Accounting and finance certificates allow students to study generalised accounting or a accounting topic in depth while also preparing them for the next steps in their work or educational careers. There are two important kinds of accounting certificates. In that a few certificates are design for recent high school graduates without a specific accounting education who are preparing for entry-level accounting positions. The credentials are perfect for those trying to attain work experience in these areas before beginning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
There are several other certificates, which are aim at well-experienced professionals in the accounting field who want to expand their professional skill set. These accounting and finance program are develop for those who have already earned or are in the process of pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and those preparing for licensing and certification designations. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that around 815 not-for-profit colleges and universities in the US provide accounting and finance certificates.
Aspiring accounting professionals without undergraduate degrees usually register in introductory accounting and programming certificate programs to prepare for jobs which include accounting clerk or bookkeeper. These professionals earn a median annual salary of $41,230, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and can serve as stepping stones to higher-paying positions.
Several students usually utilize the graduate-level accounting and finance certificate to meet the educational needs for professional certifications which include Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Accountants and auditors made a median annual salary of $71,550.
Why doing accounting and finance certificates is useful?
Accounting and finance certification provide several professional advantages to both new and experienced accounting professionals. Many students without college degrees usually choose accounting and finance program certificates to qualify for entry-level clerking or bookkeeping positions, while college graduates may help certificates to help meet professional certification needs.
The accounting and finance certificate goal is that the new accounting students provide foundational qualifications that will transfer to accounting associate degree or bachelor’s degree programs. More advanced accounting certificate programs also provide qualifications that transfers to accounting master’s or Ph.D. programs.
• Objectives of doing accounting certificate
a) To understand basic concepts of accounting
It is very important to understand the fundamentals of accounting concepts in entry-level accounting positions. Students who enrol in the entry-level accounting and finance programme will gain a broad understanding of accounting principles and be able to use fundamental accounting skills, which are value in almost all entry-level positions, including financial record keeping, tax preparation, and payroll administration.
b) To perform quantitative and record-keeping
Individuals who have accounting and finance programs must possess the ability to reliably report financial information, budgets, and payroll activity. Accounting accuracy, and high professional standards, and ethical behavior, are critical in the accounting field. As these are very helpful to perform accurate quantitative and record-keeping skills.
c) Higher study or CIMA® CHARTER
CIMA® credential brings you to the power of dual specialization in investment accounting and management accounting. While the management accounting specialization equips you for directly impacting growth, profits and competitiveness of organizations; the investment accounting specialization CIMA certification puts you in a rarefied league of professionals – with expertise in monitoring, tracking, analysing and accounting the performance of investments made by organizations in a complex mesh of multiple national markets, regulatory environments and tax regimes.
The charter from the CIMA Institute, is the world’s most distinctive professional designation for finance & accounting professionals today. CIMA® paves tracks for leadership roles in fluid and dynamic business environments accentuated by diversity and multiplicity of markets, currencies and regulatory-regimes. Twinning two powerful super-specializations in the advanced areas of investment & management accounting, CIMA® is a top choice of professionals preparing for diverse and exciting careers with global investment banks, hedge funds, asset, wealth management, audit and consulting firms, as well as leading business corporations and multinational organizations.
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