Online Accounting Degrees in Arizona

Anthem College

Anthem College Online

The Chubb Corporation opened The Chubb Institute as a way to train its employees, but after experiencing a number of problems, the corporation sold the school to Great Hill Partners and the High-Tech Institute. Now known as Anthem Education Group, the chain maintains 34 college campuses and an online campus. Anthem College Online lets students living in all 50 states enroll in classes and complete a college degree without attending classes on a traditional campus. Arizona residents will find a nearby campus located in Phoenix that offers some support and help for students in addition to the online college campus.

Accounting Technology (Associate of Science)

Many accounting degree programs focus primarily on math and accounting courses with a few general education courses. Anthem College knows that future accountants will work with clients and customers every day, which is why the school requires that students take courses on communications. Those classes will teach you how to better get your point across and discuss issues with those clients. You’ll also take psychology and other behavior science courses that show you why people act in certain ways. Required accounting courses include computer applications, bookkeeping, payroll and tax preparation. After successfully completing the program, students seek employment as accountants, tax preparation experts, billers and payroll clerks. Anthem College knows that the need for qualified accountants will only increase in the coming years, which is why it strives to better prepare students for working in different accounting fields. The college stresses the importance of learning about more than just general accounting.

Accreditation
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

Contact
16404 N. Black Canyon Hwy, Ste 180
Phoenix, AZ 85053
(866) 837-1010
Website

Brookline College

Associate of Science in Accounting

Brookline College remained focused on preparing future business owners and managers since it originally opened as the Arizona Institute of Business and Technology (AIBT). Though the school opened in 1979, it took three years before it gained accreditation. The college then became a junior college and offered Associate’s degrees and diploma programs before earning the right to grant Bachelor degrees. After Hamilton White Group IIA bought the school in 2007, it changed its name to Brookline College. The college now operates four campuses in Arizona and an online campus. Students can take many of the same courses online or on campus.

Brookline College originally offered its Associate of Science in Accounting on its Albuquerque campus, but as the number of online students increased, the school realized that students wanted to take those classes online. The online program now gives students access to the same classes, course materials and professors, but students can take those classes from nearly anywhere in the world. Designed for those interested in entry-level positions, the program takes just two years to finish. Like most schools, the college has some general education requirements, but students can take those classes at the same time that they take accounting courses. Accounting courses available through the school include general business principles, business law, critical thinking, decision making and primary accounting concepts and their applications. Many students also take a number of mathematics courses and computer courses that teach them about new technologies used by accountants in the United States and around the world.

Accreditation
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

Contact
2445 W. Dunlap Avenue, Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85021-5820
(602) 242-6265
Website

Carrington College

Associate Degree Programs

Margaret W. Carlson opened a new college in Phoenix in 1976. Then known as Apollo College, the school served as a vocational training program that taught students skills relating to specific fields and helped them find jobs later. As enrollment increased, the school added nine other campuses, but those campuses later became part of the U.S. Education Corporation roster of schools. Now owned by Western Career College, the school emphasizes the importance of trained healthcare professionals. The school slowly added new programs and degrees to its available courses of studies. Business and accounting programs became available in 2012 on campus and online.

Associate of Science in Accounting

Though Carrington College announced in 2011 that it planned to add new business and accounting programs to its course catalog, it took just over a year before those classes appeared in the catalog. The classes are only available at four of the college’s many locations, but students can also complete their degrees online. Many two-year degree programs let students take a combination of courses that teaches them valuable knowledge, but Carrington College believes in taking things one step further. Before finishing the program, you must complete a capstone project. Working with your adviser, you will create a detailed financial report that includes the skills and knowledge you learned throughout the program. Your adviser will give you detailed finance reports from two companies and ask you to determine how to best bring those two companies together. This ensures that you learned the basic and advanced skills necessary for future employment.

Accreditation
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)

Contact
2701 W. Bethany Home Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
(602) 427-0660
Website

DeVry University – Arizona

College of Business and Management

DeVry University is one of the largest institutions of higher learning in the United States. The school, which originally opened in 1931 in Illinois, served as a standalone school for more than 30 years before Bell & Howell Education Group purchased the school. Under the guidance of that company, the school added more than 90 campuses in the United States, Brazil and Canada. Enrollment increased to more than 90,000 students on those campuses and online. DeVry University also maintains the Keller Graduate School of Management, which is a chain of for-profit schools offering MBA and advanced accounting programs and degrees.

Master of Accounting and Financial Management

Specifically designed for students with a business degree and working professionals, the Master of Accounting & Financial Management is a graduate program that is available online. The program launched after the school realized that a large number of students couldn’t attend classes on campus because of their work schedules. As a graduate student, you can choose from one of three concentrations: finance, financial management or certified public accountant. Certified public accountants must take and pass the CPA exam before working in their state, and this program includes an exam review that tests your knowledge before you sit for that exam. Each of those concentrations requires 18 credit hours of required courses and 15 credit hours of courses relating to your concentration. The CPA program one elective and a large exam review course, while the other programs require 12 credit hours of electives in lieu of the CPA test preparation course.

Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Board of Commissioners

Contact
2149 W. Dunlap Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85021
(602) 749-4500
Website

Everest University

Everest University Online

Corinthian Colleges, Inc. owns and operates a series of schools all across the country. Established in 1995, the company purchased and acquired a large number of technical and vocational schools, which helped it expand into various areas. Everest University is one of the schools owned by that company, but the company also owns Everest University Phoenix and Everest University Online. Everest University Online is a subsidiary of Everest University and it meets the needs of online students. The online portion of the college focuses heavily on criminal justice topics, classes for paralegals, information technology courses, business degrees and accounting programs.

Accounting (Associate of Applied Science)

Accounting is one of the fastest growing fields in the world, but Everest University realizes that some students are uncertain if it is the right career path for them. That is why the school offers an Associate’s of Science in Accounting program. This program lets you learn some of the basic skills that you need on the job, and you also have the chance to decide if accounting is the right choice for you. If you decide to change your major to business, you can transfer your credits into one of the available business programs. Many students also use their credits to obtain a Bachelor’s in Accounting after leaving Everest. Students take a number of required courses, and depending on your course load, you can complete the program in two to three years. You’ll learn more about specialized areas of accounting, including payroll, business law, finance, tax accounting and cost accounting.

Accreditation
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)

Contact
5701 E. Hillsborough Ave, Suite 2300
Tampa, FL 33610
(877) 439-0003
Website

Grand Canyon University

Business and Leadership

The Arizona Southern Baptists decided to found a new school in Arizona that would focus on the importance of faith and religion. When Grand Canyon University opened, the school trained and educated a large number of ministers, and the school’s founders pushed local men to attend the college and stay closer to home instead of attending a college in another state. Though the university experienced years of success, it later suffered from a number of financial problems that led to Significant Education LLC purchasing the school. The parent company expanded the number of courses offered and launched an online campus.

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

A large number of accountants work as certified public accountants. If you dream of one day working as a CPA, you must sit for the CPA licensing exam first. Grand Canyon University lets you focus on your education and take preparation courses that will help you pass that exam on your first try. After passing the exam, you must complete a total of 150 hours of work in the field, and GCU lets you use your work experience to earn course credit. Many students work in an internship, which counts towards their CPA training and their required course work. After finishing the program, you can also enroll in an MBA program with a concentration in accounting. Before graduating, you must complete a minimum of 34 credit hours in general education, 16 of electives and 64 credit hours in core accounting classes, including principles of marketing, business statistics and managerial accounting.

Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs

Contact
3300 West Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
(602) 639-7500
kbcob@gcu.edu
Website

Ottawa University

Business and Management Programs

Located right along one of the major roads in Phoenix, Ottawa University has a convenient location near downtown and many of the top suburbs. The first college in the school system opened in 1865 after a group of missionaries decided to build a school to educate children belonging to the Ottawa tribe. The school carefully selected new locations for campuses and grew into a large school system. Its Phoenix campus covers 40,000 square feet of land and offers students access to state of the art equipment and the newest technologies. Students living in other areas of Arizona can take their courses online.

Bachelor of Arts in Accounting

The founders of Ottawa University wanted to provide educational opportunities to those who had no opportunities for the future, and the school remains devoted to that same idea today. The Bachelor of Science in Accounting online program lets students with few choices find hope for the future. As an online student, you can interact with professors and other students, research projects, complete assignments and do other tasks without leaving the comfort of your home. The school asks that students complete 16 required courses that include microeconomics, intermediate accounting, accounting for business operations and advanced accounting. The program also offers a seminar in applied accounting. This unique course combines classroom learning with real life experience. You’ll spend one semester studying topics and concepts in class and working on a project that shows you can put those concepts into practice. Students also take a few electives and general education courses.

Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)

Contact
10020 N. 25th Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85021
(602) 371-1188
admiss.az@ottawa.edu
Website

Rio Salado College

Accounting Department

The Maricopa County Community College District consists of 10 different college campuses located in Arizona. The community college district started as a way for students to attend courses and earn college credits to receive a degree or transfer to a larger school later. It originally offered courses in more than 100 different settings across the state. Rio Salado College was one of the largest schools in that network of colleges. In 1996, the college added its first few online courses, and within 10 years, the school focused primarily on those online classes. It now ranks as one of the best distance learning schools in the country.

Associate in Applied Science in Accounting

The Associate in Applied Science in Accounting is a program available entirely through the Rio Salado College’s online system. Students take 22 to 24 credit hours of general course requirements, nine credit hours of accounting electives and 29 to 32 credit hours of accounting courses. The general courses that you must take include first year composition, oral communications, critical reading, mathematics and humanities. These courses ensure that you have a strong foundation and can handle the more advanced courses that come later. Accounting electives, also known as restricted electives, include courses on business and management and show you how to use your accounting skills in the business world. Students have more freedom when it comes to the accounting courses that they take. You’ll take a class on excel spreadsheet, computerized accounting, business communication and legal, ethical and regulatory issues in business, but the school also lets you select various course to complete the credit hours required.

Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Contact
619 North 7th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(480) 377-4050
Academic.Advisement@riosalado.edu
Website

University of Phoenix – Main Campus

Business and Management

When the University of Phoenix first opened, the school wanted to assist older students and give them access to more opportunities. Though the school still has a large population of adult students and working students, it also accepts recent high school graduates. From a class size of just eight students when the school first opened to its current enrollment of more than 300,000 students, the school keeps growing at a fast rate. The University of Phoenix now has more than 100 campuses that offer Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degrees, and many of the programs and degrees that the school offers are available online.

Associate of Arts concentration in Accounting Fundamentals

The Associate of Arts is a two-year degree program that lets students earn a degree in a select field. When you enroll in the program, you choose a concentration that you want to study. The Associate of Arts concentration in Accounting Fundamentals is one of the more unique programs. With a lower degree, you qualify to work in a variety of different fields. After finishing the program, you can look for a job, or you can enroll in one of the more advanced programs through the school, including a Bachelor’s in Business or a Bachelor’s in Accounting. The University of Phoenix requires that all students take a few general education courses, but you can also take specialized accounting classes. Students typically take courses that include business communications for accountants, statistics for decision making, management theory and practice, principles of accounting and critical thinking for everyday life.

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

While the Associate degree is a good choice for some, others will prefer the Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree offered by the University of Phoenix. Designed for students wanting to work right after graduation, the program also lets students transfer to a Master’s program later. The school hopes that its students will learn professional skills that will assist them on the job later. The program requires the successful completion of 120 credit hours, which includes a number of general education courses. If you transition to the program after finishing your Associate degree, you can often skip many of those classes. In addition to general education classes, students also take specific accounting classes. Those courses include introduction to computer applications and systems, management theory and practice, principles of accounting, finance for business, marketing and quantitative analysis for business. Special topics and courses on new concepts are also available every semester.

Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Accounting

Many accountants look for jobs in the business world, and those workers need a specialized skill set. The University of Phoenix gives those workers the chance to learn those skills through its Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Accounting. The MBA program can take as little as 36 credit hours or as many as 54 credit hours of work. When you decide on an accounting concentration, you’ll take at least 51 credit hours of work. You take 36 credit hours of MBA courses and an additional 15 credit hours of accounting courses. The University of Phoenix encourages its students to take an internship as part of their studies as well. As an MBA student, the school expects you to take courses on human capital management, organizational leadership, quantitative reasoning for business, marketing and economics. Available accounting courses include corporate finance, accounting ethics and accounting theory and research.

Accreditation
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)

Contact
1625 West Fountainhead Parkway
Tempe, AZ, 85282-2371
(602) 557-2000
Website

Online programs are a great way to learn more about accounting, complete your general education classes and finish a degree in the field. Students typically finish the top online accounting degrees in Arizona in two years for an Associate’s degree or up to five years for a more advanced accounting degree.

For more information on obtaining your Online Accounting degree, please see Top 10 Online Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs.