Getting a job in the field of accounting depends on your ability to prove that you have the education and work experience necessary to qualify for the position you want. In most cases, this means holding a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related business field, although some advanced positions require a master’s degree in accounting for consideration. Many jobs also require additional certification, especially if you want to work as a CPA.
Information About Becoming an Accountant
However, while a bachelor’s or master’s degree is required for many senior-level accounting and management positions, you may be able to work as a junior accountant with only an associate’s degree.
Sometimes, simply having a number of years’ experience as a book-keeper or working in another position that requires some accounting skills is enough to get your foot in the door.
However, while it’s possible to get these lower accounting positions without a four-year degree, to really advance in the field, you’re going to need to put in the time to earn your degree.
How to Become a Certified Public Accountant
In addition, there are a number of extra certifications for accountants, depending on the specific field of accounting you plan to work in. The most well known certification is the Certified Public Accountant program. To become a CPA, you must pass a rigorous national test and meet specific state requirements. Usually, you must have your bachelor’s degree to become a CPA, although a few states recognize work experience in place of a degree. Many states, in fact, actually require CPAs to take an additional 30 course hours on top of their bachelor’s degree. Because of this, many universities have designed their accounting programs with a fifth year option. Completing this fifth year not only qualifies students to become a CPA but also earns them a master’s in accounting.
But even if you take this fifth year and earn a master’s degree, don’t expect the CPA exam to be a mere formality. In fact, less than half of those who take the test pass all four parts of the test their first time. However, you aren’t required to pass the four sections all at once. Most of the time, you'll have at least 18 months to successfully pass the entire CPA examination. Of course, it's in your best interest to thoroughly prepare for the exam, and you'll find that many professional accounting organizations offer study programs or practice tests that you can use before taking the actual exam.
Accounting Training and Qualifications
In addition to earning your degree and passing the CPA exam, there are a few other qualifications most accountants need. The first is a love for math – or a least a natural understanding of how numbers work. In the accounting world, you'll need to be able to interpret figures and their meanings very quickly. You’ll also need to be able to share what these figures mean with others, so good communication skills are a must. A meticulous attention to detail is also a plus, since leaving off one little number in a spreadsheet can cause huge problems. Finally, accountants must be computer literate, especially in today’s modern world. Nearly all financial records are kept on computer now, and you’ll be expected to know the ins and outs of many different accounting software programs available today.
Accounting Schools
Anyone who pays their taxes or works for a company of any kind knows, basically, what accounting is all about. We know, for instance, that it involves juggling a lot of numbers. And we know that it involves keeping track of money. But if that’s all you know about accounting then you’ve still got much to learn—and if you think accounting is something you might like to do professionally, then going to accounting school might be the best place to do it.
There is, of course, a lot more to accounting than just juggling numbers and keeping track of how much money a company or an individual has. Accounting is actually a business practice, one in which an accountant or a group of accountants monitor and record the financial transactions of a given entity. This involves not just a bottom-line sum but the ins and outs of assets, earnings, expenses, and any other information that might play affect a financial situation.
Accounting is, of course, an important field—every business needs an accountant, and many individuals enlist their services, as well—so it’s always a viable career option, even in a lousy economy. But it does require some formal training; accounting school is a must for ensuring that you have the proper range of knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in this field. Selecting an accredited accounting program will help you to secure a stable position in the workforce, and also to enable you to perform your job with confidence and skill.
How to Get into Accounting School in Three Easy Steps!
So you want to know how to get into accounting school because a degree in accounting opens up a world of career possibilities. Yes…literally a world of them…because accountants are needed around the world! As an accountant you can work for yourself from home, work for a small or large business, work in the United States or overseas, or work online serving all types of clients.
The accounting degree is the key that opens the doors of opportunity. That means you must find the right university or college that offers the educational background you need to pursue your field of interest.
1. What Kind of Accounting Work Interests You?
There are many excellent educational institutions to choose among. Though you may choose to become a traditional college student and attend a campus based school, you can also choose to earn your accounting degree online. In fact, most of the core business courses are ideally suited for online educational systems so that anyone who wants an accounting degree should not let lack of access to a school prevent him or her from getting one.
The first step to choosing an accounting school is first deciding what type of accounting work you would like to do. Your career path choice can impact your choice of schools. For example, if you intend on becoming a CPA then you want to attend a school offering a Bachelor’s Degree program that includes CPA preparation courses. If you want to be a tax accountant then you will consider schools that let you major or minor in tax accounting.
If you want to be a forensic accountant, then you will consider schools offering a specialty accounting degree. Perhaps you want to earn both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from the same school. In that case you will choose a school with a graduate program in business. Maybe you want to blend an accounting major with a double major in another field like criminal justice or pre-law. You will need to look at schools that offer both programs.
2. Narrow Your List of Schools
The second step to getting into one of the accounting schools is to narrow your list of schools to those that meet your criteria. The criteria will include program offerings, location, cost, reputation and accreditation. There are several agencies granting accreditation to higher education programs.
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
In many cases you will find that the business school is accredited in general and accounting is just one of the business disciplines offered. But accreditation attests to the quality of all the business programs.
3. Apply to a School and Get Started on Your Career!
The third step is to apply to the schools on your list. Initially you will work on the core curriculum courses like English, foreign language, beginning business and many more. As your education progresses, you will add upper level courses in accounting, economics, information systems and marketing.
There are many different colleges and universities offering a degree in accounting. If you discover that your first school of choice has a waiting list, then consider your other options including an online school. The message is this: there is no reason to let obstacles stop you from pursuing a career in accounting!
Inquiring Minds Ask - Is It Easy to Obtain an Accounting Degree?
Is it easy to obtain an accounting degree? To answer that question you need to understand what type of characteristics successful accountants possess and the types of classes you must take. Accounting work requires certain aptitudes and traits, but if you put forth the required effort you will be rewarded with an outstanding degree that puts you on the path to a successful and lucrative career.
Details, Details, Details…
There are certain people who make excellent accountants. They possess traits that adapt well to the rigorous educational requirements for an accounting degree. The same traits required to succeed in school are the same traits needed to succeed in the accounting field. Your college classes teach you how to turn your natural traits into career success by giving you the accounting and business information needed on the job.
Ethical and honest
Analytical
Methodical
Able to manage time
Has natural curiosity suitable for investigative work
Patient and willing to pursue projects to completion
Self motivated
Has strong mathematical skills
Comfortable working with computers
Good verbal and written communication skills
Strong work ethic
Getting a degree in accounting requires a willingness to exert the effort necessary to master complex subject matters. You will be required to perform many math and statistical calculations for example. Some of the material, like management theory or general accounting, may come naturally to you while some subjects may prove to be more difficult, like tax accounting or statistics.
Anyone pursuing an accounting degree must be able to effectively manage time! And you certainly must be willing to do detailed work because accuracy and thoroughness count in the accounting field!
Let’s Get Started!
If you possess the listed traits then you are a prime candidate to become an accountant. There are certain courses found in almost all programs for accounting degrees. Though the specific courses in a program may vary, you will have to pass classes like the following.
Database management
Microeconomics
Statistical Analysis
Managerial Accounting
Information Systems
Financial Accounting
Cost Accounting
Finance
Marketing
Tax Accounting
Auditing
Management
Business Law
In addition to core accounting courses, you will enroll in classes addressing certain specializations. For example, someone who wants to become a forensic accountant may take a class in Investigative Accounting or Accounting Research. Or you could choose to take a class in Compensation Management or International Accounting depending on where your interests lay.
Though getting an accounting degree is not what you would call “easy”, it is certainly possible for anyone able to master detailed information and who can approach new material in a methodical and organized manner.
After obtaining your degree, your career can be accelerated by obtaining a certification like CPA or Cr. FA.
The good news is that your hard work in school will pay off! You can look forward to a high paying career within the industry of your choice.
