Accredited Online Accounting Degrees (T-Z)

One of the best ways to either change careers or start off on the right foot in the business community is to pursue one of many accredited online accounting degrees from universities across the country. These accredited degrees teach students all they need to know about ethical accounting practices, auditing, financial reporting, and more. Their accreditation serves as a testament both to their quality and to their ability to guide students toward better, more ethical decisions in a world that increasingly is characterized by fraud and abuse at the corporate level. Each of these online accounting programs offers unique online instruction that gives students the flexibility of online learning with the insight and hands-on experience more associated with programs based in the offline, on-campus venue. Students will graduate with all of the same skills, and having achieved all of the same educational outcomes, as those students who attend a traditional, on-campus program. The difference is that they will have done it on their own terms, on their own time, without sacrificing their job, salary, or personal lives in the process.

The University of Southern Mississippi

School of Accountancy

Southern Miss is often ranked as one of the best public research universities in its home state, and its public funding means that in-state students can save a significant amount of money on tuition even as they study online. The School of Accountancy, based in Hattiesburg, offers an all-doctoral faculty who are committed to student success. To that end, they arrange for professional internships, allow even undergraduate students to take part in research projects, and use their significant commitment to on-campus research to create engaging online learning environments distinct from virtually any other university in the Deep South. Students are encouraged to interact with their fellow online learners through course discussion boards, Blackboard-based student organizations, and a variety of social media tools specifically for adult and distance learners.

Accounting – B.S.B.A.

The accounting program at Southern Miss is a subset of the larger Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, and that means students will technically be considered accounting minors. The university’s BSBA program is quite comprehensive, with six credits required in each of four main areas: Accounting, finance, economics, and marketing. Significant business management and administration courses are required as well. Conveniently for accounting students, the two courses required as part of the BSBA program satisfy the requirements for upper-level, required coursework in managerial and cost accounting, financial auditing, and information systems in accounting. By the time they graduate, students will have taken the courses they need to pursue graduate-level education in accounting or seek an entry-level position that gets them close to CPA exam eligibility.

Contact
The University of Southern Mississippi
School of Accountancy
118 College Dr.
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Phone: (228) 214-3447
Website

University of Alaska Southeast

School of Management

UA Southeast is one of the newest universities in the state of Alaska, produced by a consolidation and restructuring of a former University of Alaska campus and two community colleges. It is this history that gives the school its strong and affordable reputation among distance learners. First and foremost, in-state accounting students enjoy access to affordable tuition thanks to the school’s public structure. The School of Management, which has its roots in distance learning and community college scenarios, offers a strong program that combines the utility of Blackboard with the interactivity of videoconferencing, team projects, and interactive lecture materials. The result is a program that feels more like a classroom approach to business and accounting, giving students a hands-on set of experiences even as they learn from home and complete the degree on their own schedule.

B.B.A. Accounting Emphasis

The accounting program at the University of Alaska Southeast takes the form of a Bachelor of Business Administration, which means students will pair an “emphasis” in accounting with a wide array of other business skills. The degree comes with a standard business core, which includes courses in accounting, economics, finance, management, personnel administration, strategic communication, and quantitative reasoning. As they move into their program’s emphasis in accounting, those students will cover more advanced topics that include accounting irregularities, financial and managerial accounting, auditing, federal taxation and the laws that govern financial reporting. University of Alaska Southeast’s program in accounting equips students with the courses they need to pursue a master’s in the field, an MBA with an accounting specialty, the CPA exam, or a full-time, entry-level position.

Contact
University of Alaska Southeast
School of Management, Novatney Bldg.
11120 Glacier Hwy.
Juneau, AK99801
Phone: (800) 478-9069
Email: som@uas.alaska.edu
Website

University of Maryland, University College

School of Business and Management

UMUC is one of the most prestigious online and adult-oriented universities in the country, and its accounting major is designed to help adult students ease into a career change or a new workplace role with ease. The School of Business and Management employs a largely doctoral group of accounting faculty members, many of whom work in the field throughout Maryland cities like Baltimore, Annapolis, and beyond. Students are offered the chance to pursue an internship during their online coursework, for which they may receive credit by petitioning the department chair in advance. A business management honors society at UMUC rewards students with the highest GPAs, and an articulation agreement between the undergraduate and graduate-level business programs helps UMUC students reduce their graduate course load should they decide to pursue that degree at the school.

Major in Accounting

Students who opt for the accounting major at UMUC will be required to take 54 total credits in accounting topics, along with at least 18 courses in a mandatory business minor. The business minor is required largely because accounting is offered through the School of Business and Management, and UMUC prides itself in creating well-rounded students with an “interdisciplinary” proficiency in the business community upon graduation. Within the accounting major, students will learn the proper way to prepare financial statements, the importance of GAAP, and how to use the most common accounting software applications in use today. Auditing, cost accounting, and financial management will also be taught by the faculty. The business minor involves basic studies of finance, economics, marketing, communication, and management, and will give students the knowledge they need to advance in a corporate setting.

Contact
University of Maryland, University College
School of Business and Management
3501 University Blvd. East
Adelphi, MD 20783
Phone: (800) 888-8682
Website

University of the Potomac

Department of Business

Founded in 1991, University of the Potomac has been educating students in DC and across the country in the business fields for more than two decades. That has allowed this online-based university to develop some unique educational tools and methods. Students are expected to interact on a regular basis not only with their fellow students, but also with professors, using online discussion boards and virtual conference rooms. Coursework requires both specialized textbooks and regular community discussions that simulate a classroom environment. Some of these discussions require self-recorded audio or video in order to simulate a more traditional learning environment, giving students a greater sense of community and hands-on experience as they pursue an advanced understanding of the accounting profession.

Accounting Bachelor Degree

There are three components to the Potomac accounting program: The liberal arts core, the management core, and the accounting core. Liberal arts courses range from literature and composition to math and science, each teaching the basic skills needed to perform at a high level in society. The management core is more specific to the business world, focusing on corporate organization, strategic communication, human resources, accounting, economics, and finance. A fundamental core of accounting courses introduces students to financial accounting, tax policy, managerial accounting, payroll procedures, and intermediate skills in the field. Advanced accounting courses, which can only be completed after the accounting core is complete, including forensic accounting, auditing, advanced accounting, corporate taxation, and an advanced study of current business laws and how they affect the profession. Graduates are primed for success in accounting departments, graduate-level programs, and a broad array of certification exams nationwide.

Contact
University of the Potomac
Department of Business
1401 H Street, N.W., Suite 100
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: (888) 635-1121
Website

University of Wisconsin – Whitewater

College of Business and Economics

Accounting at UW Whitewater can be broken down into an accounting major, a minor in the field, or a double major in both management and accounting. The school’s pure accounting degree is its most popular, however. Those who enroll at the Whitewater campus gain access not only to seasoned faculty in accounting and business management, but also to some of the best local networking connections in the region. The school proudly flaunts where its recent graduates have landed lucrative positions, largely thanks to both online and on-campus job fairs that connect students directly to employers who are seeking entry-level hires. Students will be able to bolster their resume not only with a strong degree, but also with the university’s numerous student-professional organizations and its prestigious business honors society with chapters nationwide.

Accounting BBA Major

The accounting major at UW Whitewater starts off with a liberal arts core of general education courses, but quickly introduces students to the basics of their future profession. Financial accounting comes first, covering the basics of financial reporting, financial statements, and the ethics of preparing company balance sheets. Next, students move into intermediate and advanced accounting courses as well as classes that cover auditing, cost accounting, managerial accounting, and federal taxation. A business core also must be completed in order to graduate, with students required to take courses in marketing, finance, economics, human resources, communication, and business administration. The perk of the school’s traditional accounting major is that, along with several years of work experience, it prepares students for the CPA examination and can guide them to success at the graduate level as well.

Contact
University of Wisconsin – Whitewater
College of Business and Economics: Hyland Hall
809 W. Starin Road
Whitewater, WI 53190
Phone: (262) 472-1343
Email: cobedeansoffice@uww.edu
Website

Utah State University

Department of Distance Education

Utah State has quickly become the leading choice for distance learners throughout Utah, though students nationwide often opt for the school’s accounting program as well. The program is offered through the Department of Distance Education through cooperation with the School of Management and the Department of Accounting. All courses are taught by seasoned faculty with doctoral degrees, many of whom also teach classroom-based courses on the school’s traditional campus as well. Students enjoy access to online organizations and honors societies, numerous open discussion forums, and some of the best course delivery technology in the industry. Thanks to Utah State’s high rankings and affordable tuition rates, graduates also enjoy excellent job placement rates and low overall student debt.

B.S. in Accounting Online Program

This pure accounting degree requires only a few courses in both the liberal arts and business administration. Beyond those basic requirements, students at USU will be treated to coursework in financial statement preparation, GAAP guidelines, federal taxation, business law and ethics, managerial accounting, and forensic accounting services. The university proudly advertises that its graduates work in both corporate and forensic environments, while many others choose public service jobs after graduation. Those who opt for public service will be served by the department’s electives in public accounting, government accounting, and more.

Contact
Utah State University
Department of Distance Education
5100 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-5100
Phone: (800) 233-2137
Email: distance.info@usu.edu
Website

Virginia College

Department of Business

Established solely to educate adult students and distance learners, Virginia College is based in the northern region of the state and has developed one of the most unique accounting programs anywhere. The talented faculty who teach online courses at VC focus almost entirely on the private sector, which uniquely prepares students for corporate jobs that will help them advance to the highest levels of executive leadership over time. Because the college is based entirely online, it has developed numerous interactive teaching methods that range from video lectures and discussion forums to online student groups, mobile applications, and accelerated course dates. It all adds up to a student-friendly, professional degree program available nationwide.

Private Sector Accounting (Bachelor’s)

The bachelor’s program in private sector accounting focuses almost exclusively on what it means to be an accounting in a corporate, managerial, or executive setting. To that end, students move past basic financial accounting quite quickly and then focus on managerial and cost accounting, accounting management, financial projections, GAAP standards, and the implications of federal laws on the corporate accountant. Students learn how working the private sector impacts their job as an accountant, and how they can use tools provided by government agencies to bolster their position and their employer’s financial standing on the job. Upon graduation, the school’s courses are an asset in graduate programs, entry-level positions, and management roles.

Contact
Virginia College
Department of Business
7200 Midlothian Turnpike
Richmond, VA 23225
Phone: (804) 977-5100
Website

Walden University

School of Business and Management

Walden University is one of the largest distance education providers in the United States and has one of the most robust online business schools in the country. Accounting students fall under the umbrella of the School of Business and Management, and their accounting degree is comprehensive enough to cover topics in both industries. Professors at the school are based nationwide, many of them with ongoing professional roles in corporate American that add valuable instructional opportunities in all courses. Walden works with a number of major employers across the country to help its students land internships and entry-level jobs, and enjoys a high placement rate that often earns rave reviews from recent graduates.

B.S. in Accounting

Walden refreshingly offers a pure Bachelor of Science in accounting, which means students will cover more topics than those who pursue merely a concentration, emphasis, or minor in the field. Among their first courses are two in financial reporting, financial accounting, financial statements, and other fundamentals of the profession. Those skills are built upon in courses on intermediate and advanced accounting, managerial and cost accounting, auditing, and forensics. Students also learn how to make ethical and profitable decisions through courses that focus on federal regulation, taxation, and the role of GAAP in modern accountancy. Graduates are prepared for further education, entry-level employment, and the CPA exam.

Contact
Walden University
School of Business and Management
100 Washington Avenue South, Suite 900
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (866) 492-5336
Email: help@waldenu.edu
Website

Western Governors University

College of Business

Western Governors University was formed by a consortium of western American states in order to provide a strong, accredited series of online degrees to adult and distance learners. This unique background has given the school one of the best online schools of business in the distance education industry, and a robust accounting department that currently leverages the insight of some of the most seasoned professionals in the field. The university also offers traditional honors societies to accounting and management students with high GPAs, virtual job fairs and networking seminars, and unique internship opportunities that exist both in the Rocky Mountain region of the country and elsewhere. The goal of the accounting department is to give online students the tools and courses for offline success, and WGU accomplishes that through virtual student clubs and merit groups, team-oriented learning scenarios, and a doctoral accounting faculty.

B.S. Accounting

The pure Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Western Governors University ensures that students gain exposure to the broadest possible selection of accounting topics. Because this is an undergraduate degree, students will be educated across a generalist series of accounting skills. It starts with financial accounting courses, where professors discuss the role, structure, and ethical importance of properly preparing balance sheets, budgets, cost statements, and more. These introductory courses also cover Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and teach students the difference between proper accounting and irregular number-crunching. More advanced courses including intermediate accounting, managerial accounting, auditing, cost accounting, legal issues in business, and a seminar in “hot topics” that currently affect the industry. Graduates have the courses and skills they need to land an entry-level position and, if they choose, to qualify for the CPA examination after several years of on-the-job experience in their home state.

Contact
Western Governors University
College of Business
4001 South 700 East
Suite 700
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
Phone: (866) 225-5948
Website

Driven by a resurgence in hiring within corporate America, accredited programs at universities nationwide are surging in student enrollment. Accountants in today’s economy enjoy a relatively stable profession, a healthy starting salary, and a strong history of solid compensation growth over the course of their long careers. It all starts with one of many accredited online accounting degrees, each of which offers the skills students need to be successful accountants, talented managers, and reliable new hires.