Studying accounting as an undergraduate can certainly give you an advantage in graduate school. Not only does your undergraduate foundation in accounting prepare you for success in advanced accounting coursework, but it also allows you more choices when it comes to selecting a degree program. However, students who don’t already have a bachelor’s degree in the subject can still earn a master’s in accounting degree online. They just have to find a program intended for students with non-accounting backgrounds, and perhaps put in a little more work, to succeed.
The Benefits of an Undergraduate Accounting Background
If you already earned an undergraduate degree in accounting, you’ve got plenty going for you. You can choose from affordable master’s in accounting programs at some of the best online schools in the nation. You shouldn’t have to worry about lacking any prerequisites. Since you have spent years studying accounting, you already have a strong knowledge base. Your master’s-level studies will build on that foundation.
You can still enjoy these benefits even if your bachelor’s degree wasn’t in accounting specifically but rather finance, business administration or another relevant field. Students with a business background typically will still have an easier time finding and adapting to a grad school program in accounting than their peers with non-accounting undergraduate degrees will have.
Master’s in Accounting Programs for Non-Accounting Backgrounds
If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in accounting, you may have to look harder to find the right online master’s in accounting degree program for you. Fortunately, while many of the top online master’s in accounting programs are designed for students who already have a background in accounting, not all of these programs require this educational background. Franklin University, for example, requires only that your bachelor’s degree is from a regionally accredited institution and that you meet a minimum GPA requirement or take a graduate entrance exam like the GRE or GMAT.
However, if you do plan on pursuing a master’s in accounting degree without having a bachelor’s degree in the field, then you may find yourself needing to complete certain prerequisites before you begin grad school. These courses will help you develop the introductory knowledge you need to make it through the graduate-level studies that await you. While completing prerequisite courses can add to the time and expense of earning your master’s in accounting degree, they are much less costly, time-consuming and work-intensive than it would be if you had to complete the requirements to earn a whole second bachelor’s degree, this time in accounting.
Your undergraduate major is just one of several factors master’s in accounting programs consider. Having an excellent GPA, a wealth of extracurricular activities, relevant work experience and a compelling admissions essay can all help you gain acceptance into the right master’s in accounting program, even if you didn’t study accounting as an undergraduate.