Should I go back and get a 2nd Bachelor's or Master's degree?

Question

I would like to go back to school to study accounting to become a CPA. I have a BA in Studio Art and a MS in Library and Information Studies. Since I have no background in accounting I am thinking it may be better to go back to undergraduate school. Perhaps a graduate program will be too difficult and I assume I should already have a solid knowledge base of the subject before I start graduate work. (Although I went right into my Library Studies program with no prior academic experience in that subject). I am looking for advice and/or recommendations. Thanks.

Answer 1

Ideally a masters would be the better choice, but I agree with your observation that you may not be ready for a masters in accounting. My advice would be to make contact with a few schools that offer a masters in accounting and see what they think. Possibly you could prepare for it by doing just a few undergraduate courses to prepare yourself for the work.

Answer 2

I think you should go ahead and get an Accounting Masters. There are programs for students that have no prior accounting experience but there are prerequisites you must meet. Once you meet those prereqs you can enter into the progarm. To be a CPA I believe all you need is about 24-30 accounting credits.

Any graduate program will be difficult you have to put the time in it. I am actually going into a CPA progarm and my undergraduate degree is in something different. This program consists of 33 credits towards the MACCT and it is for people that have no prior experinece in accounting. Once I complete the program I can test for my CPA license.

So in short, dont waste your time getting another undergrad degree and just go for the Masters. It will be worth it.

Answer 3

If you are set on becoming an accountant, then I highly recommend doing another bachelor's degree. You may be able to count many of your previous courses toward the requirements of that degree, allowing you to mainly contend with the accounting portion you are missing. And if you still want to, you can get the Masters degree later! But you are absolutely right that a Masters degree would require a certain amount of accounting knowledge from the get-go. You'd be starting significantly behind your classmates, and that could hurt you.

That said, I highly recommend deciding what schools you are interested in and calling their academic advisors for further instruction. What works best may be school-specific, and if I were you I'd rather have a professional opinion than a Yahoo! one.

Good luck!!

Answer 4

I would say go for the Master's and I'll tell you why:

1) Nowadays, a Master's (or MBA) will give you a much better chance of climbing the ladder if you're looking for a promotion because, let's face it, when you're done with your undergrad in Accounting you're likely going to get paid entry level salary.

2) Most states, I believe, require 150 credits to become a CPA, so you mine as well get the graduate degree.

3) There are schools, like Rutgers, that offer MBA programs in Accounting for students without a background in Accounting...http://www.business.rutgers.edu/default.aspx?id=329

Answer 5

Usually, when you apply for a Master's degree in an area where you have no previous training, you are required to take a 'pre-masters' program. It takes about a year and you take undergraduate courses. If you do well in that, you automatically get accepted into the graduate program. It's quite common in subjects such as social work, psychology etc. I'd imagine there are such programs in accounting as well.

Answer 6

Masters

Answer 7

go to a community college to get a certificate in accounting....it is the same hing as a AA degree.....

Answer 8

masters!