Hi guys, I have an Econ BA not BS but want to learn finance and accounting. I've heard UCLA has an extension school that offers certificates in both. I want to apply and earn the finance Cert while taking a couple of entry level accounting course. I work in a place already where I have to do minimal accounting stuff and I know how to create a financial statement but I need more practical courses and my job can place in a spot where I can earn that experience. But I need to know if ucla extension is worth it? What would employers think? Just to clarify though I'm more interested in working the public sector than the private. Would there be a big difference in what employers at each are looking for and demand?
I'm not in that business but I recognize that UCLA is one of the most widely known brand names in the country.
You're right maybe to some but really I am less worried about prestige than just what employers think of the program. Extension or not I am sure they think it's rigorous.
Really I am looking to get skills to couple with my economics degree. I see that the courses include finance and accounting. I would think that would be valuable to employers no? I am not looking to work for a big number one bank or accounting firm. I wouldn't mind working for a local public agency or a small/medium sized business. In fact I would prefer it.
If you are serious about Accounting, find out the requirements what it takes to become a certified public accountant (CPA) in your state and go from there. Once you have figured out the requirements we probably can help you somehow to get there in an affordable way. If you are just trying to learn a bit more about accounting how about just doing the Coursera course on Accounting ( https://www.coursera.org/course/accounting ). Won't cost you a dime and I personally question the ability of many employers to differentiate between (free) Coursera certs from Wharton/Penn and an expensive one from UCLA. (I know, I know, coursera says no Wharton/Penn cert, but previous courses apparently did https://www.coursera.org/course/finance).
Now I am being told by a person at my job that I should look into Management Information Systems because at the last job she as at, they were laying people off with Finance and Accouting degrees to include this system called SAP? SEP? Something like that? She said I would have a better shot at getting employment with a Comp Sci certficate and MIS masters, since I have an Econ degree already. Is this true?
It's SAP. You can read a little about it here: SAP ERP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There's a lot of education/certification available for it. It's almost an "edu-industry" these days, sort of like CISCO, Microsoft and Oracle are! Johann
So is it true that a lot of finance people are getting canned for people who know SAP? or for the SAP program? Even then I just want to learn finance with some accounting courses, get a job and then later go for my Master of Public Adminstration - Public Finance. Would it be easier to get a job at the local level public sector with the certificate?
