Online Accounting Course

Estimated Length of program:
4-9 months, self-paced

Program Goal:
To prepare students for an entry-level position in an accounting department, accounting firm, tax preparation firm or payroll firm.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of this course will have theoretical and practical instruction that prepares them to obtain an entry-level accounting services position. Students begin by learning the importance of accounting terms and concepts. They continue with step-by-step instruction through the entire accounting cycle. The course also provides instruction in specialized procedures used in accounts receivable and payable, merchandising accounts and tax preparation. Students learn payroll recordkeeping, as well as payroll processing procedures. Additionally, students study computerized accounting and the accounting elements of sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and non-profit organizations. The course culminates with practical instruction on obtaining an accounting services job and how to establish and operate a home-based accounting service.

Accounting Program Instructor/Course Expert

At U.S. Career Institute, our dedicated team of course experts, instructors and instructor assistants are committed to developing and delivering high-quality curriculum. Our qualified Accounting instructor Judith Kaufman, not only possesses extensive qualifications but has also actively worked in the field. This firsthand experience allows her to provide invaluable support to ensure the success of our aspiring Accounting students.

The coursework trains students to:

Post entries in the journal, ledger and subsidiary ledgers.

Record bank transactions and reconcile bank accounts.

Prepare payroll records for processing.

Compile and organize financial information into reports, including the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of owner’s equity. Implement GAAP procedures and policies.

Complete Form 1040 and its supplemental forms, including Schedules A through E.

Complete payroll-related employee tax forms, including Form W-2, Form W-3 and Form W-4.

Set up and manage a home-based bookkeeping service.

Curriculum

Instruction Pack I: Accounting Services Concepts

Students learn the importance of accounting services in today’s business field. Key accounting terms are defined, and students learn how to use accounting equations. This instruction pack covers the types of accounts businesses use, as well as how to interpret balance sheets and operating statements. Additionally, students learn how to follow a transaction through the entire accounting cycle, including recording transactions in journals, posting transactions to ledger accounts and identifying debits and credits. Students practice arriving at a trial balance and identifying common accounting errors.

Instruction Pack II: Completing the Accounting Cycle

Students practice the detailed procedures of accounts payable and accounts receivable methods. They prepare a worksheet to summarize the entire accounting cycle and as a preparatory step to preparing financial statements. Additionally, students learn how to figure depreciation and sales tax and perform accounting functions for merchandising businesses. Finally, this instruction pack teaches students to post to specialized journals and complete the accounting cycle by preparing a balance sheet and operating statement.

Instruction Pack III: Banking and Payroll Accounting

Students learn how to close the financial books for a set period of time, handle checking accounts, interest, promissory notes and petty cash transactions, as well as reconcile bank statements. They write payroll checks, figure payroll deductions and maintain employers’ payroll records. Students also practice processing payroll documents, including the W-4 and W-2 forms and compute and process tax deductions. Finally, students learn about computerized accounting services, including the importance of spreadsheets in the accounting services profession.

Instruction Pack IV: Tax Preparation

Students practice daily concepts used in accounting and bookkeeping processes. Additionally, they learn to prepare the 1040-EZ and 1040 federal tax forms. Students also consider legal and ethical issues involved with tax preparation.

Instruction Pack V: Accounting Services Simulation

Students learn the differences among partnerships, corporations, non-profit organizations and sole-proprietorships and how each type of business sets up the books. This final instruction pack provides practice keeping financial records for each entity, including a comprehensive accounting services simulation project for a sole-proprietorship.