conducting research that evolves existing practices and technologies, and forging collaborative, knowledge-sharing relationships with organizations worldwide.

Thought leadership

While the International Accounting and Auditing Center strengthens our industry relationships, scholars arrive on campus to debate with faculty for our research workshop series.

The Fisher School of Accounting has a long history of its students exceeding industry benchmarks on pass rates for the CPA exam. The exam leads to CPA designation, the highest professional certifcation for accounting.

The Fisher experience prepares students to thrive in accounting roles. Our success with CPA pass rates lands Fisher sixth in the nation among large schools whose students took the exam, and 11th overall with all schools with ten or more students who took the exam in 2023.

Frederick E. Fisher graduated from UF with honors in 1959 with a degree in accounting. He was a partner in the accounting firm of Fisher, Morrison & Co. until 1968. He was a founder, vice chairman and chief financial officer of U.S. Home Corp., a developer of residential communities that became the nation’s largest homebuilder during his tenure. He retired on December 31, 1980.

Fisher made an exceptional gift to the University of Florida in support of the School of Accounting, which bears the Fisher name. The endowment provided was the largest in state university history and furnishes an array of resources for the school. UF honored him with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and a Distinguished Alumnus award. Fisher passed away in September 2023.

The Heavener experience

By the time you graduate, you’ll know business, you’ll have experienced it in the workplace (and maybe overseas), and you’ll have the leadership skills, strategic mindset, and tech savvy to scale the career ladder. At Heavener, you’ll be able to craft your success through a mix of experiences in and out of the classroom.

Programs

All Heavener undergraduates, whether attending on campus or online, begin with a comprehensive business core before concentrating their knowledge with a major or creating a customized plan of study.

Heavener competencies

To function in a competitive marketplace, you have to be competitive. Heavener equips you with the knowledge, experience, perspective, and network to navigate and stake your claim to success in an always-evolving field. This approach spans classroom learning to on-campus activities, internships, and studying abroad.

Facilities

The dedicated home for our undergraduate population, Heavener nurtures the brightest and most promising minds in a 57,000-square-foot building with 10 classrooms, 16 study rooms, a capital markets ticker, Bloomberg terminals, and offices for academic, study abroad, and career advising.

Bill Heavener (BSBA ’70) is the CEO of The Heavener Company and is on the boards of directors of multiple higher education institutions. He is a member of the Warrington Business Advisory Council, the UF Foundation Board of Directors, and the UF Alumni Association Board of Directors, and is a past-president and Legacy Director of the Board of Directors of Gator Boosters, Inc. Heavener, a recipient of the UF Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2011, was named to the UF Board of Trustees in June 2013.

The Hough graduate experience

Envision that promotion, embrace your aspirations, or transition from doer to thought leader. In Hough’s immersive, applied environment, you’ll explore ideas through collaborative, project-based learning and connect with current graduate students, alumni, and professionals who respect the rigors of a Warrington degree.

Mission

The pursuit of advancement shapes all aspects of Hough’s culture. Here, students return to school to get ahead in their careers, hands-on instruction in AI and analytics is woven into lessons, and faculty produce research that results in more efficient, cutting-edge workplaces and business practices.

Graduate programs

Leaders at all levels become realized in Hough’s programs, which span our MBA and specialized master’s degrees to our DBA and Ph.D. offerings.

Facilities

Light passes through a glass curtain wall to illuminate where Hough students attend class, partner on projects, and meet future employers. Hough Hall is outfitted with modern instructional technologies and includes rooms for studying and networking, the Capital Markets Lab with nine Bloomberg terminals, academic program offices, career and counseling centers, and a recruitment suite.

William R. Hough founded William R. Hough & Co., an investment bank based in St. Petersburg that he guided for 38 years. As a member of Warrington’s Business Advisory Council and the UF Foundation Board, Mr. Hough was a frequent contributor to the college’s development. In 2001, he donated $1 million to create the William R. Hough Program in Finance. He gave an additional $500,000 to strengthen the program in 2004 and again contributed $1 million in 2005 in response to UF President Bernie Machen’s Faculty Challenge. Hough Hall bears his name after his $30 million gift to the University of Florida in 2007. He passed away in 2020.