Tough Decision regarding ACBSP program.

I am a CPA in the KC area who has a stable job for the foreseeable future. I have a bachelor's degree from a well-respected, top-150 national b&m state school in the Northeast US. I have took some post-bacc courses to meet state CPA requirements.

However, I would like to get a Masters Degree, preferably a Master of Science in Finance (and not an MBA - I hate leadership/org management/marketing classes and prefer the hard "numbers" stuff). My ultimate goal is to spend about $16k, half of which would be employer-paid, to get a 36 cr. hr. masters degree from an online St. Louis-based ACBSP school and then use that masters degree to teach community college courses as well as a local school here that is currently in candidacy for ACBSP status. Do you think that there is any chance, having only obtained an ACBSP degree, that I will not be able teach as an adjunct instructor at the local community college and other desired school? If they require an AACSB degree to teach, my efforts would be for naught. If there is any chance of this, I will just go get the lesser-desired MBA from the AACSB school down the street (not online, more of a hassle, not the desired program of study).

 

Seems like only your target school will know the answer about ACBSP vs AACSB. I would think a CC would be glad to get either accreditation, but that's just my impression. We read on this forum (and it makes sense) that there are a lot of MBAs trying to get teaching jobs, so if you dislike it so (I'm with ya, for different reasons) I wouldn't go with the MBA.

Phillip

 

Try calling local community colleges to see if anyone is willing to talk with you about their hiring requirements & the importance of AACSB or lack thereof? Or check their websites to see if they list specific hiring requirements for any finance related positions?

 

Would distance and online schools like UoP, Brown Mackie, Argosy, etc. hire a person with a non-AACSB Masters of Finance to teach part-time courses in accounting and finance? I would still have a ACBSP-accredited masters.

 

I would think this would be quite likely. The pay is low, however.

Regarding a CC position...

How many community college courses in finance are there?

 

not many but several in accounting: the principles courses, intermediate I is often taught at the CC level as well as cost accounting and management accounting. Another school that I really like (the one currently seeking ACBSP accredidation) has a couple finance courses.

 

If your motivation for earning a masters is just to teach accounting part-time at a community college, your CPA credential alone may permit you to do so. Have you spoken with any program chairs or department heads at schools you would like to teach at? This is one of the qualifying paths for accounting faculty at my local community college:

 

I have seen similar but I have no teaching experience. I am thinking I may not be able to start at the community college level, and at the college I really would like to teach at there are currently no openings.