Accounting and Finance Programs at William Howard Taft University
William Howard Taft University is also featured in our ranking of the Top 15 Online Masters in Taxation.
Finance and accounting degree programs can prepare students for working as financial analysts, taxation specialists and similar positions. William Howard Taft University offers two programs for graduate students who want to study these subjects. The programs help students meet the minimum number of credits and the education required to sit for the Colorado CPA exam too.
The first of those programs is a Master of Science in Taxation (MST) program. Students must take at least nine credits of classes each semester to qualify for full-time enrollment. Each semester lasts for 16 weeks. This is an independent program that asks students to do much of their work on their own and at home. The university gives students an extension that allows them to hand in all work within two months of the semester ending to receive full credit. Each course in the taxation program is worth three to four credit hours. Those classes include Taxation of Partnerships, IRS Practice and Procedure, Taxation of Real Estate, Estate Taxation and Planning and Federal Income Tax Aspects of Organizing and Operating Corporations.
Students can also earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from William Howard Taft University. The MBA is available online with four concentration options, including a general business program and professional practice management concentration, which is suitable for finance and accounting majors. Students spend four semesters and take 36 credits of classes, including Public Relations and Marketing Management. They need to take classes from three different groups to graduate, but the university also requires that they take several comprehensive exams. Only those who receive passing grades on their exams can remain in the MBA program.
About William Howard Taft University
Named for the former President of the United States, William Howard Taft University is a private university based out of Denver, Colorado. Established in 1976, the university opened as a distance education school that offered opportunities for CPAs and other professionals to further their studies. It initially only offered one program and provided students with workbooks. Those students would complete their work at home, mail it to the university and receive credit based on how well they did. As the university became more popular, it added other degree programs that students could finish at home. It uses other names today, including WHTU and Taft University.
Most of the students applying to WHTU are professionals who either want to earn or finish a degree. The university is still a distance education school but now offers online classes. Students have the option of finishing a bachelor’s degree from the university online. They can submit their transcripts and receive credit for the classes they already took. The bachelor’s program focuses on business administration and features a general business option. All the other programs offered by the university are available for graduate and doctoral students. The university also offers certificate programs for undergrads in areas that include project management, marketing and eBusiness. There is also a Doctor of Education program available online. William Howard Taft University ranks as one of the top distance education schools in the country and accepts students from around the world. It has an enrollment of several thousand students.
William Howard Taft University Accreditation Details
As the university specializes in distance education programs, it sought distance education accreditation rather than regional accreditation. Its accreditation comes from the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), which is one of the only organizations of its type authorized by the United States Department of Education. This shows students that the courses they take have approval and that they can transfer in and out of the university if needed. WHTU also joined the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to help students see that they can earn worthwhile degrees from the university.
William Howard Taft University Application Requirements
Students applying to the WHTU taxation graduate program must have a bachelor’s degree from a university or college that has regional accreditation. They also need to have a minimum of three years of professional experience in accounting or finance. The university asks that prospective students complete an online application and pay a $75 fee. They will also need to submit transcripts and make sure that the university receives the paperwork within 60 days of the semester starting. Students can also submit transcripts to earn credit from the university. WHTU charges a $55 fee to evaluate those transcripts. The university has the same requirements for its MBA program but accepts students who have business experience rather than accounting/finance experience.
Those accepted into either program will receive a commitment form from the university. They need to fill out this form and sign and date the bottom to show that they will both attend WHTU and make a commitment to earn their degrees from the university. There is a $100 commitment fee due when a student submits the form too. This fee acts as an enrollment deposit and lets the student register for classes. Transfer students can then request that the university evaluate their transcripts to see if they will get credits for their past education work.
Tuition and Financial Aid
WHTU charges a computer library fee of $45 that is due each semester. This provides students with full access to resources available from the library. Graduate students typically pay between $395 and $420 per credit hour for all their classes. Students also pay $150 for the books required in each of their classes. Students who put down at least 30% of what they owe at the beginning of the semester can qualify for a payment plan. The university lets them make small payments over the next five semesters.
Two special programs are available for military students through the VA and similar government departments. Those programs can cover the total cost of tuition as well as the books that students need. Representatives of the university can assist students in getting this type of financial aid. Any student who receives tuition reimbursement from an employer can also use that to pay their costs. A small number of students also qualify for federal financial aid, which they get through the FAFSA. Finance and accounting majors at William Howard Taft University have the option of using alternative student loans too.