Charter Oak State College - New Degree in B.S. Business Administration

[KittenMittens]

ajs1976: That's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you. Sorry for assuming you were HR.

KittenMittens: My initial goal was just to try and snag some low-hanging fruit in the form of bookkeeping jobs, etc. Most of the ones in my area require a 4 year degree in Bus. Admin., Finance, or Accounting. I'm trying to transition out of the hotel arena and get my foot in the door doing some basic accounting. In that sense, the BSBA from COSC is perfect. The CPA now requires 150 hours, and I've put off grad school for a time while I'm transitioning, so that's not an immediate goal. I was thinking of going the EA or CMA route first, anyway. So many states require some or all of those hours to be in class, rather than distance, that I'm not sure having an Accounting degree over having a BSBA with a lot of UL accounting credits will help much.

The reason why COSC excited me so much is that it would be much easier to move from my first Bachelor's graduation into another degree program than starting at TESC. The other consideration was the fact that UL credits for the TESC BSBA-A have been traditionally filled by LSU credits which are $500+ a pop+books+proctor. I had not even considered CSU which are $250 with a free re-test for failed attempts. With ajs1976's suggestion, I think I can still show my accounting proficiency, even if a job requires a degree specifically in accounting.

I'm just trying to get my foot in the door in the easiest, fastest way possible. I'm going to take some time to weigh my options, at any rate. Going either route won't change the initial basic courses I need to test out of. I appreciate all the time everyone has devoted to my plans, and I'll be sure to keep everyone updated on my progress.

Do you need an accounting degree to be able to become a CPA? It seems like from what you’ve said, and from some google search I did, that you don’t. If that’s the case, that sounds pretty good. If you’re uncertain or unsure,I would also ask the opinions of recent accountants, perhaps recent grads. Maybe try posting on reddit.com/r/accounting to see if it makes any meaningful difference. I don’t really know, and you know this situation best.

Overall, I think your strategy and plan is sound. You’re asking the right questions, and doing things that are logically sound. The one thing I am uncertain about is how COSC will consider these CSU-world exams. They may not know much about them as they seem to rely on ACE and occasionally that NCRRS credentialing, but if these CSU-world exams are ACE or NCRRS certified that makes it easier. If they're not, it is definitely worth explaining to the college. If you're able to provide a solid basis for your reasoning, they are (from my personal experience) willing to work with you.