by Braeden Young

Created on: November 07, 2007   Last Updated: June 30, 2010

The key to becoming an accountant is education. Education is the fundamental and imperative tool in the world of accounting.

There are several reasons why education is essential to becoming an accountant. First, accounting is a profession. In some countries, accounting is a trade and little more is required than basic arithmetic and administrative skills. However, in the United States, accounting is often a complex world and the accountant is faced with ambiguous guidelines and myriad roles. Another reason why education is so important is that, as the "language of business," accounting interfaces with so many other fields: economics, investing, information systems, sales, etc. As most businesspeople have at least a basic understanding of accounting principles, accountants are expected to have at least a basic understanding of all aspects of business. Those listed above are just a few examples. Finally, and arguably most importantly, having a degree from an accredited university is requisite to most employers. It is very difficult getting a job and progressing in an organization without that piece of paper with your name on it in beautiful calligraphy.

How can you gain that education? Traditionally, the path has been to put in four years or so at a university, studying accounting. Most universities offer an undergraduate degree in accounting. If you want to take it a step further, you should consider a Master of Accountancy, or MAcc, designed to prepare students for a career in public accounting. It's also noteworthy that less traditional schools, such as the University of Phoenix, offer online degree programs. Online degrees may be preferable for students looking for a more flexible program. Also, anyone interested in becoming an accountant should consider the Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, a qualification necessary, in most states, to opine on financial statements (think auditing). The CPA is often considered the premier qualification in public accounting. Other certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Now, what is the next step after education? Being an accountant today can mean many things. Public accounting is the realm of accounting where services are available to the general public, as opposed to one specific company. Many people think of "The Big Four" when they think of public accounting: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young,

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