Graduate Certificate in Accounting Online

Learn to implement accounting policies and financial statement analysis to make effective business and acquisition decisions.

Apply by: 4/15/24
Start class: 4/29/24 Apply Now Apply Now

Program Overview

Learn in-depth about our Graduate Certificate in Accounting

Diversify your career opportunities by earning a Graduate Certificate in Accounting online from Northwest Missouri State University. Develop specialized skills you can apply immediately in a broad range of accounting settings in a program designed for working professionals.

In this accredited online program, you will learn to present financial statements using theoretical concepts with practical techniques of financial analysis. You will gain expertise in assessing risk while applying audit principles in gathering evidence, developing conclusions and proposing solutions, as well as deepen your knowledge of the rules of financial reporting for business entities.

The curriculum provides an in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of cost accounting, taxation, accounting ethics and more. All of our courses are taught by highly qualified, caring professors with professional credentials who help you develop accounting expertise through relevant, real-world applications.

Adding an online graduate certificate to your accounting credentials can lead to added job security, new leadership roles or distinction from your peers. Plus, the coursework can be applied toward a Northwest online MBA in Accounting. According to Emsi Burning Glass, projected job growth for accountants and auditors is 4.4% over the next 10 years in Missouri and the contiguous states.

Graduate Certificate in Accounting career opportunities include:

  • Accountant
  • Accounting Clerk
  • Accounts Payable/Receivable Specialist
  • Bookkeeper
  • Accountant
  • Accounting Clerk
  • Accounts Payable/Receivable Specialist
  • Bookkeeper

Accreditation:

The business programs at Northwest Missouri State University are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). For more information about ACBSP accreditation, visit acbsp.org.

Online graduate certificate programs also available

Northwest online offers a variety of graduate certificates. Check out all of our online graduate certificates.

Total Tuition $5,256*
Program Duration As few as 8 months
Credit Hours 12

Accreditation:

The business programs at Northwest Missouri State University are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). For more information about ACBSP accreditation, visit acbsp.org.

Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call 844-890-9304

Call 844-890-9304

Tuition

Details on our affordable tuition

Our Graduate Certificate in Accounting online program offers affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included.

Tuition breakdown:

Total Tuition $5,256*
Per Credit Hour $428

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

0
45
Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $16,140
Apply Now

Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.

Calendar

Northwest online dates and deadlines

Northwest online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.

termProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 23/4/242/19/242/22/242/26/242/28/244/19/24
Summer 14/29/244/15/244/18/244/22/244/24/246/14/24
Summer 26/24/246/7/246/12/246/14/246/18/248/9/24
Fall 18/26/248/12/248/15/248/19/248/21/2410/11/24
Fall 210/21/2410/7/2410/10/2410/14/2410/16/2412/6/24

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date: 4/15/24
Next Class Start Date: 4/29/24
Ready to take the next steps toward

earning your degree?

Apply Now

Admissions

Here’s how to get started

At Northwest, we’ve streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Accounting online, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them. The requirements include:

Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • Resume detailing professional experience
  • GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • 3 years of work experience or acceptable GMAT/GRE score

Required Documentation

Applicants to the Graduate Certificate in Accounting program at Northwest Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in business from a regionally accredited university must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and one of the following:

  • Three years of continuous professional full-time work experience
  • Three years of continuous full-time United States enlisted or commissioned military service
  • Graduate degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
  • 3.50 or higher undergraduate GPA
  • A GMAT score of 440 or above
  • An admission index of 1100 (undergraduate GPA x 200 + GMAT)
  • A GRE score of 285 or above
  • An admission index of 965 (undergraduate GPA x 200 + GRE)
  • A 70th percentile on the Business Major Field Test score or above

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may apply if you have a bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited university plus one of the following:

  • A GMAT score of 440 or above
  • A GRE score of 285 or above
  • 3.5 overall undergraduate GPA
  • An admission index of 1,100 (undergraduate GPA x 200 + GMAT)
  • An admission index of 965 (undergraduate GPA x 200 + GRE)

In addition to the general requirements prescribed by the Graduate School, all students without an undergraduate degree in a business field must successfully complete MGMT 54201: MBA Business Foundation before any graduate course.

Official transcript(s) can be emailed to: [email protected]. To submit official documents by mail, send them to:

Graduate Records Specialist
Northwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001

Have a question? Call us at 844-890-9304.

Click here for State Authorization information.


Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • Resume detailing professional experience
  • GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • 3 years of work experience or acceptable GMAT/GRE score

Courses

Take a look at your graduate certificate in accounting coursework

For the Graduate Certificate in Accounting online program, the curriculum is comprised of four courses (12 credit hours), including three concentration courses and one elective.

Applicants to this program who do not have a bachelor's degree in business are required to successfully complete the MBA Business Foundation (MGMT 54201) course as their first class, which is designed specifically for students who are new to business curriculum. The MBA Business Foundation course will not count towards the elective requirement for this program.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course combines theoretical concepts underlying the presentation of financial statements with the practical techniques of financial analysis. Topics include analysis and application of key accounting concepts at a conceptual level including revenue recognition criteria, inventory accounting choices and implications, fixed assets and the impact of depreciation policy on business strategy, capitalizing vs expensing costs, evaluating purchase and lease options, liability reporting, statement of cash flows, pro forma financial statements, shareholder's equity, institutional and political contexts that affect the choice of a company's accounting policies and financial statement analysis as applied to an acquisition decision.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines contemporary issues confronting accountants, business and their stakeholders. Topics such as corporate governance (the balance between economic and social goals and individual and communal goals), professional ethics, fraud examination, corporate social responsibility and sustainability reporting and critical accounting perspectives may be examined. Specific topics may change from year to year.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The primary objective of financial reporting is to provide useful information for decision making. To serve this objective, various standards and rules have been adopted to govern financial reporting, auditing and tax reporting. Accounting, auditing and tax rules are complex and change rapidly over time in response to the economic, political, legal, cultural and social environment. Those standards also provide accountants and business leaders considerable discretion and require effective exercise of professional judgment on many aspects of financial reporting (i.e. accrual estimation, revenue recognition) particularly where there are no rules to follow or the existing rules conflict. This course introduces students to research methods, research appreciation and evaluation together with practice in conducting and reporting professional research projects in accounting, auditing and taxation.
Students must choose one additional advisor-approved MBA course that is not already required.

ACCT 51646 (Managerial Accounting) is a suggested course for the elective requirement of the Grad Cert in Accounting if you do not plan on going into the MBA-Accounting program later.  This is only a suggestion for the elective requirement – it is not required and it is not a pre-requisite.

Still undecided?

Check out our online programs.

Ranked #1

Northwest Missouri State University is ranked #1 among the "Best Online Colleges in Missouri" by SR Education Group (2020)

Highly Qualified Faculty

100% of classes taught by professionals, not graduate assistants

*Tuition and fees are based on current rates. Textbooks and laptops are not included with tuition.

Request Information

Submit this form, and one of our enrollment specialists will contact you to answer any questions and guide you through the process, from start to finish.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Or call 844-890-9304

Ready to get started?

Start your application today!

Or call 844-890-9304 844-890-9304

for help with any questions you may have.