Accounting Degree Programs

Admission Information

New students must first apply for admission to the Diploma in Accounting Program
before registering for courses.

Please read about program eligibility, admission requirements, and admission deadlines before completing an application form.

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Program Eligibility

The UBC Diploma in Accounting Program is open to:
University business degree graduates with a non-accounting major.
University degree graduates from a non-business program.
Mature applicants (GMAT test results and documented accounting-related work experience required).

Masters of Science in Accountancy Program at San Jose State University

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2009/2010 PROGRAM ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
DEADLINE FOR DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
ALL MATERIALS DUE MARCH 2, 2009

The MSA program is a 13-month continuous curriculum designed to build on your Liberal Arts, English, Math, History, Foreign Language, Sociology, Natural Sciences, or Social Science skills. A baccalaureate degree in Liberal Arts, Social Science, or Science can be the springboard to a wide variety of rewarding careers. Hands-on, interdisciplinary approach that makes the MSA program at SJSU one of the most innovative post-graduate courses available for non-accounting majors.

Right now, you are in the process of making important choices. Will you enter the workforce or seek further academic preparation and direction? At San Jose State University, the Masters of Science in Accountancy (MSA) program has been designed specifically to prepare non-accounting degree graduates for challenging career opportunities in the field of accounting. It provides thorough instruction in the theory and practice of accounting and presents students with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in other disciplines that are necessary to succeed in today’s world. Pursuing a career in accountancy can provide a lifetime of professional opportunities. It is a challenge that you may want to consider. The MSA program at SJSU presents a rewarding academic experience and an excellent framework for professional success.

Within the Gainey School of Business, the accounting program offers a four-year degree that prepares students for many entry-level accounting positions. Students completing the accounting major will have the necessary educational requirements for the Certified Management Accounting (CMA) and the Certified Internal Auditing (CIA) examinations. Students who plan to take the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam should complete the CPA track accounting major.

Students must develop effective communication skills, skills of logic and critical thinking, leadership skills and demonstrate a strong intellectual capacity. Accounting majors are also encouraged to take additional courses in mathematics, especially calculus.

Other majors offered through the Gainey School of Business are:
Business Administration
Finance
Management and Information Systems
Marketing
Career opportunities

Accountants are trusted business advisors and an accounting education can lead to a highly respected and rewarding career. Accountants routinely earn incomes that are in the top 5% of the community in which they live. If you elect to major in accounting, you may prepare yourself for a variety of accounting careers in the areas of: Public accounting (auditing, taxation, and consulting), Private/industrial accounting (financial and cost accounting), Governmental/nonprofit accounting (fund accounting), and Forensic accounting (investigative accounting). Accountants are in high demand by government agencies such as the IRS, FBI and CIA. Accounting also provides an excellent foundation for non-accounting business careers, including banking, consulting, and small business ownership. In addition, accounting provides an excellent undergraduate background for a law degree. Graduates are also prepared for advanced study in accountancy, leading to career opportunities in accounting education.

Program strengths and emphases

One of the world’s leading licensing examinations, the CPA Examination serves to protect the public interest by helping to ensure that only qualified individuals become licensed as Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Students who plan to take the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) examination should complete the CPA track accounting major. In many states, including Michigan, students planning to sit for the CPA exam will need to earn 150 semester hours of academic credit. The additional hours needed for the CPA exam may be earned by taking additional undergraduate and graduate courses. Please consult with your academic advisor and/or the State Board of Accountancy for specific course and degree requirements.
Placement – Our graduates consistently find meaningful employment in the accounting profession within six months of graduation. We maintain strong relationships with regional CPA firms that believe in the quality of Spring Arbor University graduates.
Strong focus on both professional and character issues – Built on the foundation of a biblical worldview, our program stresses the importance of integrity, ethics, and content knowledge.
Emphasis on both financial and managerial accounting concepts and issues – Our broad-based curriculum provides the best foundation for a student to excel in accounting or other business-related field.
Small class size – With our low student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll receive a personalized, quality education that makes learning easier and more stimulating.

CPA Exam Preparation – Students are well prepared to successfully pass the CPA exam.

General objectives of the Department

The accounting Department of the Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) plans to meet the University’s mission of instilling into present and future-leaders knowledge of current and future accounting, auditing and finance practices and relevant skills through student-centered high quality, viable program which are fully recognized by both the private and public institutions in Ethiopia.
Specific Objectives of the Department

The Department of Accounting has the following specific objectives:
To produce graduates in its regular degree program to satisfy a portion of the demand for accounting graduates in the country.
To establish linkage programs with different stakeholders from which the department will be to tap resources and share experiences.
To give short term and long term trainings for the society in the surrounding and the country.

Graduate Profile

The graduate profile is the base for designing a curriculum that would lead to the realization of the desired output. Accounting degree graduates are expected to assume functional responsibilities in any sector where accountability and transparency are needed.

What is Accounting?
The Accounting major is designed for students who seek careers in accounting, for students who currently hold such positions and wish to enhance their skills, or for students who eventually want to pursue a graduate degree. The curriculum of the major provides coverage of the five required accounting subject areas and all the business course requirements necessary to sit for the Certified Professional Accountant (C.P.A.) examination. Students who ultimately wish to seek this professional designation should consult with the department academic advisor about how to fulfill other requirements for the C.P.A. examination.
Career Opportunities in Accounting Depending on your core concentration and graduate studies, you can seek a career in accounting, auditing, government and management. Job duties could include preparing and analyzing financial documents, taxation issues, budgeting and cost management.

Salary Trends for Accounting Majors
Modest employment growth in accounting and finance is expected for the next few years. Salaries for Accounting majors depend on education, the job title, duties and area of the United States where you are employed. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, in 2006 starting salary offers for bachelor’s degree graduates in accounting averaged $46,718.* * U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
High School Preparation To prepare for your accounting or finance career, your high school studies should follow a college preparatory curriculum that includes math, science, history and English. Fluency in a foreign language such as Spanish or German is also beneficial. Volunteer work can increase your awareness and assist in guiding your career path.

How to Major in Accounting at Lourdes College The Bachelor of Science in Accounting Degree allows you to fulfill both the general core business requirements (45 semester hours) as well as the core requirements needed for your accounting concentration (15 semester hours). Given the large number of available electives within each program, students often choose to pursue dual majors. Other concentrations available include business administration, management, human resource management, health care administration and marketing. See the back side of this department sheet for details on specific class requirements.

Requirements for Accounting
The Department of Business offers students an opportunity to prepare for careers in business and/or graduate programs of study.
Accounting majors as undergraduate students in the Department of Business must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA in all business courses to receive their Bachelor of Science degree.

The mission of the Department of Business is to provide a student-centered educational experience combining rigorous, specialized business courses with a broad liberal arts foundation to enhance critical analysis, communication, problem solving, and ethical and leadership skills. We will challenge and respect individual abilities and encourage personal integrity, innovation, global awareness, and technological literacy to prepare our graduates to effectively and ethically work, manage, lead, and serve organizations in culturally diverse communities where they work and live.

Our philosophy is that a broad liberal arts general education combined with a rigorous specialized business
curriculum can provide the professional expertise required for successful careers in business. Our academic offerings are an extension of the mission of the College and offer students an opportunity to prepare for careers in business and/or graduate programs of study. We utilize a holistic approach to learning with an emphasis on the promotion of an ethical business environment and the worth of all organizations’ most important asset - its people.

Master of/ Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting

Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) is a conversion Master’s programme aiming to provide business degree graduates with an intensive education in accounting and related knowledge and skills. Students’ achievement is targeted at two levels:
To become professional users, preparers, and auditors of accounting information, upon completion of the Postgraduate Diploma;
To become expert users of accounting information for making executive decisions, upon completion of the Master’s degree.

The first year of the programme leads to the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (PPA). On completion of the PPA components, graduates will be able to:
Possess a solid foundation and knowledge of the developments and applications in external financial reporting, tax planning and auditing;
Possess up-to-date knowledge of financial management for making financial decisions in the local and China, as well as global business environment;
Possess the concepts of modern accounting information systems and the related applications of accounting and financial models;
Possess the knowledge of the theory and practice of strategic management in business organisations;
Possess up-dated knowledge of the issues and developments in the business environments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and China; and
Be sensitive to ethical issues facing professional accountants and business decisions so that they appreciate the importance of discharging their duties in an independent, objective and ethical manner.

The second year of the programme leads to the award of Master of Professional Accounting (MPA). On completion of the MPA components, graduates will be able to:
Possess a sound knowledge of theoretical frameworks in which they can analyse and appreciate the factors affecting the ongoing changes in the accounting-related fields; and
Possess the ability in making specialist decisions in accounting or related careers.

Special Features

This programme, conducted via the internet, enables students to pursue a well sought-after accounting qualification without the time and place constraints of the traditional classroom. The online teaching encompasses interactive examples, online tests, discussion activities, online chat rooms, bulletin boards, and so on. These enable both student-student and student-instructor interactions through which students are able to share valuable experiences and ideas, and to learn actively.

Professional Recognition
Completion of the 7 subjects covered in Year-1 will lead to the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (PPA) award, which has been accredited by the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) as a recognised HKICPA conversion programme. Together with a degree recognised by the HKICPA, PPA graduates will be eligible to enrol in the HKICPA Qualification Programme (QP). Upon completing another 5 subjects in Year-2, students will be awarded a Master of Professional Accounting (MPA). PPA and MPA graduates may be granted exemptions from other professional accounting bodies.

Program overview
The Graduate Certificate in Accounting is designed for graduates with an undergraduate degree in areas other than accounting, who want to upgrade their educational qualifications to acquire professional accounting qualifications. The knowledge and skills obtained from the courses in this program enhance career prospects and provide a pathway into the accounting profession.

In addition, whether accounting studies are undertaken at the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level, the emphasis at the University of the Sunshine Coast is on providing a program of study designed to meet the entry requirements of CPA Australia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia.

The Graduate Certificate consists of four courses and articulates into the Graduate Diploma in Accounting. Courses in the Graduate Certificate cover accounting, business finance and business law.

Admission requirements

It is expected that students entering the Graduate Certificate in Accounting will be business degree graduates from non-accounting disciplines and have successfully completed the required prerequisite courses, or their equivalents, in their undergraduate program.

However, other qualifications and experience may be considered. In such cases, referee reports may be requested. Admission will be determined on an individual basis by the Dean of Business.

Students will also be required to meet the English language requirements. The program is currently offered to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents.

The Graduate Diploma in Accounting is designed for graduates in areas other than accounting, who want to upgrade their educational qualifications to acquire professional accounting qualifications.

The Graduate Diploma consists of eight courses and builds on the four-course Graduate Certificate in Accounting. If you enrol in the Graduate Diploma you may exit after completing the first four courses with the Graduate Certificate, which allows you to achieve a recognised qualification, and, subject to certain time conditions, return to upgrade your qualification later.

Courses in the Graduate Diploma cover accounting, business finance, business and taxation law, auditing and accounting issues.

Admission requirements
It is expected that students entering the Graduate Diploma in Accounting will be business degree graduates in non-accounting disciplines and will have successfully completed the required prerequisite courses, or their equivalents, in their undergraduate program.

However, other qualifications and experience may be considered. In such cases, referee reports may be requested. Admission will be determined on an individual basis by the Dean of Business.

The program is currently offered to Australian and New Zealand citizens, and Australian permanent residents.