October 11, 2016

Online accounting degree program earns prestigious ranking

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale has earned a spot among the nation’s top nine Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business-accredited online bachelor degree programs in accounting as ranked by Online Accounting Degree Report.

With a score of 91, SIU ranked eighth on the list, the only Illinois university earning recognition. The rankings were determined on the basis of net price, acceptance rate, six-year graduation rate and retention rate, utilizing data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

“This ranking is particularly significant because it is limited to just AACSB-accredited institutions, so it’s a ‘best among the best’ ranking,” Alice Noble-Allgire, interim director of the School of Accountancy, said. “Moreover, our program has been consistently ranked among the top 10 or top 20 by a wide variety of websites that compare and evaluate online accounting programs.”

The online ranking includes a profile of SIU and its program and notes that after completion of the initial requirements, student can complete the final two years of their undergraduate accounting degree completely online. Completion typically takes 24 months but students can complete the degree in as little as 18 months.

SIU has achieved top-tier AACSB accreditation for both the College of Business and the accounting program, an accomplishment that places the university within the top one percent of the accounting programs in the United States. Approximately 180 accounting programs in the world have this distinction.

“But, it is the student-centered focus of our program -- both online and on-campus -- that sets us apart,” Noble-Allgire said. “Our online program has been developed to mirror our on-campus program in almost every facet. Students study the same content, and with just a few exceptions, are taught by the exact same faculty members who teach the on-campus version of each course. All of our students enjoy not only first-rate instruction from some of the top research professors in the country, but also the expertise of our talented academic advisers and career services staff.”

The university launched the online accounting degree completion program in 2013 with tuition costs equaling what in-state, on-campus students pay. The program includes about 60 hours of coursework covering the core areas of the business curriculum, divided into 10 “course pairings” that each include two, three credit hour courses. Each course runs eight weeks, allowing students to focus on two classes at a given time while completing four courses each semester. Upon program completion, students are qualified to take the CPA exam.

Find SIU’s profile and additional information at http://www.online-accounting-degree.org/top-aacsb-bachelors-programs/

Learn more about the online accounting degree completion option at SIU at www.business.siu.edu or by emailing info@business.siu.edu