Accounting Courses

As one of the key functions in any organization, accounting is the process of recording the financial transactions of a business. Regardless of a company’s size, the accounting process enables a business to make good decisions, determine its costs and measure its economic performance. This makes accounting a crucial function of strategic planning, external compliance, operations management and, in the case of nonprofit organizations, fundraising.

The accounting process includes summarizing, analyzing and reporting transactions to the appropriate oversight or regulatory agencies and tax collection entities. Using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), accountants generate periodic financial reports, such as balance sheets and income statements, that form a summary of the company’s operations, financial position and cash flows.

There are several different pathways to becoming an accountant, each of which will require you to take different accounting courses during your education. Here at DeVry, you may take courses like Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting I and II, Federal Income Taxation and Professional Ethics for Accountants on your way towards a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. Whether you’re enrolled in a Business Administration, Management or Technical Management Bachelor’s Degree program, our Accounting Specialization will help you focus your skills and prepare to apply them in an accounting setting.

If you choose to pursue a higher level degree, such as our Master's Degree in Accounting or our Master’s Degree in Accounting and Financial Management, you may take more advanced or industry-tailored courses, such as Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Management of Financial institutions or Accounting Fraud Criminology and Ethics.

At DeVry, our undergraduate accounting courses typically require 3 or 4 credit hours each and our graduate courses typically require 3. Classes take place on an 8-week cycle.

You can absolutely learn accounting through online courses. Both our bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting can be completed in an online format. In fact, an online degree program in accounting is identical to an in-person program, the only difference being whether you learn online or in a classroom.

At DeVry, we've been teaching online courses for decades. We understand how to help students learn the skills they need online and in the classroom.

Online accounting courses are identical to in-person accounting courses in terms of difficulty. Whether or not a course is hard will depend on your focus, dedication and understanding of overarching accounting concepts covered in the course. At DeVry, we offer resources to help students in the classroom or online with 8-week class cycles, full- or part-time scheduling options and on-demand learning resources such as tutoring and digital library services.

Along your journey to pursue an accounting career, online accounting courses can certainly help you to prepare for the 4-section, computer-based CPA Exam² by introducing you to accounting concepts and principles and exposing you to real-world business accounting examples. At DeVry, our Master’s in Accounting as well as our CPA Exam Prep Emphasis in our Graduate Certificate in Accounting Certification Preparation program are both infused with Becker Professional Education’s CPA Exam Review.²

As you begin planning to pursue your CPA designation and licensure, you will need to contact your state’s Board of Accountancy to determine if you meet the requirements to take the exam,² or if anything additional is required by your state, such as ethics training. 

For students focusing on managerial accounting, the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) prep emphasis of our Graduate Certificate in Accounting Certification Preparation focuses on strategic financial management, financial planning and performance evaluation. A range of courses is designed to complement your prior education and work experience and sharpen your skills, while a dedicated 3-course sequence helps prepare you for the CMA exam.

Online accounting courses here at DeVry can help you meet your professional goals by exposing you to the concepts, principles and technologies of this growing, continuously evolving field, exploring several areas of accounting such as financial accounting, managerial accounting, auditing and taxation along the way. Topics covered in our Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting program, for example, include profits and losses, assets, liabilities, cash flow management and more.

Our Master’s Degree in Accounting program can help you gain an understanding of advanced accounting theory and the accounting practices demanded by a global economy, while helping you prepare to pursue professional licensure and career opportunities in specialized areas such as forensic accounting.¹ Program, course and extended classroom availability vary by location. In site-based programs, students will be required to take a substantial amount of coursework online to complete their program.