Although some entry-level jobs in accounting and auditing are open to those with only a bachelor's degree, you need advanced training if you want to make a career of accounting. Accountants play central roles in creating, verifying and analyzing financial records and information for business, government and non-profit institutions. Most career accountants earn licensing as a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) because this is not only desired by employers, it is legally required for some accounting functions, such as Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Instructions
1. Earn an undergraduate degree in accounting or a related field of business. An undergraduate major in accounting is not required for advanced study, but you should have courses in bookkeeping, statistics and basic accounting along with a business-related major. Courses that teach the use of computer-based accounting software and methods are especially valuable because these give you a leg up in the job market and in preparing for postgraduate study.
2. Take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). This is the standardized test in mathematics used by most business schools. Contact your academic adviser to determine when you should take the GMAT once you reach your final two years of undergraduate study.
3. Choose an accredited graduate program in accounting to prepare for certification as a CPA or to earn a master of business administration (MBA) in accounting. MBAs and CPA preparation are available from almost all accredited business schools. Depending on your personal needs, consider an online program. Business schools offer some of the best online master's programs of any field of study.
4. Complete the requirements to become a CPA. Most states (46 as of 2007) require at least 30 semester hours of postgraduate study to be eligible to take the CPA exam. The exam is a four-part test administered by each state's Board of Accountancy. Normally, you arrange to take the CPA test through the business school where you are studying. Not all prospective CPAs pass all four sections on the first attempt, but they have to retake only those sections they fail to pass.
5. Finish the coursework and requirements for an MBA in accounting. The great majority of students complete an MBA in accounting once they have their CPA licenses because as few as six additional semester hours are required. Most people use these hours to take advanced courses specializing in one particular area of accenting, such as auditing, forensic accounting or managerial or governmental accounting.
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