What Do I Need to Take an Online Accounting Class?

May 16, 2009 — admin

If you have been thinking of taking an online accounting class, you should keep in mind what you’ll need. First of all, you will need to have consistent access to an internet-enabled computer, and you should understand exactly what you hope to get out of your online accounting classes. There are different levels that you can attempt to attain: an accounting certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree. You should note that in order to take the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree.

Also, make sure that you’re aware of what skills and knowledge the online accounting class aims to teach, and make sure you have the necessary knowledge to start your online accounting classes. Next, you’ll want to find out about the cost of enrollment and whatever financial aid might be available for your online accounting class. This will help as you determine which online accounting classes are within your specific budget.

Another important step to take, if you have taken some classes at another institution but didn’t complete your degree, is to ensure that all those hard-earned credits are transferrable. You will probably need to talk to an advisor from the institution about that.

What else do you need? Well, you will need some time. In order to get a bachelor’s degree in accounting, you’re going to need at least 150 credit hours, and even the most accelerated online accounting programs will take over a year to finish. Obviously, you will also need a way to afford an online accounting class, and there are a few ways to do so.

One way is to save up for school by working, but it is unrealistic to expect everything you need to pay to be saved up beforehand. Therefore, your options include trying to get federal aid from a Title IV- eligible online accounting school or seeing if your current employer wants to help subsidize your tuition costs so that you can earn a degree that will benefit the employer. In these cases, you’ll probably be locked into working at that job for a certain amount of time, which is to guarantee that the employer gets a return on their investment of helping you get an accounting degree.

What else do you need to consider for an online accounting class? You have to ensure that the places you are looking at are accredited, because your degree will go to waste if you earn it at a “degree mill,” which is an institution that only pretends to give you a useful degree. If the online accounting class is offered at an accredited university, you should be well-prepared to tackle the CPA exam after you graduate.

Overall, the most important thing you need as you work toward career advancement in accounting or finance is the drive to succeed and a willingness to do what it takes. Online accounting classes, like most things, will give you back what you put it into them.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Mixx
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Propeller
  • Print
  • email
Posted in What Accounting Courses and Degrees are Available Online. Tags: , , . No Comments »

Top 3 Reasons to Obtain an Online Master Degree in Accounting

May 11, 2009 — admin

Just a few short years ago, if you wanted to obtain a Master Degree in Accounting, you had…one option. Go to college. By going to college, I mean actually ATTENDING a physical university, sitting in class, driving home, or perhaps living on campus. That was your only option. Today, the world looks different, and getting a degree is a little easier than it used to be.

Nowadays, you can choose to attend a university online. The internet has made many things possible including going to school. For many folks, this has meant the ability to do something that before, was impossible. Let’s look at the top 3 reasons to obtain an online master degree in accounting.

1.       Accounting as a career choice-  First of all, choosing to obtain a master degree in accounting is a very wise choice indeed. Every business, no matter how small, needs accounting work done. Once you get your degree, you will have many job opportunities to choose from including onsite accounting for individual businesses, providing CPA services to many business, or even specialized aspects of accounting including Forensic Accounting, where you can use your accounting expertise to help solve crimes for local and federal government agencies. Accountant salaries vary, but a starting salary of about $45,000 per year makes this career choice a viable one for those who have obtained an online master’s degree in accounting.

2.       Convenience- I am sure it is no surprise that taking classes online is a lot easier than attending a physical campus. Some people have lives and schedules that make attending brick and mortar universities difficult if not impossible. Maybe you have kids, a job schedule that varies, or maybe even a disability that makes travel difficult. No matter what your situation, the flexibility that exists by attending a university online makes it possible for just about anyone to obtain an online master’s degree in accounting. Choosing your own schedule and taking the classes from the comfort of your own home or wherever your computer is for that matter can make all the difference in the world some. The ability of taking classes online has made earning a degree possible for some folks where it simply wasn’t before.

3.       Savings- To say that earning an online master degree in accounting is less expensive online needs to be explained. The fact is, PER CREDIT, taking classes online can be as much or even more expensive than attending a physical university. The reason for this is that the professors often spend more time attending to the class materials and organizing the online platform than they would by just teaching an in person class. The savings is recognized in other ways. First of all, to attend a university that had a program you really wanted to take, you might have had to stay at the university. With online universities, room and board is not an option. Another savings that can occur is simply the gas money you will save since you won’t have to drive to and from the physical campus.

The above examples represent merely 3 advantages available to folks who choose to obtain an online master’s degree in accounting, but surely there are many more. Thanks to the internet, career choices such as those offered in accounting are available to many more people than ever before.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Mixx
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Propeller
  • Print
  • email
Posted in What Accounting Courses and Degrees are Available Online. Tags: , , . No Comments »

Understanding Online Accounting Degree Programs

May 8, 2009 — admin

If sitting in long lectures and driving to and from school is either something you hate or cannot do because of a specific limitation, then earning a college degree online may be a perfect option for you.

Online degree programs are as popular as ever and afford students the ability to complete the courses necessary to enter the work field of their choice. One potentially lucrative career is that of accounting.

Earning your accounting degree online can be incredibly rewarding but still requires much time and effort. Here are a few tips for you to remember when going for your accounting degree online:

Make Sure the Online School is Accredited

The first thing you will want to do is check to see if the program you are looking at is offered by an accredited school. The easiest way to do this is by checking with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This will ensure that your credits can be transferred if need be and that your degree will be recognized by all programs requiring degrees obtained from accredited schools.

Understand the Requirements for Various Degrees

One of the most popular online accounting degree programs is a Master’s of Science in Accounting. This program will require a year to complete. A PhD in accounting will require about 4 years of study and will require you to study accounting theory and research techniques including the fundamentals of teaching accounting as well.

For those that wish to further their accounting degree program, a Masters of Business Administration in Accounting is available. These programs will go into more detail concerning business management skills and will require a Master’s of Science degree in a related field.

Choose your Accounting Focus

Deciding on which area of accounting you will focus on will not only help you decide which specific classes to take, it will also prepare you for your eventual career in accounting as well. There are some very interesting areas of accounting to choose from including

·         Forensic accounting- analyzing documents and evidence involved in criminal activity like fraud and tax evasion

·         Management accounting- involves handling the accounting for business organizations to help them make profitable business decisions

·         Financial accounting- involves preparing financial statements for entities inside and outside of the business including various suppliers, financial institutions, stockholders, and of course the government

Some of these specialized areas of accounting will require the completion of a certification exam as well as the underlying degree requirements, so make sure to do your research into each area individually.

Research the Online Institution you will be Earning your Degree from

This last section may sound like a no-brainer, but many fail to do the due diligence when selecting an online degree program. Understanding how a particular school operates online is extremely important. You can learn things such as how to communicate with the professors and the school administration (i.e. only online, or do they offer phone communication as well), what kind of software the school uses, that  you will have no trouble connecting and engaging online, as well as the fees associated with the program itself. Many online schools vary greatly in price and it is wise to investigate your options thoroughly before making a decision.

Choosing to earn your accounting degree online affords you flexibility that you could never experience by attending a bricks and mortar institution. Hopefully the information provided here will help you as you head down the path to earning your accounting degree online.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Mixx
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Propeller
  • Print
  • email
Posted in What Accounting Courses and Degrees are Available Online. Tags: , , , , . No Comments »

Are Student Loans Available for Accounting Degrees Online?

May 7, 2009 — admin

Let’s face it, getting an accounting degree online can be expensive. A basic degree can run upwards of $25,000 and that doesn’t take into account the cost of school books or other materials. Some folks think that obtaining a degree online is cheaper than a bricks and mortar institution, but actually it can sometimes be the opposite.

Online courses require much work from the professors as far as uploading information, monitoring website activity, answering questions individually through the online format, and more. The real benefit to getting an accounting degree online is the flexibility of creating your own schedule to allow you to go to school while taking care of all the other duties in your life. So, if getting a degree online is just as expensive if not more so than visiting an on-site campus, how can folks pay for it?

Luckily, there are many way that people can obtain student loans and funding for their online accounting degrees. Let’s look at a few options below:

Traditional Financial Institutions

Many banks handle student loans and you may be able to obtain one from the bank you use currently. As they will already have your information online and will have a history with you, obtaining the loan may be easier than going to an unfamiliar institution. In addition, there are financial institutions that focus almost exclusively on student loans. One such institution is Sallie Mae. Their website provides all of the information necessary to take you through the process of filling out an application to apply for student loans for accounting degrees online. Other institutions, while not their primary focus, offer student loan programs as well. Once such company is Discover. Well known for their credit card services, Discover actually offers a low interest traditional student loan program and will allow you to apply online as well.

FAFSA

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student aid. The link can be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm and allows folks to easily complete a form online to apply for federal student aid. A general rule of thumb is that if you are a US citizen and you are not in default on any student loans currently, you will be eligible for some amount of federal funds to use for tuition. The FAQ section on the website will help you to better understand the process of obtaining federal funds for the use of obtaining your accounting degree online. There are many programs available that you may be eligible, and some do not require you to pay back the funds. These are called GRANTS.

Grants

A grant is simply an amount of money given to a person or organization that does not require payback. In order to qualify for a grant, certain conditions must be met by the applicant. In the case of student loans, grants are usually made available to those who have lower incomes, but have shown their ability to excel in their schoolwork, often by keeping a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. The info for Grants such as PELL grants, one of the more popular student aid grants, can be found on the FAFSA website listed above.

As you can see, if you are aiming to obtain your accounting degree online, there are many opportunities available to you to obtain student aid. Make sure to investigate each opportunity thoroughly and make the choice that is right for you. Paying back a student loan can be costly and take a long time. Aim for a program that best fits within your future income possibilities and work with a company that will provide you customer service to help you through the application process.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Mixx
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Propeller
  • Print
  • email
Posted in What Accounting Courses and Degrees are Available Online. Tags: , , , . No Comments »
«
Newer posts » »