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Associate of Arts in Accounting

 Return to APUS Catalog | Associate

The Accounting Program is an attractive program for those students who want to enter the business world as an entrepreneur or manager of a small business.  An Associate of Arts in Accounting prepares students for entry level positions in Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing.  The curriculum provides a solid foundation in business strategy, financial statements, cost information, economics, management, and ethical issues. Students will be presented the various financial statements and learn how to record, present, and analyze financial data. 

Program Objectives:

Students who successfully complete the Associate of Arts in Accounting will achieve the following objectives:

  • Describe the general role of accounting in business and how it is best used by managers, investors, businesses, and governmental regulatory agencies (Securities & Exchange Commission and the Justice Department).
  • Examine the continuing accounting problems of many major U.S. corporations and discuss what may/could have been done to prevent similar problems/fraud in the future. 
  • Differentiate revenue from actual cash when evaluating the solvency of a business, a key factor in the current accounting “difficulties” of major corporations.
  • Construct the major financial statements (financials), demonstrating how they interrelate and reflect a variety of accounting transactions on those statements.  The student will have a thorough knowledge of terms such as Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Fixed Assets, Intangible Assets, Expenses, Liabilities, and Stockholders’ Equity.
  • Explain how accounting systems provide reports needed to assist in making managerial decisions and controlling the financial aspects of business operations.
  • Interpret and illustrate the basics of Cash and Accrual based accounting, depreciation, and depletion.
Degree Program Requirements
Required Course - 3 semester hours
  • RQ295 / COLL100 - Foundations of Online Learning - Required as the first course in all undergraduate programs.
General Education Requirements (34 semester hours)
English Composition - 6 semester hours
  • EN101 / ENGL101 - Proficiency in Writing [Required]
  • EN102 / ENGL102 - Effectiveness in Writing
  • EN202 / ENGL200 - Composition and Literature

Social Sciences - 6 semester hours
  • SS101 / ECON101 - Microeconomics
  • SS102 / ECON102 - Macroeconomics 
  • SS111 / GEOG101 - Introduction to Geography
  • SS133 / SOCI111 - Introduction to Sociology
  • SS134 / PSYC101 - Introduction to Psychology 
  • SS190 / ANTH100 - Introduction to Anthropology
  • SS210 / CHFD220 - Human Sexuality  
  • SO220 / SOCI220 - American Popular Culture

Science - 4 semester hours including the required 1 hour lab
  • SC100 / SCIN100 - Introduction to Biology
  • SC198 / SCIN101 - Introduction to Biology Lab
  • SC101 / SCIN102 - Introduction to Chemistry
  • SC199 / SCIN103 - Introduction to Chemistry Lab   
  • SC102 / SCIN104 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology 
  • SC122 / SCIN105 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab
  • SC103 / SCIN106 - Introduction to Physics 
  • SC123 / SCIN107 - Introduction to Physics Lab
  • SC104 / SCIN108 - Introduction to Astronomy
  • SC124 / SCIN109 - Introduction to Astronomy Lab
  • SC106 / SCIN110 - Introduction to Oceanography 
  • SC126 / SCIN111 - Introduction to Oceanography Lab
  • SC107 / SCIN112 - Introduction to Meteorology
  • SC127 / SCIN113 - Introduction to Meteorology Lab
  • SC108 / SCIN114 - Introduction to Physical Geology
  • SC128 / SCIN115 - Introduction to Physical Geology Lab
  • SC105 / SCIN116 - Introduction to Forestry
  • SC125 / SCIN117 - Introduction to Forestry Lab
  • SC110 / SCIN118 - Introduction to Human Ecology
  • SC120 / SCIN119 - Introduction to Human Ecology Lab

Mathematics - 3 semester hours
  • MA112 / MATH110 - College Algebra
  • MA113 / MATH111 - College Trigonometry
  • MA125 / MATH125 - Math for Liberal Arts Majors
  • MA225 / MATH225 - Calculus

History - 6 semester hours
  • HS101 / HIST101 - American History to 1877
  • HS102 / HIST102 - American History since 1877
  • HS111 / HIST111 - World Civilization before 1650
  • HS112 / HIST112 - World Civilization since 1650
  • HS121 / HIST121 - Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War
  • HS122 / HIST122 - Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War
  • HS215 / HIST223 - History of the American Indian
  • HS217 / HIST221 - African-American History before 1877
  • HS218 / HIST222 - African-American History since 1877

Humanities - 3 semester hours
  • HM101 / SPAN100 - Spanish I 
  • HM102 / SPAN101 - Spanish II [Prerequisite: HM101] 
  • HM103 / FREN100 - French I
  • HM104 / FREN101 - French II [Prerequisite: HM103] 
  • HM105 / ARAB100 - Arabic I 
  • HM106 / ARAB101 - Arabic II [Prerequisite: HM105] 
  • HM107 / RUSS100 - Russian I
  • HM108 / RUSS101 - Russian II [Prerequisite: HM107] 
  • HM109 / CHIN100 - Chinese I (Mandarin)
  • HM110 / CHIN101 - Chinese II (Mandarin) [Prerequisite: HM109] 
  • HM111 / GERM100 - German I
  • HM112 / GERM101 - German II [Prerequisite: HM111] 
  • HM200 / MUSI200 - Music Appreciation
  • HM230 / RELS201 - Introduction to World Religions  
  • HM240 / ARTH200 - Art Appreciation  
  • HM277 / PHIL200 - Introduction to Ethics
  • PH101 / PHIL101 - Introduction to Philosophy
  • GM200 / COMM200 - Public Speaking

Literature - 3 semester hours

All literature courses require successful completion of EN101 - Proficiency in Writing or EN102 - Effectiveness in Writing

  • HM201 / LITR220 - American Literature before the Civil War
  • HM202 / LITR221 - American Literature from The Civil War to Present
  • HM221 / LITR210 - English Literature: Beowulf to 18th Century
  • HM222 / LITR211 - English Literature: 18th Century to Present
  • HM211 / LITR201 - World Literature through the Renaissance
  • HM212 / LITR202 - World Literature since the Renaissance

Political Science - 3 semester hours
  • SS121 / POLS210 - American Government I
  • SS131 / IRLS210 - International Relations I
Core Requirements (15 semester hours)
  • CS101 / ITCC101 - Basic Computer Applications 
  • GM156 / BUSN100 - Basics of Business 
  • GM229 / ACCT100 - Accounting I 
  • GM230 / ACCT101 - Accounting II [Pre-requisite GM229]
  • SS101 / ECON101 - Microeconomics
Elective Requirements (9 semester hours)
Students must complete 9 semester hours comprised of lower (100-200) level courses not taken to fulfill the requirements listed above. Additional general education courses may be taken to fulfill elective requirements.



Total Hours = 61

 Return to APUS Catalog | Associate

American Public University System (APUS) is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association and nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission, Distance Education and Training Council.

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