What education does an accountant need?
100634
Some people have become accountants without degrees and are in practice currently, but that doesn't happen very often any more with more people going to college.  You need a four year degree in most universities to have a Bachelor in Accounting.  If you want to be a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) you need 150 credit hours though.  150 credit hours take most people five years.  You also have to pass a very extensive test that could take you a very long time to finish as it has to be completed in several sections.  Most accountants get their four year degree, get a job, and then work on their CPA certification as they go.  Good luck!  It's a great job market.  Every one needs accountants!
69827
Management Accountant - CMA\nAn accounting designation whose holder has formally demonstrated a mix of expertise in financial accounting and strategic management. This certification expands on financial accounting by adding management skills that help to make strategic business decisions based on financial information.\n\nInvestopedia Says: Entry to a Certified Management Accountant program requires a university degree. The program comprises a series of tests that participants need to pass to receive the designation. This accounting certification program is administered by an accounting association in each country, such as the American Accounting Association in the U.S. and the Canadian Academic Accounting Association in Canada.
470114
get a degree in accounting on a collegiate level
688333
No.  All you really need is to pay attention to details and be willing to put up with semi-tedious work.  If you put your mind to it, you can easily become an accountant.
1073060
CMA like CPA is recognised degree world wide....if you are looking for employment go for it.....understand your professional goals before undertakin the course\n\nFor any further query feel free to mail me at dssando@yahoo.co.in
186349
Dear friend, please specify your locational conditions and also specify your qualifications, experience , etc.\n\nFor small to medium sized companies , B.Com or M.Com. degrees can do but for big sized companies they require C.As or MBA (finance). Also these days you need to have Computerised Accounting skills.\n\nYou can approach various placement consultants or online job sites or just newspapers.
463488
MBA is a Master's of Business Administration, which is an academic degree that can only be granted by an educational institution.\n\nCPA is Certified Public Accountant, which is a professional certification that can be achieved by taking a test of a standard body of knowledge.\n\nYou can get an MBA by attending college, but not a CPA.  You can hold an MBA degree and later sit for the CPA exam, or you can do it the other way around.\n\nI would recommend the MBA for a more general all-around knowledge of business.  If you are particularly interested in Accounting, then you could sit for the CPA.  Many business owners hire outside CPAs to audit and keep their financial records.
1122069
It all depends on your career goals, and what your aptitudes are. They are both excellent, but each require different skillsets. \n\nYou will need to be good at accounting and to thoroughly understand accounting principles if you want to pursue finance.
487309
creativity and accountancy are miles apart. So you need to choose profession which can fulfil your needs. you seem to have mathematical abilities. Accountancy is used in forensic investigation, try knowing more about it. strategic consulting could be a good choice but u need start with MBA.
465191
Well you could join the work force, or you could get an accounting degree, or an bussiness administration degree.
2364
Please visit www.icai.org . This is the official web-site of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. You can start after higher secondary education (through CA Foundation course) or after graduation (through CA Prof.Edu-II, which is the erstwhile CA Intermediate). All the best!
566974
u r a chartered accountant without knowing your future even at this age?? Grow up, mature and don't forget to complete your basic studies.
843651
NO! A university education is not needed and, to be perfectly honest, universities are not for everyone. Should you go to as much schooling as is necessary for your chosen career? YES! Does that mean you have to go for a 4, 5, or 6 year university degree? NO!\n\nThere are a lot of alternatives available because not everyone is cut out for a university degree. I think those who believe everyone can and should get a university degree are basically lying to themselves and everyone around them. Other viable options are the two year community college, professional schools that offer 1 and 2 year degrees (for example Wright Business School, ITT Tech, etc). Correspondence courses, apprenticeships, and other forms of education are also viable. Really it depends mostly on your career goals and ambition. If the career you desire requires a college or university degree then you need to do what you have to do to get in and be successful. If, however, the chosen career field does not require the bachelors degree or higher, then it makes sense to get the degree or training necessary for that career field. For example: A bookkeeper does NOT need a four year degree in accounting (usually takes 5 years now). All a bookkeeper needs is a certificate or associates degree (1 to 2 years max!) in general accounting practices and bookkeeping skills. Most community colleges and technical schools in the nation offer a bookkeeping degree. Other examples include nursing, early childhood education, substance abuse counseling, and engineering technology. I choose those four as examples because each of them offers not only a 2 year option but you can go on for a 4 year degree in all of them as well. The point is, the 4 year degree is not required! You can be an RN with an associates degree. You can teach at or run a daycare center with a 2 year degree or less!, you can usually be licensed in a state to do substance abuse counseling with a 2 year degree. And engineering technologists do everything for an engineer after the tough parts are done (basically they are like a draftsman to an architect).\n\nAnyways...I am getting my masters and PhD in the foundations of education and one thing I have learned is there are alternatives to the bachelor's degree that are viable and usable. Sometimes it is not necessary to get a bachelors degree. In fact, we were shown in our History of Higher Education class that only about 50% of the students who start a four year bachelors degree program FINISH it. \n\nYou really have to decide for yourself what your career goals are and what those goals translate to for schooling.
781485
There are two ways to become an accountant either though training or though an accounts degree.\n\nYour first step would be to do an accountant techcians course such as CAT.  Then you can either do a degree and be a qualified but not a chartered accountant or do the ACCA or CIMA.\n\ni have finished the irish version of the accounting technicans course and it took me 2 years to complete the exams and i am currently working my way towards the required 2 years work experience before i can become a member.  The techicans exams allow you to skip the first year of any accountancy degree and the professional exams.  Definately worth doing.  \n\nTry these websites for more information:\n\nhttp://www.acca.co.uk/\nwww.cimaglobal.com/\nwww.iati.ie\n\nHope you find what you are looking for.\n\nxx
238137
You may wish to consider a degree in  accounting with a  minor in finance (or at least 9 hours in upper level finance courses); or a degree in finance with a minor in accounting (or at least 9 hours in upper level accounting courses).   Both degrees are valuable and marketable in the current business place.
224865
Learn the fundamentals of accounting here\n\nhttp://www.futureaccountant.com/accounting-process/
1099657
By going through hell. :D\n\nThe way folks in my area become accountants is as follows:\n1). Go to a Business College in an accredited university.\n2). Get As in all the major accounting courses.\n3). Join a student organization (preferably an honors one) and use the opportunity to network with professionals and recruiters from major firms and companies.\n4). Apply to all of these major firms if you have decided that this is still what you want to do after going though all the required classes\n5). Balance interviews with your grueling courseloads.\n6). Panic.\n7). Graduate, hopefully with the major you have chosen.\n8). Start work and/or start studying for the CPA Exam, which is a part of the overall CPA Certification Requirements that involves a comprehensive final on all the stuff you've already forgotten upon graduation. :D\n\nIf you want to know how to become a CPA, that depends on what state you are from and what kind of Pathway you are seeking.\n\nTo answer the second part of your question, a lot of CPAs in my area typically make around 50k-60k starting, but our cost of living is rather high (I am in San Jose, CA).\n\nHope this helps! E-mail me with any questions you have - I work a lot with people in the accounting field, specifically in recruiting from my University. I am at Yahoo! at HisDivineShadows.\n\n-HDS