As the Internet grows and becomes more and more established, online degree programs are becoming more common. Careers that involve accounting can be achieved with educational plans ranging from two-year associate’s degrees to one hundred and fifty credit CPA programs. It’s up to you to determine which is the right educational path for you.
Determining Your Career Goals For Online Accounting Degree
Improve your accounting skills to help manage a business
If your goal is to improve your ability to manage your own business or would like to work as a bookkeeper or personal assistant, you have a number of options regarding accounting programs to look into:
- Many jobs that involve accounting only require an associate’s degree in accounting or in business with an emphasis on accounting.
- Some positions that rely on accounting require a bachelor’s degree in similar fields.
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| How to get online accounting degree |
Pursue a career as a Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountants, or CPAs, need to complete 150 credit hours at the college or university level before they can take the CPA exam, which is thirty more credits than is required for most bachelor’s degree programs.
- Some people choose to complete a bachelor’s or four-year degree program in accounting or business first, then return to graduate school to complete the additional credits necessary before taking the CPA Exam.
- There are schools that offer five-year, 150-credit Master’s programs that prepare you to take the CPA exam.
Consider choosing an area to specialize in as a CPA
If your ultimate career goal is to become a CPA, you may want to choose an area to be your specialty. You will orient the courses you choose along the path to your exam based on the specialty you pick. Some of the common areas CPA’s specialize in are:
- Internal Auditing
- Forensic Accounting
- Managerial Accounting
- Tax Accounting
Choosing an Online School For Online Accounting Degree
Verify the national accreditation of the school
Accreditation is a certification a school is awarded when it can demonstrate adhering to an academic standard required for its students to be able to transfer to other reputable institutions.
- National accreditation has less stringent standards than regional accreditation.
- Credits from nationally accredited schools transfer to many schools throughout the country, but may not transfer to all schools if you choose to pursue a post graduate degree or transfer schools before completing the program.
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| Choosing an online school for online accounting degree |
Look for regional accreditation for the school
Regional accreditation is reserved for schools that adhere to the highest educational standards. Programs in these schools often cost more than nationally accredited programs, but their credits also transfer to more institutions.
- Regional accreditation is considered to be the “gold standard” in college accreditation.
- Regionally accredited schools may require more liberal arts coursework in their accounting programs than nationally accredited ones.
Look for the specific degree program you are interested in
After you narrow down the list of schools you want to apply to, look at the concentrations and majors they offer to find a program that fits your needs. Some schools offer similar programs with slightly different names, so you may need to read the descriptions of the programs.
- CPA programs will offer areas to specialize within the program.
- Business and accounting degrees may have concentrations you can choose between based on your interests.
Taking Online Accounting Degree Classes
Establish a course plan
Once you have been accepted to a school, work with your school counselor to create degree or course plan. Degree plans are a list of the courses you will need to take in order to complete the degree or certification you’ll need to achieve your professional goals.
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| taking online accounting degree classes |
- Your course plan should be adjusted for transfer credits you may bring in from other colleges or universities you have attended.
- Use your course plan to register for your first semester of classes.
Attend online classes and complete your assignments
Each school offers a slightly different approach to the online college experience. Some schools will require you to log on as certain times while others will provide you with assignments and deadlines to complete along with interactions with your professor through the website or by e-mail.
- Make sure to complete assignments on time and to ask your professor for help if you feel that you need it.
- Attending online schools can require an increased level of responsibility and commitment, as you are less involved with your professors to keep you on task.
Complete your online accounting degree plan
Depending on what level of education you are pursuing and if you transferred any courses from other colleges and universities, the amount of time it will take to complete your plan can vary widely. Regardless of how long it takes, it’s important that you stay motivated and keep at it.
- Don’t let the occasional bad grade bring you down; focus on the big picture and improve on the areas you find yourself falling short.
- Remember that if your plan is to become a certified public accountant you will need to complete an exam after graduation for your certification.
