Hey all. New here. I am trying to set my path for my next educational pursuit. I have two undergrad degrees in business - Finance and Accounting, a Lean Six Sigma Green belt, and a couple of years of experience in private accounting. I'd like to get two Masters degree if I could. I will be using what I have left of the GI bill to help pay for it. I think I have 10 months of chapter 1607 at 890/mo and then 12 months of post 9/11 at 80%. I can't afford to try and do something like the UNC MBA and bury myself in debt. I'm not 100% sure that the GI Bill is going to pay me for a second program added concurrently to the first. I understand that towards the end I will be paying out of pocket, but that is okay. I'm studying for my Certified Management Accountant certification right now. I plan on getting that and a CPA, once I get 150 hours and 2 more advanced level accounting courses. I don't mind doing accounting. Mainly, since it is the "language of business," I just want to demonstrate a complete mastery of it and open myself up to move up financial analysis, banking, or whatever else is financial related. I don't want to work in public accounting, but I would be happy as a controller for a manufacturing firm. Here are some things I've found online that have struck my interest: Georigia Tech Operations Research: I'd need some additional math foundation. I like their financial quant type electives. I'm not sure I could even be accepted. Great name recognition. Georgia Southern Master of Accountancy: It's AACSB, cheap, and only 30 hours. I've heard that a MAcc is pointless if one has a BBA Accounting. Good name recognition in my area. Georgia Southern Master of Science Applied Economics: AACSB, cheap, 30 hours, and I could get it in 21 if I did the GSU MAcc by taking MAcc electives in MSAE. I like the concept of an AE degree, but I'm not entirely sure employers do. North Dakota State Master of Science Applied Economics: AACSB, about same price as AACSB. Will require a thesis or internship. I hear it is better than Southern's, but I won't have the name recognition here with it. New England College of Business and Finance, MS Finance: I think I could get a military discount and and get this one for about 16k. RA. It is, however, the only reasonable MSF I could find. I'm worried there would be no recognition of it in my area. I also HATE the idea that it is a private institution with no brick and mortar location. This spells a little trouble, but I am lured by it being one of the cheapest MSFs out there. MBAs possibilities: Wayne State: It's SUPER cheap, but no name recognition in my area. Amberton: Same as above. University of Louisiana Monroe: Inexpensive, AACSB, and only 30 hours. It "sounds" cheap though. Eastern New Mexico State: ONLY $5708 if I only took two classes a semester. ABCSP. A clear cut sign that I went to school online to a school no one in my area has ever heard of. Mississippi State University: AACSB, and I could get this degree for under 12k with a military/SEC state residency status discount. This has the best name recognition in my area of any MBA on my list. ------------------------------------ Do you guys see any value to the MSAE for what I want to do? Is the MAcc worth taking? Would anyone touch the New England College of Biz and Finance and their MSF? Are there any cheap, public, B&M, MSF's online out there? What are the thoughts on my MBA choices? I know there is a lot of info there, but I appreciate any guidance you can provide. Thanks in advance
Personally, I think there is nothing wrong with Wayne State. However, my general rule for people who want to change careers is to look at a well respected company in the field you want to in. See where they recruit. Look at the people working in the position you want, and see where they got their degrees. (LinkedIn works great for this.) You will be begin to see a pattern. For example, many people who work for company X in finance have an MBA from Chicago, or from the west coast, etc. Also, you may want to consider a graduate certificate in accounting rather than a masters. University of West Florida has a well priced program - UWF - Department of Accounting & Finance - Certificate Programs - Accounting .
BacktotheBooks, Additional AACSB accredited online MBAs you may want to add to your list of program options: University of Mississippi (Ole Miss): 36-hour online Professional MBA (PMBA) The University of Mississippi School of Business Administration: MBA Program University of North Dakota: 33-34 hour MBA (Accounting or International Business concentrations also available, e.g., 36-hour non-thesis /37-hour thesis). Master of Business Administration (MBA) | Online & Distance Education Arkansas State: online 33-hour MBA ASU-Jonesboro - index Texas A&M-Commerce: online 30-hour MBA Texas A&M University-Commerce - Graduate Programs - Fast Track MBA University of South Dakota: online 33-hour MBA Online MBA - USD Jacksonville State: online 30-hour MBA (w/ Accounting concentration 33-hour) JSU - College of Commerce and Business Administration - Masters of Business Administration http://www.collegeview.com/pdf/JSU_reprint_09_final_lores.pdf
If you’re interested in earning a graduate financial discipline degree via basically testing-out; have you considered The University of London (SAOS)? MBA Banking: 6-courses $12,630 (£7,960) MBA Banking - University of London - School of Oriental and African Studies - External System - Key points MSc Finance (major: Quantitative Finance) /8-courses $15,600 (£9,840) MSc Finance (major: Quantitative Finance) - University of London - School of Oriental and African Studies - International Programmes - Key points MSc Finance (major: Economic Policy): 8-courses $15,600 (£9,840) MSc Finance (major: Economic Policy) - University of London - School of Oriental and African Studies - International Programmes - Key points MSc in Finance and Financial Law $15,600 (£9,840) Finance and Financial Law - University of London - School of Oriental and African Studies - External System - Key points Per UOL literature, each course is accessed via a 3-hour examination during the October examination period; exams and assignments are weighted 70:30 (e.g., 2-assignments required per course). Courses are 8-week duration. I believe UOL is approved for veteran’s /GI Bill education benefits.
It looks like after all of your education you are wanting to work as a controller-- not public accounting. In my perspective (and I am maybe a little bit biased) if you are doing a complete career change in an area that you have never worked, you will want the biggest bang for your buck. This means go with a school that has a solid alumni network and name recognition in your geographic area. The job market is difficult-- I am in an Executive MBA program currently and whereas it is by far much more expensive than other programs there is A LOT of career support and networking. I did a MS online and I found the experience rewarding from an intellectual meaning--- but I don't think the degree has really opened huge doors for me. It helped in my previous employer-- but not really fundamentally change my career trajectory. I chose to not do a distance or online MBA this go round because I wanted to have a strong experience with my classmates, professors, etc. I always wanted to go to a top 20 school due to the types of recruitment that shows up for those programs. For certain degrees-- I really think distance is the way to go, but I think for other professional programs the best ROI is something that places you ahead of the pack and opens doors.
That's great that you did you undergrad degrees but doing 2 master's at the same time will be overwhelming for you. You could either choose major or minor than doing 2 master degrees. (that's a friendly suggestion) We wanted everyone to achieve successful education in short time. If you are going for MBA with the affordable prices, you should look up to ITU (International Technological University - Global Development Through Silicon Valley - San Jose, CA) 1 unit for 400 dollar and one course is around 1200, what a price breaker for MBA students. The school is located in San Jose, Silicon Valley and offers 2 years of MBA program. ITU is unique because they are not just teaching from the textbook, the professionals come and share their experiences with the students. The curriculum is practical oriented and the instructors come from leading companies like Intel, Google, NASA, etc... ITU doesn't provide 100% online classes but have a flexible schedule where you can take evening classes and weekend courses while working during the weekdays. You can submit you course work through the Database log-in provided to each student.Classes are self-paced and you will find it rewarding. Even though its is distance learning, students should mingle and there should be interaction. You will learn that ITU has different diversities and you will meet excellent professors & amiable classmates.
I believe the OP is located in Mississippi … not San Jose, California. It’s likely the OP would not be interested toward a traditional /in-residency ITU MBA program as this is a distance learning forum. And even though ITU is BPPE approved and is in candidacy status with WASC … it is officially (to date) an unaccredited institution. Nonetheless, thanks for the commercial.
Decide what you want to do. To be quite honest the hardest thing you have in front of you is passing the CPA exam....hands down. You might be able to get a legit 100k+ position with the CMA but the CPA is the bread and butter. Of you programs above I would 100% get the AACSB recognition. Again, if you are remotely think of taking on the CPA exam take graduate accounting courses that relate to the exam. Auditing, Tax, Financial Report Writing, maybe even Law. My University has a business law for accountants so it's geard towards CPA. If you are bumping along with the CMA go ahead an knock it out as it may open up more midlevel positions for you while going to graduate school and taking the CPA exam. All of the above in conjunction with experience opens the big doors to top level positions. Take your time this isn't going to be overnight. Forget the operational programs of study take some of those courses as electives (this stuff can be obtained through experience) get into something MBA and/or accounting related so you can brush up for the CPA. P.S. I think Georgia Southern above.
