Flexible Finance and Accounting Degrees From Liberty
Liberty University is also featured in our ranking Top 15 Online Master’s in Forensic Accounting.
Relocating to the 275-foot Freedom Tower worth nearly $1 billion in 2019, the School of Business houses a B.S. in Accounting for Liberty University undergrads to gather prime financial analysis skills face-to-face in Lynchburg or entirely online. Chaired by Prof. Beth Koss, the 120-credit degree presently priced $23,800 annually offers free electronic textbooks in fast eight-week courses from Theology Survey to Accounting Ethics. Up to 75 percent of credits can be transferred, including from Liberty’s own A.S. in Accounting online. Ranked 184th by the U.S. News & World Report, the online program can be further accelerated with the 3+1 MSA Option. Majors might also earn the New York Fellowship, intern at Ernst & Young, join Accounting Society, and deduct the First Responder Discount.
Placed 18th nationally by College Choice, the B.S. in Business Administration at Liberty University engages undergrads with a median 1150 SAT score at an 18:1 ratio for 18 custom concentrations, including Finance and Financial Planning. Directed by Dr. Stacie Rhodes, the 120-credit, ACBSP-accredited degree involves three years of Christ-centered courses like Economic Forecasting and Banking Systems in eight-week online formats. Spending 180+ clock hours at internships, such as Disney, Nestle, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Capitol Hill, is encouraged. Adjacent to Ron Blue Library, the Center for Financial Literacy offers free workshops to get CFP certification. Students could compete with Enactus, join the Financial Management Association, and semester in Greece too.
Online via the MyLU Portal, the Liberty School of Business confers the M.S. in Accounting for $615 per credit part-time to prepare working adults for advanced financial services careers expecting above-average 11 percent growth through 2026. Crowned America’s 194th best on Niche, the 30-credit distance degree advised by Dr. Gene Sullivan trains “Champions of Christ” for the Uniform CPA Exam with 47.8 percent first-time success. Post-grads exceeding the 3.0 bachelor’s GPA choose specializations for Auditing & Financial Reporting, Business, Forensic Accounting, Financial Services, Leadership, or Taxation on the $50 applications. After the 1.5-year curriculum, graduates connect to 250,000 employers on Handshake. Some also continue for 60-credit Accounting Cognate to the Online DBA.
Led by Dr. Dave Brat, the former 7th District Virginia Congressman, Liberty’s School of Business selectively admits 31 percent of the 5,913 annual applicants to its Online MBA with Accounting and Finance tracks toward executive C-Suite roles. The 45-credit, broad-based leadership degree at Forbes’ 391st top private university usually takes 24 months and $27,675 total to reach the strategic capstone. For greater specialization, the M.S. in Finance under Dr. Scott Ehrhorn prepares for wise wealth decision making in Financial Management and Financial Planning options. Launched in 2009, this 30-credit, ACBSP-accredited program boasts the 50th highest student satisfaction on Online College Plan with courses like Derivatives. Please note Liberty University’s Continuing Education Department also grants a $999 Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) course for faithful financial experts with 10+ years of experience.
About Liberty University
This private non-profit research university, located in Lynchburg Virginia, is loosely affiliated with the Southern Baptist Church. It is one of the largest Christian universities in the world, with more than 15,000 students on-campus and more than 94,000 students online. Liberty University has 297 bachelor’s programs, 319 master’s and 32 doctoral degree programs housed in 17 colleges including a law school and a medical school. Students at the university agree to abide by a Christian code of conduct.
The university was founded by Reverend Jerry Falwell in 1971 as Lynchburg Baptist College. It became Liberty Baptist College in 1977 and Liberty University in 1985. That same year the university started a distance learning component by mailing courses on VHS tapes to students. The Liberty University campus houses many historical buildings and is home to the Civil War Chaplains Museum.
The US News and World Report ranks Liberty in the second tier, #230-301 of National Universities. Most classes have between 20 and 49 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1.
Liberty University Accreditation Details
Liberty University is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Many of its programs have special accreditation through eleven agencies, including the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) which accredits the Master of Science in Accounting degree as well as other associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business.
Liberty University Application Requirements
Students applying as undergraduates to Liberty may apply online, or they may call an application advisor. Undergraduate applicants must complete a 200-400-word essay on a specified topic and should submit that form by email to the school. Students must request their high schools to send their official transcripts to the university. There is a request form in the online application. Additionally, if any college work has been completed, the college or university offering those courses should submit a transcript of that work. Students must also arrange for the submission of their SAT, ACT or CLT scores. Once all materials are submitted, the university will create an online account for the student which he may claim using a special access number. Communication with the school takes place through this account. There is a refundable $250 confirmation deposit required at the time of application.
Graduate students apply to the school that houses their desired program. Required documents vary by program, but generally include official transcripts of all collegiate work. Students applying for Master’s programs may complete the application process with an unofficial transcript, but the official document must be received within 60 days. This does not apply to applicants seeking associate or doctoral degrees.
Students applying to Liberty Online apply through the online form. They must submit their official transcripts and other documents with their application. The documentation required varies by degree level. The non-refundable application fee for online students is $50.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The estimated cost-of-attendance for traditional undergraduate students is $41,112 per year. Undergraduate tuition, including most fees, is $23,800 per year. Room and board vary with accommodations and meal plans chosen, but most students will spend between $8,380 and $11, 680 per year. Books and supplies are calculated at $1,372 per year, and students should budget for other fees, costs and personal expenses as well.
Online programs are charged by the credit-hour. For instance, general undergraduate courses are $390 per hour, plus special technology fees. The BSN-MSN program costs $460 per hour, and other graduate programs may average $565 to $605 per hour, not including special fees.
The average indebtedness of Liberty students upon graduation is $21, 875. Most students expect to meet much of their student debt through grants, scholarships, and other student aid. Students entering Liberty are required to complete the FAFSA form. This federal program awards grants, subsidized and unsubsidized loans and work-study opportunities based on financial information submitted by the applicant and his family.
In addition to the Pell Grant, the SEOG and other federal assistance, the government offers the TEACH grant which is a tuition repayment program for students in teaching programs who agree to work in at-risk populations and schools for a specified period. Virginia offers the VA Tuition Assistance Grant, The VA Two-Year College Transfer Grant and the VA Brown V. Board of Education Scholarship, among other opportunities.
Liberty University has a number of available scholarships as well. The Liberty Supplemental Grant and the Liberty Scholarship are financial grants based on income and require that students access the full amount available to them through federal sources before applying. There are many scholarships available based on academic merit, major or activities in which the applicant participates. Because Liberty University is a Christian school, there are many scholarships offered through churches and other religious affiliations. Private individuals often fund memorial or other scholarships and so do service organizations and corporations.
Students who do not have enough scholarship or grant money to cover their entire financial obligation should consider taking out a student loan. In addition, part-time jobs and work-study programs are great options because they allow students to gain work experience and to add to their resumes.
With so many degree programs, and with the amount of financial aid available, students who want to learn in a Christian atmosphere should find Liberty University a good academic investment.
