Throughout your career, you’ll likely seek out opportunities to grow professionally and build upon your knowledge, skills, and experience. Doing so can have great benefits, including recognition as an expert in your field and potentially more job opportunities.
One excellent way accounting professionals can push their career further is through earning a Master of Accounting degree. The graduate accounting curriculum at the University of Alabama at Birmingham provides students a rigorous look into the industry and gives them an in-depth feel for some of the skills they might need to advance their career.
Here are some of the greatest perks of pursuing a master’s in accounting:
Earn your advanced degree
The most obvious career-advancing benefit of working toward a Master of Accounting is the advanced degree you’ll earn at the end. Of course, it’s more than the degree itself that could potentially help boost your career; it’s all the critical information you learn along the way.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Master of Accounting program is highly respected and has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Further, the university as a whole has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. These designations carry weight in the industry and indicate that students who earn their degrees from institutions that hold these accreditations went through carefully designed programs with high standards.
The AACSB accreditation is particularly noteworthy, as only 5 percent of business schools around the world are given this distinction. Both the on-campus and online accounting programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business are AACSB accredited. This means that students who earn their online Master of Accounting degree are in the same position on graduation day as those who attended classes in person; in fact, there are very few differences between the two programs.
Prepare to pursue relevant certifications
Demonstrations of your education and industry knowledge aren’t limited to degrees; certifications can also set you apart from your peers and highlight your expertise. Students who earn their Master of Accounting at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are typically well-prepared to begin working toward advantageous certifications such as:
- Certified Public Accountant
- Certified Managerial Accountant
- Chartered Financial Accountant
- Certified Information Systems Auditor
Earning each of these requires dedication and many hours of studying outside the Master of Accounting curriculum. Additionally, some accounting professional certifications require a specific number of years of industry experience. However, the graduate degree program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is a helpful step toward earning these distinctions.
Business Process Management certification is another designation that accounting graduate students may be well poised to pursue following their education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Students have the option to take AC 617: Technology Based Business Process Reengineering as an elective. This course explains the concepts of business process management and is largely based on the Association of Business Process Management Professionals’ body of knowledge. It also explains how the principles of business process management can be used in tandem with project management and systems development.
With a master’s in accounting degree, students are eligible for the Certified Business Process Professional or the Certified Business Process Leader certificate. People with a bachelor’s degree qualify to test for the Certified Business Process Associate or the Certified Business Process Professional certificate.
Learn from experienced faculty members
The faculty at the University of Alabama’s Collat School of Business is one reason its master’s degree programs are so well-respected. The accounting curriculum boasts award-winning industry experts who come bearing relevant knowledge that can be passed on to students. Learning from some of the best means getting a high-quality education. When professors have their share of experience as well as academic achievement, students can only benefit.
Like most accounting professionals, the faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham strive to stay current in their field. To do this, some are actively involved in organizations like the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Alabama Society of CPAs, and the Institute of Management Accountants. Having connections such as these can provide students opportunities to learn about a particular career path and joining industry organizations.
Develop your professional network
Graduate school is usually a great way to meet professionals who are working toward similar goals as you. Upon graduation, many of your classmates will pursue related career paths. Growing your professional network can help you learn about new opportunities to advance your professional life. Additionally, when you graduate from a respected institution, the alumni network can be a great resource for finding chances for professional growth.
Get career advancement advice
The University of Alabama at Birmingham wants to see its graduates succeed, which is why it offers Career & Professional Development Services. These give students ample opportunities for:
- Resume reviews and critiques
- Interview practice and preparation
- Job-hunting advice
Career & Professional Development Services also grant students access to HireABlazer, which is the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s online career management resource. Students, alumni, and employers have access to this, providing potential job and internship opportunities. It also shares information about meeting with a career consultant, building a resume, and networking and looking for jobs abroad.
University of Alabama at Birmingham prepares students for success in accounting
These benefits are some of the biggest perks of pursuing a Master of Accounting degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business. Over their course of study, students learn many important lessons about the world of accounting and have ample opportunities to bolster their skill set. To learn more about what you might gain from earning your Master of Accounting, connect with an enrollment advisor.
Recommended Readings:
What is accreditation and why does it matter for you?
5 certifications to consider after you finish your Bachelor’s in Accounting
Sources:
Association of Business Process Management Professionals International
UAB Online Bachelor of Science in Accounting