A Masters Degree in Accounting Prepares Future CPA Candidates

Accounting and finance schools are in the business of preparing leaders in financial accounting, from office administrators to professors at business colleges. Those with advanced skills in finance and accounting will have exceptional employment opportunities with major businesses, government agencies, schools, banks, tax services, and more. You can learn to be an accountant in two to four years from some of the best schools for accounting and finance.

When we think of accountants, we might think of those who simply audit financial accounts for various businesses, but there is a bit more to it than that. Those with even a few months of training in accounting and finance will have expertise that encompass much more than financial bookkeeping. Accounting and finance schools will impart in-depth education in finance and accounting that can include such skills as financial management, planning and executing financial ventures, analyzing investment schemes, understanding accounting technology, developing financial initiatives, and other important skills.

Some of the classes you can anticipate from a typical accounting and finance course would include preparing balance sheets, statements, journals, and ledgers; computation, classification, and verification of financial accounts; and accounting technology and software. Accounting and finance schools may also include instruction on banking, inventory management, cash flow and debt, business and personal tax preparation, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable; and much, much more.

The level of accounting and finance training that you should strive for depends on the position you will seek upon graduation. There are several levels of college degrees in finance and accounting, as well as certificates and diplomas. You can gain an entry-level education in accounting and finance with a certificate or diploma, but advanced positions will require at least an Associate of Science degree (AS). Naturally, employment and salary improvements will move up incrementally with associate and bachelor degrees in accounting and finance.

If you plan to go into teaching, or if you would like to become an expert in one specific area of business administration (such as e-commerce, education, estate planning, personal finance, insurance, investments, employee benefits, or income tax, for instance), you should seek a graduate degree from a good business school. Advanced degrees in accounting and finance would be the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA). However, if you just want to brush up on your finance and accounting skills, you will be pleased to know that many vocational accounting and finance schools are willing to provide professional certificate studies in accounting and finance.

So, if you think you would enjoy keeping track of other people's money and working in high finance, a course in finance and accounting might be just right for you. The best part is you can anticipate lifelong employment and an excellent salary range.