By JAMES SAVAGE
UL Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s master of science in accounting program will now be offered fully online to better serve working professionals.
The Louisiana Board of Regents approved the new format this fall to accept students for Spring 2020. Accelerated online courses will be offered in five, eight-week terms; a traditional semester is 16 weeks.
“Accounting, nationally, is a high-demand field with a great need for capable, credentialed professionals. Louisiana recognizes this need and, here at UL Lafayette, we've recognized that offering our program only face-to-face on campus has limited our ability to meet the demand,” said Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, dean of UL Lafayette’s Graduate School.
The new format enables professionals to balance accelerated courses with outside responsibilities to earn an accredited graduate degree from the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration.
“Wherever professionals are geographically or in their professional life, online delivery makes it easier for them to pursue a degree that will do more than prepare them to pass the CPA exam,” Farmer-Kaiser said. “This program provides the opportunity to advance professionally and to compete for these high-demand jobs.”
The University is accepting applications now for students interested in beginning courses in January. The program is open to applicants from across the United States.
UL Lafayette’s master’s in accounting program prepares students to pursue senior roles in public, corporate, not-for-profit, governmental, and consulting sectors.
UL Lafayette’s Department of Accounting is one of only 175 accounting programs in the world to hold an advanced accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.
The Moody College of Business also holds an advanced accreditation from AACSB, the largest and most recognized specialized accrediting body in the world.
Students who complete the program earn additional credit hours required to be licensed as a certified public accountant in Louisiana and are equipped with the skills to solve complex tax issues, said Dr. Suzanne Ward, who heads the accounting department.
“Our department has worked hard to rise to the standards required for AACSB accreditation, and that rigor is sustained in our online program. Students develop advanced tax knowledge and research skills to become leaders and lifelong learners in their field,” Ward said.
Online students, regardless of location, benefit from in-state tuition rates and have access to resources including an online library and tutoring services. Online courses are led by UL Lafayette faculty specially certified in online education.
For more information about this and other online programs UL Lafayette offers, visit https://online.louisiana.edu/graduate-programs/ms-accounting-online [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net].
