The world of accounting is complex. There are a number of specializations that you can choose to enter as an accountant. This makes it important to pick the right accounting courses after graduation. The right post secondary education will not only help you advance your career but also open up new opportunities for you in this field. With so many accounting programs, it’s not easy to determine which one is best for you, especially if your primary focus is on getting a job quickly after graduation and not so much on developing a long-term career in the field. Keeping this in mind, we have outlined some of the best accounting courses after graduation that will give you a boost in your career.
List of Amazing Accounting Courses after Graduation
1. MBA with a specialization in accounting
An MBA is a popular course for accountants. It will help you develop your leadership and management skills, which are crucial for accountancy. At the same time, you will also get to specialize in accounting. This will help you develop your expertise in this field. You can even choose to specialize in accounting and financial management or accounting and taxation. The former is ideal if you want to climb the corporate ladder while the latter is useful if you want to start your own accounting practice. There are many universities that offer MBA programs. You can check out the ones that have a specialization in accounting. You can also check out MBA specialization in a few other business fields that are relevant to the accounting industry such as marketing, finance, operations, etc.
2. Master of Commerce in Accounting and Auditing
This is a 2-year post-graduate program that will allow you to specialize in accounting and auditing. It is designed for people who already have a bachelor’s degree in any subject. The focus of this program is on developing your knowledge in accounting principles by taking courses in financial accounting, taxation, auditing, management accounting, and other relevant subjects. At the end of two years, you will be awarded a degree that will allow you to work as an accountant in the public sector or in the private sector. If you wish to work as a chartered accountant (CA) or a public accountant (PA), you can go for CA or PA certification later. To apply for this course, you will need a bachelor’s degree (any discipline) with minimum 55% marks in your qualifying examination.
3. Chartered Accountant (CA) degree
If you are looking for a long-term career in accounting, you can pick the CA course as it is a 5-year integrated course. This means that you will not specialize in any specific area of accounting. Instead, you will get exposure to a number of areas and will be able to choose the specialization that best fits your interests or career goals. The CA course is offered by both government-owned and private universities. It is an excellent option for people who are interested in a long-term career in accounting. You can work as an accountant, auditor, or actuary. You can even work for the government or for a multinational company. You can also start your own accounting practice.
4. PG Program In Business Accounting and Taxation
A PG program in business accounting and taxation is designed for people with an undergraduate degree in accounting or a related field. It is a 2-year program that will help you build on your undergraduate education and develop expertise in a specific area of accounting. You can specialize in financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, auditing, or investment analysis. The program will equip you with the expertise to work as an accountant in the private sector. After graduating with a PG degree in accounting, you can work as an accountant in a multinational company or as an auditor in a Big 4 accounting firm. You can also work for the government.
5. Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) Certification
If you want to work as a public accountant, you can go for the CPA certification. It is a certification offered by a number of professional bodies in the accounting sector such as Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). You will need to complete a course of study and pass an exam administered by the CA body of your choice. The course will vary from CA body to CA body but usually takes about 2 years to complete. For the exam, you will need to accumulate about 2 to 4 years of work experience. You can accumulate this experience while studying for the exam. After you have completed your course and have the relevant work experience, you can sit for the exam and become a certified professional accountant (CPA).
6. Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) course
To become a certified internal auditor, you will need to complete a course offered by a number of CA bodies. The most common course is the CIA course, which is offered by many CA bodies such as the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), International Institute of Audit and Control (IIAC), and the Institute of Internal Auditors (India). You will need to complete a course of study and pass an exam administered by the CA body of your choice. The course will vary from CA body to CA body but usually takes about 2 years to complete. After you have completed your course and have the relevant work experience, you can sit for the exam and become a certified internal auditor (CIA).
7. Certificate Course in Accounting
A certificate course in accounting is for people who want to make a career change and are currently employed in a different field. It is an excellent option for people who want to switch to accounting, but do not have the credentials or relevant experience. You can choose between part-time and online certificate courses. The former are ideal if you are currently employed full-time and can only take courses during evenings or weekends. The latter are useful if you wish to study accounting remotely and don’t have time to go to a physical campus to attend classes. You will be given about 18 to 36 months to complete a certificate course. You can choose to specialize in one specific area of accounting such as financial accounting, tax accounting, auditing, or financial analysis.
8. Certification In Forensic Accounting
If you want to specialize in fraud and forensic accounting, you can choose to go for the certification in forensic accounting. It is offered by a number of professional bodies in the accounting sector such as the American Society of Forensic Accountants (ASFA), Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Association of Fraud Examiners (AFE), and the Institute of Fraud Prevention (IPF). You will need to complete a course of study and pass an exam administered by the CA body of your choice. The course will vary from CA body to CA body but usually takes about 2 years to complete. After you have completed your course and have the relevant work experience, you can sit for the exam and become a certified forensic accountant (CFE).
9. Certification In Non-profit Accounting
A popular specialization in non-profit accounting is the certification in non-profit accounting. It is offered by a number of accounting bodies such as the Association of Accounting Textbooks (AAT), Association of Non-profit Accountants and Financial Officers (ANFA), and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC). You will need to complete a course of study and pass an exam administered by the CA body of your choice. The course will vary from CA body to CA body but usually takes about 2 years to complete. After you have completed your course and have the relevant work experience, you can sit for the exam and become a certified non-profit accountant (CNPA). You can work as an accountant in a non-profit organization, accounting firm, or even start your own accounting practice.
10. Certification In Construction Accounting
A popular specialization in construction accounting is the certification in construction accounting. It is offered by a number of accounting bodies such as the Construction Financial Managers Association (CFM), International Association of Contractors, Engineers and Architects (IACEEA), International Association of Contractors and their Employees (IACE), and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICASL). You will need to complete a course of study and pass an exam administered by the CA body of your choice. The course will vary from CA body to CA body but usually takes about 2 years to complete. After you have completed your course and have the relevant work experience, you can sit for the exam and become a certified construction accountant (CCA). You can work as an construction accountant in any good organization.
Bottom Line
Although a degree can be utilised for many different occupations, it does not confer any specialised knowledge or skills in any particular sector. This suggests that graduates need to continue their education in order to acquire the skills required for a particular field. If you want to make a successful career change, think about enrolling in accounting courses that are designed to provide you with the information, expertise, and training you require.
