Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. The WGU undergraduate accounting program was founded in 2002 and has over 7,400 graduates. This introductory humanities course allows candidates to practice essential writing, communication, and critical thinking skills necessary to engage in civic and professional interactions as mature, informed adults.

An AAS in accounting covers fundamental accounting principles, analytical and problem-solving skills and topics such as math, tax and business law, business administration and business communications. Some programs may set minimum GPA requirements or ask applicants to submit standardized test scores. Some may also require students to take prerequisite coursework such as high school algebra, precalculus or calculus. Many programs allow students to complete these prerequisites while pursuing their degree.

• Many accounting programs build into the curriculum electives, courses that students can choose based on their personal or professional interests.
• CPA is a license awarded by the state you want to work in, which allows you to practice as an advanced accountant.
• Getting your master’s in accounting at a new school often takes longer (two years rather than one), but it can be less intensive because your schedule is more spread out.
• Students also explore courses in strategic management, federal taxes on income and auditing.
• For the AUD, FAR, and REG sections, the MCQ and Task-Based Simulations are weighed evenly.

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Review your options by reading our guide on the 5 best business majors to launch your career. Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs. If you already know you want to be an accountant while still in high school, there are multiple things you can do to put yourself in a great position to better your career down the road.

Financial Accounting Fundamentals

Colleges are well-known for having clubs for just about everything, and because business majors are often very popular, your school will likely have multiple clubs devoted to business and/or accounting. Joining these clubs can give you great networking opportunities as well as ways to learn more about the accounting field. A CPA (Certified Public Accountant) is an accountant who has passed the CPA exam and met additional licensing requirements, which vary by state.

• To find out what students are saying, browse through student reviews on the school’s website or check with college review websites or forums.
• In this article, we’ll go over the types of online accounting degrees you can earn, what you’ll study, and what you can do with your degree.
• It also lists categorized openings in other specialized areas, such as accounting education.

Our team sources data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. We also pull information from reputable professional organizations and education providers’ direct websites. A fundamental accounting subfield, financial accounting focuses on how accountants record, analyze and report business transactions. Students in this class examine the accounting cycle and learn how to prepare financial statements and disclosures in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Accounting bachelor’s students develop practical accounting skills and knowledge within a broad business context.

Small Businesses

Financial and accounting organizations increasingly rely on technology to manage information. An information systems concentration adds technology skills to an accounting degree. Students pursuing this specialization learn to manage accounting databases, use financial software, and manage IT teams. Environmental accounting applies accounting principles to the environment.

What Does an Accounting Degree Entail?

In fact, more students are opting to learn partly or entirely online because working on their degree from wherever there’s internet access makes more sense for their needs. If you’re wondering whether an online degree is right for you, let’s review some key benefits. With a bachelor’s in accounting, you can become an accountant, an investment analyst, a tax examiner, and more. As an undergrad, you’ll take classes in many business and accounting topics, such as economics, finance, marketing, business law, and more.

If you’re seeking an accounting career, a bachelor’s degree in the subject can prepare you to land a junior position or apply to a master’s program. A BS program typically focuses more on math and science, which may benefit aspiring accountants. A BA includes more liberal arts courses and electives, making this a good choice for students who are considering a double major or planning to pursue a master’s degree in accounting. In order to sit for the CPA exam you’ll need to have an accredited bachelor’s degree, and in many states also a master’s degree in accounting. An online bachelor’s degree program will be a crucial first step in preparing for CPA certification.

All of this helps students identify the role of marketing within an organization. This course provides students with a business generalist overview of the field of marketing and an exploration of the marketing major. Accounting Information Systems (AIS for short) introduces students to AIS, with particular emphasis on the accountant’s role in management and financial reporting systems. D103 Intermediate Accounting I and D104 Intermediate Accounting II are the prerequisites to this course. This resource lists openings for finance, business, and management jobs. Users can create job alerts and search by sector, qualification level, and salary range.

If you have a way with numbers and want to make a living out of it, a degree in accounting can put you on the path to a lucrative career in finance. Community colleges and small liberal arts institutions typically provide fewer options than larger schools. As a buyer, you’ll work with managers and vendors to purchase supplies, raw materials, and products for the company. Your role could include negotiating deals, maintaining relationships with vendors, coordinating deliveries, and monitoring stock levels to ensure the company has the inventory it needs to operate successfully. Working as a budget analyst, you’ll assist an organization by analyzing and managing its budget. You’ll also prepare and consolidate budgets, monitor the company’s spending, and review funding requests to ensure they comply with local and federal laws.

How Much Does it Cost to Get an Accounting Degree Online?

Moreover, an expert advisory board of experienced professionals and educators reviews and verifies Forbes Advisor Education content to ensure accuracy and completeness. Students learn about tax reporting, tax planning and the potential tax consequences of financial decisions. They gain skills in researching complex tax issues and communicating with stakeholders.

Attend world-class programs without relocating

Organizations of all shapes and sizes rely on the work of accounting professionals to create budgets, maintain financial records, record transactions, and more. The analytical and critical thinking skills you develop as you earn your degree apply to a variety of industries and roles within them. Doctorate degree (PhD) programs may take from three to seven years to complete, but people usually finish them in four to five years. You can choose between a PhD in accounting or a doctor of business administration (DBA) with a concentration in accounting.

In English and German and a master’s degree in English, with a focus in Composition and Rhetoric, from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This allows students to interact with their classmates and instructors face to face occasionally while also offering what services will you offer them the flexibility to spend time at work or with their families. In-person programs typically take place in a determined physical location and have fixed class times. Full-time students who prefer structured, face-to-face classes may prefer this option.

Postgraduate education can help you be more appealing to employers, too. You can do the Online Master’s of Accounting (iMSA), offered by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Coursera. Each state sets its specific requirements for your eligibility to take the Uniform CPA Exam.

This specialization prepares graduates for careers as tax professionals, including CPAs. Finally, if you want to become a CPA, you may need a more extensive education even if you don’t technically need a degree higher than a bachelor’s. In most states, you can only become a CPA if you have completed a minimum of 150 semester hours of college-level study, though a traditional bachelor’s degree requires just 120 semester hours. That leaves aspiring CPAs with 30 semester hours, or the equivalent of one year of full-time study, to complete beyond the bachelor’s degree.

The prerequisites to this course are Intermediate Accounting I, II, and III, Accounting Information Systems, and Business Law for Accountants. Business management graduates report an impressive average salary increase after completing their degree at Western Governors University. The AAA hosts hundreds of postings for CPA jobs along with openings for accountants. It also lists categorized openings in other specialized areas, such as accounting education. The time commitment for these credentials varies, but most require candidates to have at least six months of professional CPA experience.

Usually, smaller companies use the cash basis accounting method because taxes are paid through the business owner’s taxes. Read about our programs below, and check out some frequently-asked questions about accounting. Completing an internship while working on your undergraduate degree can be a good way to beef up your resume, gain required real-world experience and make industry contacts. If you’re looking to take your accounting career to the next level, a CPA designation may be what you need. CPA licensure is the gold standard in the profession and can lead to increased earning potential, career mobility, and prestige.