School of Business and Technology

Mountain State University offers both an online Associate Degree and an online Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.

Accounting is a demanding profession that provides its professionals with both economic and psychological rewards. Although there is a popular impression that accountants deal with numbers only, the truth is that accounting is primarily a people business. The best accountants enjoy working with people and are excellent communicators; they are also team players, and logical and creative problem solvers.

Employees already working as bookkeepers and tax preparers are drawn to an accounting degree as a way to further their knowledge. Members of the banking industry, and federal and state employees working in related fields, also seek accounting degrees to expand their career options.

An accounting degree provides a base from which to build broad knowledge about all business functions – purchasing, manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, and marketing.

The MSU online accounting degree programs are designed to prepare students for leadership positions in the business community.

The bachelor’s degree qualifies graduates for a career in accounting on either a basic or a CPA track. The basic track is recommended for those who do not plan to take the CPA exam and is also suitable for those who plan to complete additional credit hours in a master’s degree program. While there are state to state variations in CPA exam requirements, Mountain State University’s CPA track meets most state requirements. CPA requirements can be met using our Independent Study option.

A bachelor’s degree in accounting can lead to several different career paths, including:

• Industrial or Managerial Accounting: In this case, you are employed by a for-profit company to provide a variety of financial and managerial accounting services. You are part of the “team” and the financial information you analyze and interpret is used by corporate executives to make business decisions.
• Not-for-Profit Accounting: Still other accountants are employed by a governmental or other organization that is not profit motivated. These accountants provide a variety of financial and managerial accounting services including processing payroll and reviewing regulatory reports and tax returns to determine compliance.
• Public Accounting: You may become an employee of a public accounting firm or you may become a CPA in business for yourself (with completion of additional course work).

Graduates of the MSU accounting programs are working in public accounting, private industry and governmental accounting. The job growth for accountants is expected to increase faster than average for all occupations in upcoming years with median salaries over $50,000 (U.S. Dept. of Labor). There are many reasons for this growth:  increased scrutiny of company financial and accounting procedures, overall business growth, and changing financial laws and regulations.

Admissions
Mountain State University requires applicants to have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate. Transfer students from other regionally accredited colleges and universities are required to submit transcripts from each school attended. International students must communicate with the University's coordinator for international student services.

Financial Aid
As a full-time student, you can apply for federal, state and private financial aid. Additionally, MSU accepts employer tuition assistance and military benefits. More than 80% of our undergraduate students in 2005-2006 received some form of aid.

Online Learning
Courses are completed in eight week sessions. Normally two courses are completed in each session allowing you to complete your degree in a relatively short time frame. Our convenient online format allows you to access course information, communicate with your instructor and other students, and complete and submit assignments from the comfort of your own home. MSU's programs have no on-campus residency requirement. All of our online programs are specifically designed to allow busy working professionals the opportunity to earn their degree without interrupting their professional and personal commitments. some form of aid.