Accounting and Finance Degrees Offered by Purdue Global
Purdue Global is also featured in our ranking of the Top 35 Most Affordable Online Bachelor’s in Finance.
Purdue Global is an online school operating under the auspices of Purdue University. The school came into existence in 2018 and already has over 29,000 students enrolled. As an extension of Purdue University, the online school extends educational opportunities to students across the globe. The pathways to degrees offered online number at over 175. The fields of accounting and finance are well represented in the Purdue Global online programs with degrees in various levels, including associates, bachelor’s, master’s, and graduate certificates.
The primary degree level offered at Purdue Global in accounting is an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting. The degree requires 90 term credit hours. The program culminates in a capstone project that utilizes all the skills the student has learned during their tenure at the university. Graduates who have earned their Associate of Applied Science in Accounting are qualified to move into a four-year degree program or to work in positions such as clerking in fields like bookkeeping, accounting, auditing, timekeeping or payroll. They may also move into positions as brokerage clerks or statistical analysts.
A Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Purdue Global requires a total of 180 term credits of study. Those who already hold the Associates in Applied Science in Accounting have a leg up on the schedule as they have already accomplished most of the core requirements. Graduates of Purdue Global’s Bachelor of Science in Accounting can recognize financial fraud, gain skills in strategic planning and budgeting, are prepared to handle tax structure and auditing for large corporations, and develop new economic strategies for local and state governments.
The Bachelor of Science in Finance has four pathways students may explore. For students who wish to investigate the whole of the economy and apply that knowledge to specific studies, the path of general finance is the most appropriate. Students who want to specialize in particular studies can opt to study the intricacies of investment finance or the ins and outs of real estate finance. Those who wish to deal with the high end of the economy can focus on wealth management. Another pathway that the two Bachelor degrees can lead to is to move into a master’s degree where more specialization occurs.
The Master of Science in Accounting at Purdue Global requires the completion of 52 term credits. The program is designed to enhance a student’s credentials to move into middle or upper management positions. The degree allows students to opt along four different pathways: audit, finance, government accounting, or tax accounting. Graduates of the program are qualified to lead accounting departments, research accounting issues, and address risk factors and legal issues.
The Master of Science in Financing concentrates on two pathways, financial analysis, and financial planning. While financial analysis looks toward the value of portfolios and current investments, financial planning looks toward the future and evaluates the appropriate principles concerning financial concepts when compared to the preservation of a company’s continuing framework. The Master of Science in Finance prepares the graduate to affect corporate and governmental fiscal decisions at the highest level.
For those who do not have the time or the inclination to pursue a master’s degree in accounting, Purdue Global offers a shortened program called the Graduate Certificate in Accounting. The degree only requires 16 term credit hours of study in four courses. Students study accounting and financial reporting systems, business law as it applies to accounting, application of auditing techniques, and cost accounting as a tool for managerial decisions. The degree prepares the graduate to take the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam.
About Purdue Global
Since Purdue Global has only been around since 2018, there are not many criteria with which to evaluate the effectiveness of the online school. There are over 29,000 students currently enrolled and a faculty that includes eminent scholars. The school came into existence when Purdue University merged its online program with an online for-profit school. Some objections are raised here and there by critics, but the school looks to be taking off in the right direction.
Purdue Global Accreditation Details
Purdue Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Council. All the degrees in accounting are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), as is the Masters of Science in Finance. The Master of Science in Finance with a concentration in financial planning meets the criteria for graduates who wish to sit for the Certified Financial Planning (CFP) Certification Examination.
Purdue Global Application Requirements
Since the online courses at Purdue Global are presented in English, all students must be able to read, write, and speak fluent English. A high-school transcript proving graduation, or its equivalent, is required during the application process. Before entering a class, students must either pay the tuition and fees themselves or have made financial arrangements.
Those applying to enter graduate-level courses must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school. A bachelor’s degree from Purdue Global automatically entitles the academic applicant entry into a graduate program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for the associate and bachelor programs at Purdue Global is $371 per term credit. For graduate studies, the tuition rate is $485 per term credit. Students should always be aware that along with tuition comes some online fees and the cost of books. Being an online school, the cost of room and board does not apply, so students are saving immense amounts by seeking their degree at Purdue Global.
Students find many opportunities to save at Purdue Global. The school is a member of the federal program that handles Pell Grants that can supply over $6,000 of relief per year for students seeking their first associate or bachelor’s degree. State Grant funds are also accepted by the university. Active military personnel receive a 55% reduction in tuition for undergraduate programs, and veterans get 38% off. Military dependents receive a ten-percent reprieve on financial costs. Federal Student loans are also available at Purdue Global but should be used as the last source for funding to reduce graduation debt.
Online schools are the perfect solution for many students. A person with a family and a job does not have the time to attend classroom studies. The extension of education studies at schools like Purdue Global allows students to move into higher jobs with better pay, something which accounting and finance majors know a lot about.