Faculty Spotlight

Program Director

William R Whitley
Doctor of Education: The University of Alabama

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Associate of Science in Accounting

 

DEGREE AT A GLANCE:

    • Number of Credits
    • 62
    • Cost Per Credit
    • $ 250
    • Total Tuition*
    • $ 15,500
  • *(Before Transfer Credit)
 

Program Description

This program is for those students who want to enter the business world as an entrepreneur or manager of a small business. An Associate of Science 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.

The AS in Accounting has specific admission requirements for any students applying to the program on or after Oct. 1, 2012. The student may be admitted to the program if he/she fulfills any one of the admission options below:

  • Student is active, national guard, reserve or retired military personnel
  • Student has already earned an Associate or Bachelor degree from an accredited college in the U.S.
  • Student has already completed 12 semester hours at an accredited U.S. college with a GPA of 2.0 or above
  • Student submits acceptable ACT or SAT scores.
  • Student takes 3 APUS courses as outlined by the assigned admissions representative and earns a GPA of 2.0 or above.
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    Program Objectives

    Students who successfully complete the Associate of Science 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.

    Admission Requirements

    This program is for those students who want to enter the business world as an entrepreneur or manager of a small business. An Associate of Science 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.

    Admission Requirements

    Students will need to meet one of the following requirements prior to program admission, and first course registration. Your admissions representative will work with you to determine eligibility.

    • Be an active duty US Military member that is on active duty, is reserved, or is retired
    • Be a student that has successfully completed (with a GPA of 2.0 or higher) at least 12 semester hours, or have already earned an Associates or Bachelor degree from an accredited institution
    • Submission of acceptable ACT or SAT scores
      • Tests must have been taken within the last 5 years
      • ACT scores with a minimum composite score of (19) and individual scores for English (18) and Math (18)
      • SAT scores with a minimum composite score of (1445) and individual scores for Reading (490), Math (475) and Writing (48)
    • Successful completion of one of the following Undergraduate Learning Tracks
    • Courses for College Readiness Learning Track
      • ENGL101
      • ENGL102
      • One of MATH101, MATH110, or MATH125
    • Courses for College Business Learning Track
      • ACC100 (MATH110 prerequisite)
      • BUSN100
      • ECON101

    Admissions Process

    1. Apply for Admission
    2. Complete the online orientation
    3. Complete the TCE application and pay the $50 fee*
    4. An Admissions Representative will be assigned to work with you and will contact you via email or phone to assist you with the enrollment process. Your Admissions Representative will also be reviewing documents verifying your eligibility for the program. You will be notified when you have been admitted and can register for classes

    *TCE fee waived for all United States Active Duty Military, Guard, and Reserve personnel.

    Have Questions?
    Our admissions staff is available Monday - Thursday from 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET to answer your questions and provide assistance with the admissions process. You can reach us by phone at 877-777-9081, e-mail us at info@apus.edu, or connect with us via Live Chat.

     
    Core Requirements
    18 Hours
    NAME
    DESCRIPTION
    CREDITS
    ACCT100
    Accounting I
    3 hours

    Introduction to the purposes of financial accounting statements and the recognition, measurement, and disclosure concepts and methods underlying financial statements. Focus is on using and interpreting financial statements and on understanding the impact of transactions and events on financial statements and financial ratios. Students must have access to Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel software,

    Pre Reqs: College Algebra(MATH110)

    ACCT101
    Accounting II
    3 hours

    A continuation of Accounting I, this course includes study of managerial concepts, analysis of financial statements, internal controls, and contemporary accounting standards, practices, and issues. Students must have access to Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel software. (Prerequisite: ACCT100).

    Pre Reqs: Accounting I(ACCT100)

    BUSN100
    Basics of Business
    3 hours

    This course is designed to acquaint the student with the terminology, organization, and function of the American business system. The course will give the student a broad background about the contemporary American and global business environments as well as considering different business organizations, management principles and strategies. Topics covered include marketing, finance, personnel, customer relations, production and operations, e-business, world trade ventures, internal information systems and decision-making processes.

    ECON101
    Microeconomics
    3 hours

    Microeconomics is an overview course that covers how households (consumers), firms (producers), and governments interact in competitive and other markets to set prices, and determine what and how much is produced. Key concepts introduced include the role of scarcity and choice, incentives and competition, and the law of supply and demand.

    ECON102
    Macroeconomics
    3 hours

    Introduction to Macroeconomics is a survey course that builds on the topics covered and skills developed in ECON101 (Microeconomics) in order to present a complete picture of the economy. Macroeconomics shows how consumers and markets fit into the overall or aggregated economy and provides a framework to assess government policies. Key topics covered will include economic cycles (growth and recession), economic indicators and measures and interest rates and money supply.

    ITCC111
    Basic Productivity Applications
    3 hours

    This course is a study of the concepts and technology trends essential to office productivity applications. Students will explore the principles, practices, features, and functions of the word processing application in the Microsoft Office 2010 Suite. The course will be taught with a mixture of analytical methods and practical exercises. Students will use Microsoft Word to create and format documents; and use lists, themes, mail merge, watermarks, templates, graphics, navigation tools, tables, charts, citations and bibliographies. Students will also be introduced to the features and capabilities of PowerPoint, the presentation application in the Microsoft Office Suite. This course uses the Microsoft Official Academic Course textbook that is aligned with Microsoft’s Exam--Using Microsoft Office Word 2010. The book meets the topical requirements for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS): Microsoft Office Word 2010 Certification; and contains a six month trial of Microsoft Office.


    Institutional Requirements
    3 Hours
    NAME
    DESCRIPTION
    CREDITS
    COLL100
    Foundations of Online Learning
    3 hours

    This course is designed to provide a solid foundation for undergraduate study in the online environment. Students will be introduced to learning theory, the tools available in the online classroom and campus, and online research. Identification of personal learning style allows students to improve their study/learning techniques and prepares them to succeed in college level courses. Students will be introduced to formatting and citation styles. APUS policy and procedure is addressed. There is an emphasis on written communication to assist students in the transition to the online environment.


    General Education
    38 Hours

    Lower Level Electives
    3 Hours
    Electives are typically courses available at your degree level that are not currently required as a part of your degree program/academic plan. Please visit the catalog to view a complete listing of courses.

    Program Completion Rates, Median Debt and More

    The following program details are intended to help you make an informed decision about the university that's right for you.

    2011-2012 Program Completion Rate
    Normal time to completion for full-time student2 years
    Graduates who completed in this time149%
    Tuition & Fees as of January 1, 2013 Median Loan Debt of 2011-2012 Graduates
    Tuition
    (before any awarded transfer credit)
    $15,500 Federal loans5$0
    Technology fee2
    (per course)
    $50Private educational loans$0
    Transfer Credit Evaluation fee 3
    (if applicable)
    $50 Institution financing plan$0
    Graduation fee$100 
    Books and supplies4$0 
    On-campus room and boardNot applicable 

    1 Data may be “not available” if the program has no graduates during reporting period or if it has not been in existence the normal time for completion. If 0%, then graduates in the reporting period took longer than the average time, usually because they were part-time students. 91% of our students are working adults and do not take a full-time course load.

    2 A $50 Technology Fee will be charged for all future undergraduate and graduate level course registrations, including audited courses. The fee is not applicable for Comprehensive Exam courses. An APUS grant will cover the fee for Active Duty Military, Reservists, National Guard, Vocational Rehabilitation (VOCA), VA and VA Chapter 33 students, and anyone using military tuition assistance (TA).

    3 Transfer Credit Evaluation Fee waived for all United States Active Duty Military, Guard, and Reserve personnel.

    4 The undergraduate book grant provides textbooks, e-books, and other course materials at no cost to students for courses being taken for academic credit. Students must obtain their own software when required for a course or program.

    5 This figure does not include PLUS loans or TEACH grants converted to Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans.

    For more information on jobs related to this program, please click on the below links to the O*NET website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

    American Public University System (APUS) makes no representation or guarantee that successful completion of an APUS program or coursework will result in employment within a particular field. Many employers take into account various criteria, in addition to education, when determining eligibility for employment. To assist our students in their career search, the APUS Office of Career Services provides students and alumni a variety of tools, resources, information, and guidance to assist them as they pursue their life goals.

     

    American Public University System, American Public University, and American Military University are not affiliated with American University.

    American Public University System (APUS) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and a member of the North Central Association.

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