Posted at 3:58 AM Sunday, August 15, 2010 by Khan
Accounting Masters Degree Programs Online

Introduction:

An online master’s degree in accounting can open up so many new opportunities for students! This is true because there's an extremely high demand for accountants, auditors, comptrollers, and other professionals who have an accounting degree. As a result, students who are interested in online accounting degrees should learn more about them to decide if online accounting degrees are right for them.

Here's a guide to online master's degrees in accounting that can help students decide if they are, indeed, right for them. It includes information about what student learns when he acquires an online master’s accounting degree. It also describes some of the best online schools that offer master's degrees as well as other accounting degrees online. Furthermore, it also describes the types of jobs one can choose from with an online master's degree as well as how much those jobs can pay. Hopefully, this guide will answer some of the questions that students have about online master's degrees.

What do students learn when they acquire a master's degree in accounting online?

Since master's degree students already have a firm foundation in the fundamentals of their profession, the master's degree programs offered by online colleges and universities fine tune a student's skills to make them more proficient at everyday tasks. In addition, these master’s degree programs also prepare students for middle to senior management positions in the public and the private sectors. This entails that they take courses that teach them additional methods and techniques that allow students to handle more complicated tasks at work.

As a result, students the majority of the classes students take will be in such subjects as auditing, cost accounting, cost management, taxation and financial accounting to become more proficient in these fields. Master's degree students also take courses in subjects such as budget planning and control, evaluating controls, financial measurement, financial documentation, and financial reporting. These courses allow students to handle more complicated tasks at work because they give students the tools and knowledge that they need to handle these tasks.

In addition, students also take courses in financial reporting, accountant communications, accounting information systems and ethics. These courses help students understand their careers in a whole new light. This is the case because it demonstrates to students the ever-changing world of accounting and the responsibilities that come with that world.

Furthermore, students who take on a master's degree in accounting online also learn how to expand their critical thinking, problem solving and analytical skills. As a result master's degree students often take courses that expand a student's ability to think critically and interpret data. This is done by taking classes in subjects such as accounting theory, accounting research and statistics.

Finally, students are also encouraged to take on coursework that reflects each student's specialty within the accounting field. This requires students to take elective courses that are based on the student's specialty in one of accounting's four specialties: public accounting, management accounting, government accounting and internal auditing. These electives give master's degree students the tools that they need to become more proficient in their specialties.

As you can see, students who study for a master's degree in accounting online take a wide range of courses that make them more proficient accountants who are ready to take on more responsibility at work. Next, we will now see which online schools offer accredited master's degree programs in accounting for students.

Which online schools offer accredited master's degrees in accounting?

There are many good colleges and universities that offer accounting degrees in each of accounting's four specialty groups. These colleges and universities combine an outstanding curriculum with the ease of using the Internet to provide a convenient online education that anyone can access. Here is a list of five online colleges and universities that provide a quality online education that can lead to obtaining a master's degree in accounting. The list includes the name of the school, its physical address, a phone number and the school's Web address that students can use to get more information about these schools. In addition, the listing also includes information about what types of degrees in accounting are available from these online schools.

The University of Phoenix

Phone number: (866)-766-0766 (toll free).
Street address: University of Phoenix
3157 East Elwood Street,
Phoenix, AZ 85034.
Accounting degrees offered: Bachelor's of Science (BS) and a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in accounting. Learn more at http://www.phoenix.edu/information/online-accounting-degree.html

Kaplan University

Phone number (866)-527-5268.
Street address: 550 West Van Buren Street,
(7th floor),
Chicago, IL 60607.
Accounting degrees offered: An associate arts degree, an "advanced start" program that leads to a BS in accounting and a Master's of Science degree. Learn more at http://online.kaplanuniversity.edu

Walden University

Phone number: (866)-492-5336.
Street address: Walden University
Attn: Admissions
650 South Exeter Street
7th floor,
Baltimore, MD 21202.
Accounting degrees offered: BS (Bachelor's of Science), MBA with a concentration in accounting. Learn more at http://www.waldenu.edu/Degree-Programs.htm

Capella University

Phone number: 1-888-227-2736.
Street address: Capella Tower
225 South 6th Street, 9th Floor
Minneapolis, MN 55402.

Accounting degrees offered: A BS (Bachelor's of Science), a Master's of Science (MS), an MBA with a concentration in accounting and a PhD (doctorial) degree. Learn more at http://www.capella.edu/schools_programs/degrees/masters.aspx

Everest University

Phone number: (888)-741-4270.
Street address: Everest University Online
10117 Princess Palm Ave., #400
Tampa, FL 33610.
Accounting degrees offered: An associate's degree, a BS (Bachelor's of Science) and an MBA with a concentration in accounting. Learn more at http://www.everest.edu/campus/everest_university_online/program/masters-of-business-administration-accounting-concentration

What sorts of jobs are available to an accountant with a master's degree?

Accountants have many jobs to choose from. In fact, the demand for accountants is so high that many employers have a hard time finding qualified employees. As a result, students who get a master's degree have an excellent chance of finding a great job!

Here are some jobs that accountants can perform. They are broken down into groups according to each of the four specialty groups within the accounting field.

Jobs for public accountants:

Public accountants have many jobs to choose from in the private and public sectors. For example, a public accountant with a master's degree can often find work with corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations as mid-level managers who oversee audits, the preparation of accounts and tax services. Others may find themselves as the head of a CPA firm that performs tax and accounting services for businesses and individuals. Other public accountants might also advise corporations and government agencies about compensating employees and providing healthcare benefits. In addition, some public accounts also assist in designing accounting and data processing systems as well as deciding how to install controls to safeguard assets.

Jobs for management accountants with master's degrees:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), management accountants are also known as "cost, managerial, industrial, corporate, or private accountants." As these names imply, management accountants find work with industries, corporations and individuals to control costs, manage asset allocation and help individuals and corporations get their finances in order.

Therefore, management accountants who obtain their master's degree in accounting often find themselves with more responsibility and more to do each day. This is because they often with creditors, corporations and tax authorities to create budgets and analyze the overall financial performance of a business or organization. Management accountants also work with larger corporations to perform cost management and asset management services. These jobs make sure that a business is receiving the most out of its resources.

Jobs for government accountants and government auditors with master's degrees:

Government accountants and auditors work with government agencies at each level to ensure that the financial records of each government are accurate. Government accountants also work with governments to ensure that financial documents are maintained and accurately catalogued for future use.

In addition, government auditors with a master's degree often head groups that work with government agencies to ensure that all tax dollars are accounted for. This is made possible by conducting periodical audits that are performed at various times of the year. These audits may be mandated by the leaders of the government or they could be assigned to the auditor at various times of the year as seen fit.

Jobs for internal auditors with master's degrees:

Internal auditors who hold master's degrees often find work with businesses, organizations and governments to verify how well money and resources are spent within the organization. Internal auditors do this by checking how well cost control procedures are carried out. In addition, internal auditors with much experience and a master's degree often find employment with larger companies and governments performing routine investigations that check for waste, fraud and management of resources. Finally, some internal auditors work with corporations and organizations to ensure that data are accurately transmitted and recorded for future use.

How much income can an accountant make with a master's degree?

An accountant's income can vary widely. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), (http:www.bls.gov), the average (median) income an accountant makes is $50,000-$60,000. This figure varies widely depending on several factors. These factors often include the complexity of the work, the accountant's experience working in the field and also the city in which the accountant works.

Leave a Reply