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Accounting Online Associate Degree Program

Can be completed in as little as

7 terms*

*2 terms per semester; each term is 7 weeks

Tuition

$335/credit

$1,005 3-credit course

Active Duty Military

truED Preferred Tuition

Credit Hours Required

60 Credits

Summer Term 1 Application Deadline

April 25

Upcoming Start Dates

Summer 1: May 6

Summer 2: July 1

Explore Accounting

Launch your career in the fast-growing accounting field with a degree designed for working adults. With a program built around the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Core Competency Framework, hands-on experience, and an emphasis on problem-solving and critical thinking, Champlain's online associate degree in accounting will prepare you for success.

 

Build Your Career Future

Develop the accounting skills and business acumen today's employers are looking for. Through the accounting associates degree online program, you'll gain both foundational accounting skills and key soft skills (like communication and teamwork) that are essential for career growth as an accountant, and emerge ready to tackle the challenges faced by today's accounting professionals.

This online associates degree in accounting is ideal for those looking to enter the accounting field, or for those who have found themselves in an accounting-related role and are seeking formal training and knowledge of the accounting discipline through foundational accounting and finance course studies. Plus, it's a solid stepping stone toward a full bachelor's degree in accounting for those who are returning to school after time away, or embarking on their first degree.

Champlain College students who complete the associate degree in accounting program may decide to apply for a CPA license. A CPA is a Certified Public Accountant, a designation licensed by each state.

In Vermont, to earn a CPA license, individuals are required to demonstrate their knowledge and competence by passing the Uniform CPA Exam. Students should note that CPAs require more than a Bachelor's Degree. The requisite credit hours for the CPA exam are 150 post-secondary credits. This means that a typical undergraduate degree (at 120 credits) is not enough, and students need to take more classes–30 credits' worth–to be eligible for licensure.

Champlain College has not determined whether the associate degree in accounting program meets the education requirements for professional licensure in any state (or the District of Columbia) other than Vermont.

Fast Start Formula Career Bundle

Propel your career even further with our Fast Start Formula Career Bundle designed to get you noticed and get you hired. Gain access to the Fast Start Formula Career Course, the Landing A Job You'll Love Ebook, and live webinars with "hot seat" coaching by Executive Career Coach Jen Morris.

Take the next step

Academic Excellence and Recognition

US News & World Report Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs

Ranked among the Best Online Bachelor's Programs by U.S. News & World Report

Ranked Among Best Online Accounting Bachelor's Degrees

Ranked among the Best Online Accounting Bachelor's Degrees

Intelligent.com ranks Champlain College Online among best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees

Designated among the best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees by Intelligent.com

New England Commission of Higher Education Logo

Regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education

Move Your Accounting Career Forward

Accounting careers are projected to grow 7% between 2020 and 2030, with globalization and a growing economy resulting in high demand for qualified accounting professionals. Accountants and auditors can expect a median annual salary of $73,560.*

Graduates of Champlain's associate in accounting degree program will be prepared for a variety of accounting roles across all sectors, including tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services, in the areas of government, finance and insurance, manufacturing, and more.

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2020; jobs titles: Payscale, 2020

Top Jobs for Associate in Accounting Graduates

  • Accounting Assistant
  • Accounts Receivable Clerk
  • Administrative Assistant
  • Auditing Clerk
  • Bookkeeping Clerk
  • Payroll Clerk
Accounting professional at the office with colleague

Program Details

Learn more about Champlain's 100% online associate degree accounting.

Champlain's online accounting courses encompass the top skills needed by today's accounting professionals. Graduates of the program are required to complete the following courses:

Professional Courses (30 Credits)

General Education Courses (21 Credits)

  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Inquiry & Analysis
  • Quantitative Literacy
  • Scientific Literacy: Natural Sciences
  • Social Sciences or Arts & Humanities

General Electives (9 Credits)

Note: Some of the courses in this program are available in 15-week terms only. Please contact your advisor for details.   

Professional Courses:

Accounting is the language of business. This course introduces the student to accounting from the point of view of the user of financial reports and is appropriate for personal as well as business applications. Students explore the impact of transactions on the financial position and profitability of a business, and analyze financial reports of real-world corporations.

Managerial accounting focuses on the needs of management for accounting information to make informed decisions in the internal operations of a company. Topics include decision-making, accounting for planning and control, cost-volume-profit relationships, and budgeting.

Prerequisites

ACCT-130

In this first course of a two-part sequence focusing on financial reporting students will learn theory, concepts, principles and practices underlying preparation of external financial reports, particularly application of generally accepted accounting principles related to disclosure of current and noncurrent assets and principles of revenue recognition on the Balance sheet, Income Statement and Statement of Retained Earnings. Students will also consider broad issues like the environment of financial reporting, the role of financial reporting and the accounting standard-setting process.

Prerequisites

ACCT-130

Building on the knowledge and skills gained in Intermediate Accounting I, students will examine more intensively the application of generally accepted accounting principles for financial reporting and disclosure of current and noncurrent liabilities and stockholders' equity. Students will gain skills related to the advanced measurement, recognition and reporting of these select topics in financial accounting as well as the Statement of Cash Flows.

Prerequisites

ACCT-230

Cost accounting presents the behavioral aspects of accounting and identifies essential data that managers use for planning and controlling, costing products and services, and performance measurement. Students study the basic concepts, uses, and procedures related to types of costs and costing systems and uses this information to solve business problems. They will develop quantitative and qualitative analytical skills to analyze and interpret raw data that support the business decision-making process and inventory costing.

Prerequisites

Complete ACCT-140

Security is everyone's problem. The Internet is full of attackers who are looking to steal your information or get control over your system. This is a problem for individuals and businesses so it's essential that even casual users understand enough of how the Internet is put together to be able to understand the threats they face. Students will learn how businesses communicate via the internet and how that exposes them to some of the fundamental attack types. Students will learn how to protect themselves from those attacks.

Provides an overview of the entire legal system, with an emphasis on contract rights. Discusses the essential elements of a contract, the breach of contracts and the remedies for breach. Presents business and consumer laws, including white-collar crime, landlord-tenant rights, real property interests and administrative law.

Students will learn about the application of positive individual and group strengths and capacities that can be recognized, evaluated, and expanded to advance organizational well-being. This course encourages students to apply positive organizational behavior processes to everyday challenges organizations face to drive positive workplace behaviors and outcomes. This course also helps students to practice and gain skills, knowledge, and competencies to become positive and impactful leaders and change-makers from whatever position they hold.

The American Marketing Association defines Marketing as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. In this course, students will learn marketing terminology and principles including the marketing mix, marketing segmentation and how external forces impact marketing strategy as well as how marketing fits into the organization.The impact of ethical issues, diversity, globalization and social responsibility on marketing decisions will also be examined.

Choose One:

This course serves as an introduction to forensic (fraud) accounting. Topics include fraud examination techniques, interview techniques, rules of evidence relating to fraud, internal control methodology, asset misappropriation and financial statement misrepresentation. Students cover various fraud examination techniques. Students also learn rules of evidence as they relate to several different fraudulent activities including illegal activities such as wagering, money laundering, cash skimming and embezzlement. Course presentation assumes basic accounting knowledge and guides the student into specialized applied settings, indicative of forensic accounting.

Prerequisites

ACCT-130

Focuses on accounting for state and local governments as contrasted with that for profit-making companies. It acquaints students with fund accounting, budgetary accounts, and governmental financial reporting and introduces accounting for not-for-profit organizations.

Prerequisites

ACCT-231

Written Communication

Complete these two courses, unless a specific course is required by your program.

This course introduces students to the foundational concepts needed to communicate effectively in writing for academic study and professional development. Students will also learn to read critically to evaluate an author's message. Students will be introduced to rhetorical modes and their role in the development of written communication. Students will also learn how to use revision strategies to create written communication that meets its intended purpose for its intended audience

This course builds on students' proficiency in the writing process and rhetorical modes to introduce the use of sources in written communication. Students will practice information literacy as they learn to determine information needs from sources, develop effective search strategies, and incorporate sources in written communication, legally and ethically.

Prerequisites

Complete ENGL-100

Oral Communication

Complete this course, unless a specific course is required by your program:

This course draws on fundamental concepts of contemporary communication research to help students identify and develop strategies to become effective and versatile communicators across media and settings. Students will examine and respond to a range of interpersonal situations through the critical evaluation of the three essential components of all communication: its purpose, audience, and context. Students will leave the course with the ability to reflect on and adapt their strategies to successfully and consistently communicate for a range of purposes across diverse settings.

Inquiry & Analysis

Complete this course, unless a specific course is required by your program:

Students will learn and apply critical inquiry skills to analyze persuasive communication created by others and to develop persuasive communication/arguments of their own to solve problems in professional, civic, social, and personal contexts. Specifically, students will learn to recognize fallacies in logic; apply inductive and deductive reasoning strategies to the interpretation and development of persuasive communication; evaluate the validity of sources; and develop logically sound persuasive communication. Students will explore the roles of self-awareness, empathy, and ethics in the context of critical inquiry and the development of arguments.

Prerequisites

Complete ENGL-110.

Quantitative Literacy

Choose any one of the following, unless a specific course is required by your program:

Mathematical reasoning, when applied to everyday and professional lives, has two dimensions: logic for deterministic situations and probabilities for non-deterministic situations. This course aims to help students develop these mathematical reasoning skills.

Accurate and appropriate visual data representation is increasingly critical in today's work environments. Students will develop skills in data organization, manipulation and interpretation in a way that supports data-driven decision-making and effective communication of numerical data

Scientific Literacy: Natural Sciences

Complete any one of the following, unless a specific course is required by your program:

Introduces students to the biochemistry and physiology of nutrition and exercise. Emphasis will be placed on human body systems such as musculoskeletal, digestive, respiratory and circulatory, and their relationship to nutrition and fitness. Students will also study the biochemistry of energy conversion as it relates to exercise physiology. Laboratory sessions are designed to reinforce, by a hands-on approach, the principles discussed in lecture. Course includes two laboratory hours per week.

Students learn the biology, genetics, chemistry, and physics involved in the forensic investigation of crimes. A wide range of topics are studied including DNA, entomology, fingerprinting, trace evidence, serology (blood, saliva, and semen), blood spatter, and chemical analysis of drugs, alcohol, and other compounds. Students apply their new knowledge of forensic science through the use of case studies and laboratories. This course includes two laboratory hours per week.

Students will develop the ability to apply scientific methods to understand the natural world, to identify scientific aspects of daily life, and to evaluate the quality of scientific information based on its source and the methods used for its generation.

Social Sciences or Arts & Humanities

Complete any one of the following courses, unless a specific course is required by your program:

With pressure and release, a window opens and closes, recording light on a sensor. The simple action captures the instinct, judgement, and skill of the person behind the lens. This class will begin a study of the art and craft of photography. Students will develop their vision and their understanding of how to achieve it. Solid skills will be learned and many doors will be opened.

A survey of the continuing change experienced in art since the 15th century. Students will examine how an image is achieved as well as the significance of the subject represented. Individual inquiry concerning the nature of art is encouraged.

Students learn to appreciate films through the critical analysis of various elements of mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing and sound. The course introduces the conventions of classical Hollywood cinema, considers the work of one major director (auteur), and surveys selected international and independent films. Students view and discuss films each week.

Students will apply communication theory and research to address the particular challenges to communicating effectively in organizations. Students will learn how to identify organizational communication problems, analyze those problems, and generate effective solutions. Students will examine the relationship between organizational structure and specific communicative practices, and how communication practices by organizational members establish, maintain, or change organizational culture. They will also learn how to anticipate communication deficiencies in organizations, and use communication as a means to facilitate organizational development and innovation.

Prerequisites

Complete COMM-130

Provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamentals of substantive criminal law. Students will learn the essential elements of crimes and the rationale underlying criminal law. The nature of jurisdiction, the criminal act, the criminal state of mind and matters affecting responsibility for criminal conduct are included.

This course focuses on the rules and procedures governing how the American criminal justice system must process individuals suspected, accused, and convicted of law violations.

This course provides students with a broad overview of the history, theory, and fundamentals of criminal investigation. Students are introduced to the basic responsibilities of investigators and protocols for report writing, evidence collection, and preparation of cases for trial. They also learn specific investigative techniques for different types of crimes, such as crimes involving violence and property, terrorism, and hate crimes, and, where appropriate, compare investigative protocols from other legal cultures.

Prerequisites

Take CRIM-120, CRIM-121.

Principles of Economics introduces the fundamental concepts of economics - the study of how people manage resources, and how they react to scarcity. This course focuses on both microeconomics (the behavior of consumers and companies) and macroeconomics (large-scale economic factors such as employment and interest rates), so that you'll gain a broad understanding of how a modern market economy functions, how decisions in business settings are informed by economics, and how economics applies to your everyday life.

Students will study important themes in the social history of the United States since the Civil War. This course allows students to expand their critical thinking skills through an examination of primary and secondary sources. Themes might include: the evolving status of women; the immigrant experience; the concept of the American dream; the paradox of freedom vs. slavery; the minority experience; the tensions between social classes. Students will be evaluated primarily on writing assignments.

Students will learn how to create conditions for successful conflict engagement, a necessary skill for any professional. The course focuses on the foundational capacities to remain calm and connected with oneself and others. In this state students can access helpful ideas and responses and be their best selves regardless of environment. Improving facility for conflict creates stronger relationships and reduces fear. By the end of the course, students will understand that disagreement and difference can become a source of personal and interpersonal growth.

Ethics refers to accepted standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do in various contexts, typically in relation to rights, obligations/duties, benefits to society, fairness, consequences, and virtues. In this course, students will explore both theoretical and practical dimensions of ethics in order to 1) define ethics and identify ethical positions and principles, 2) critically reflect on how ethics impacts individual and collective responsibility, decision-making, and action, and 3) apply ethics to the personal, civic, and professional contexts.

Prerequisites

ENGL-110

In this course, students will explore broad, foundational knowledge in psychology, including its history, major theorists and a survey of psychology subfields such as developmental, cognitive and social psychology. Students will also describe and assess the role of ethics and social responsibility in the study and application of psychological theory and practices.

In this class, students will explore how social relationships, groups, societies and culture develop and change over time. From a sociological theory foundation and employing the sociological imagination, students will examine the impact of social structures, institutions, and systems on individual lives. Students will apply sociological research methods to investigate sociological phenomena in their own lives.

This course explores the complex and evolving relationship between human beings and technology. Through a multi-disciplinary approach that draws on fields such as sociology, psychology, philosophy, and history, students will examine the ways in which technology has shaped human culture, identity, and values, as well as how humans have influenced and continue to influence the development, adoption and use of technology.

Graduates of the accounting associate online program will demonstrate the following industry-specific skills, knowledge, and competencies:

  • Analyze and assess the risks of an organization’s accounting system, including internal controls, to ensure sound financial information, and to generate appropriate asset evaluation and/or to reduce fraud.
  • Integrate in-depth financial analysis with effective communication skills to accurately and clearly convey information to stakeholders.Integrate in-depth financial analysis with effective communication skills to accurately and clearly convey information to stakeholders.
  • Evaluate progress toward meeting organizational goals by using quantitative and qualitative performance measures that take into consideration risks, internal controls, and ethics.
  • Use appropriate accounting tools and financial analyses given complex business, legal, and ethical scenarios.
  • Research, synthesize, and evaluate financial information so that results can be communicated to stakeholders in a cohesive and logical way, effectively distinguishing fact from opinion.
  • Describe and integrate other aspects of the organization and its various functions when analyzing, evaluating and communicating financial information. 

Program competencies are adapted from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Core Competency Framework and include:

  • Functional competencies: technical competencies most aligned with the value contributed by accounting professionals.
  • Personal competencies: individual attributes and values
  • Broad business perspective competencies: perspectives and skills relating to understanding of internal and external contexts.

Champlain College Online's accounting faculty, led by Program Director Dr. Linda Miller, are expert practitioners in the field. Their industry expertise ensures that our accounting curriculum is aligned with the needs of employers, and reflects the skills today’s accounting professionals need for success. Classes led by our seasoned experts will give you real-world insight into the world of accounting, and create a rich community of career-focused learning.

Alumni of the Champlain College Online associate in accounting program work in corporations, small businesses, government organizations, and nonprofits nationwide, including:

  • AN Deringer, Inc.
  • Ben and Jerry's
  • Danaher, Attig & Plante
  • Internal Revenue Service
  • PC Construction Company
  • Rutland Regional Medical Center

Titles our alumni hold include:

  • Accounting Manager
  • Buyer's Assistant
  • Clerk
  • Contact Representative
  • Risk Manager
  • Tax Preparer

Many students come to us seeking ways to get noticed at their current employers or to get hired in a new field. Given that, we are hyper focused on increasing the career mobility of our students and that's why we developed the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle, a suite of career offerings designed to help our students get noticed, get hired and land jobs they'll love.

Valued at over $1,000, the career bundle is offered to Champlain College Online students and includes:

  • Fast Start Formula Course: The Fast Start Formula Course for getting noticed and getting hired is taught by Jen Morris, an executive career coach that we've developed a partnership with to support our students in their job search journeys. This course is online, self-paced and full of tips and tricks to land a job you'll love.
  • Live Webinars: Log-on to ask your specific job search questions, get live “hot seat” coaching and gain valuable insights from leading career coach, Jen Morris.
  • Landing A Job You'll Love Ebook: Download this ebook full of tips and tricks for standing out from the competition. From how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, to insider information on how recruiters work and bypassing the automated application websites, you’ll be sure to learn how to rise to the top.

Upon enrollment in a degree or certificate, your access to the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle will made available to you.

Tuition & Costs

Online Undergraduate Tuition Fall '23 - Summer '24

$335 per credit
$1,005* per course
$290** per credit for alumni who earned a degree from Champlain, on-campus or online
$250 per credit for military service members (family members see truED tuition)
$150 One-time graduation fee

*Based on a 3-credit course; cost will vary if course is a different number of credits

** Starts Summer 2024, not retroactive 

See the undergraduate cost of attendance and fees here

What To Expect at Champlain Online

Expect Convenience

Go to school wherever and whenever is best for you, on the device of your choice.

Expect A Career Focus

Relevant and immediately applicable coursework gets you ready for your next career move

Expect Support

Your dedicated academic advisor provides the support you need to meet your academic goals

Expect Superior Faculty

Learn from practitioner faculty working in the field, with real-world experience and knowledge.

Why Champlain

Ann Murray, Bachelor's Degree in Accounting

Career Growth

"I had a two-year degree and knew I would need a bachelor's to advance. I saw that the U.S. Department of Labor projected a high demand for employees in accounting, and Champlain is ranked one of the top schools for accounting, so it was the right fit."

Ann Murray Bachelor's Degree in Accounting
Payroll & Accounts Payable Clerk, Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District

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Get Your Accounting Program Guide

Learn what you can expect from our online associate in accounting program.

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