Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate

About the Program

Boise State’s Online Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate will help you take the next step in your career. Those who want an added emphasis area (to complement other graduate work), small business owners wanting additional accounting knowledge and employees needing to enhance current skills will all benefit from this certificate program that does not require an undergraduate degree in accounting.

Boise State’s online accountancy graduate program ranks #43 in the nation for Best Online Master’s in Business Programs from the 2021 U.S. News and World Report. Rankings are determined by excellence in performance in areas like faculty credentials and training, services and technologies, engagement and student excellence.

Accounting Foundations Certificate at a Glance

Accreditation

Boise State’s College of Business and Economics (COBE) AND the Department of Accountancy are both accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), putting them in the top tier of business schools and accountancy programs worldwide. Only 874 business institutions in 56 territories and countries have earned AACSB accreditation.

Boise State is also one of only 190 schools who hold AACSB accreditation for their accounting program. This specialized AACSB accounting accreditation assures you that our program and faculty meet rigorous criteria and standards for excellence in accounting education across three main themes: engagement, innovation and impact.

More Information About Accountancy Accreditation

What can you do with an Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate?

Certificate holders will gain knowledge in the foundations of accounting. They will be versed in financial statement preparation and analysis, tax procedures and planning, and information technology and data analytics. Program participants will receive training in management decision making and business processes. They will learn how to research current accounting topics independently to stay up-to-date on new laws and technologies in their field.

What are the admission requirements?

Accounting Foundations Admissions Requirements

To be considered for the Online Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Prerequisite Courses (or courses deemed equivalent)

ACCT 205 Introduction to Financial Accounting
ACCT 206 Introduction to Managerial Accounting
FINAN 303 Principles of Finance
Math 254 Intro to Statistics/BUSSTAT 207 Introduction to Business Analytics*

*Students should be comfortable with and have experience using Excel. Your success coach can discuss the specific requirements for the program with you.

Standard Admission

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university
Cumulative undergraduate GPA ≥ 3.00 (4.00 scale)
C- or better in prerequisite courses

Priority Application Deadlines by Semester

Applications may be accepted after the deadline if space is available in courses. Reach out to the success coaches for more information on the application process and timelines.

Semester	Application Deadline	Courses Begin
Spring	November 30*	Early January
Summer	April 15*	Early May
Fall	July 15*	Late August

Connect With A Coach

We’re here to help! From deciding if an online certificate is right for you to figuring out what credits transfer from previous schools, talking to a Student Success Coach is the best place to start.

Contact the Accountancy Student Success Coach

How much does it cost?

Boise State University’s online program offers reasonably priced tuition, ongoing support, financial aid options and degree paths that help ensure you reach your goals quickly and efficiently.

Description	Cost
Boise State Graduate Admissions Application Fee (non-refundable)	$65
Courses (18 total credits @ $545 per credit*)	$9,810
Books (estimate)	$360
Graduation Application Fee	$25
Approximate Total Investment	$10,260
Other potential expenses may include a personal computer, webcam, headphones with mic, and internet access, which are all required for this program.	varies

*The per-credit fees listed above are for the 2022-23 academic year. Future academic year per-credit fees may vary slightly and are finalized each May.

What classes will I take?

This program is offered online only with no in-person requirements. The below online certificate curriculum shows the courses required for the program.

Course Number	Title	Credits
Required Accounting Foundations courses
ACCT 500	Foundations of Financial Reporting I	3
ACCT 501	Foundations of Financial Reporting II	3
ACCT 504	Foundations of Financial Statement Auditing	3
ACCT 513	Foundations of Cost Accounting	3
ACCT 529	Foundations of Federal Income Taxation	3
ACCT 549	Foundations of Accounting Information Systems	3
	Total	18

How do I apply?

To Apply For This Program

Step 2 – Request Official Transcripts

Request official transcript(s) from all previous colleges and universities you attended.

Please note: All transcripts must be RECEIVED by Graduate Admissions and Degree Services by the above application deadline.

How to submit official transcripts to the Boise State University Graduate College

If you have served in the military, please make sure to send your Joint Services Transcript and/or Community College of the Air Force transcript.

Step 3 – Apply to the Online Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate Program

After submitting the graduate admission application (Step 1) and requesting your transcripts (Step 2), you will complete the Online Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate program application.

You will access the program application by logging into your application account, clicking “View Application” and selecting the “Accountancy (Online Program)” orange link in the left menu. The program application includes:

Uploading a current detailed resume highlighting your professional work experience. Do not be concerned with brevity. Please include start and end dates (month and year) for each position held, and indicate full or part time.
Uploading an essay by answering one (1) of the following three questions. Response should be limited to two double-spaced pages.
- Discuss your career goals, both short-term and long-term. How will Boise State University’s Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate program help you achieve these goals?
- Discuss two or three situations in the past three years where you have taken a leadership role. How do these events demonstrate your managerial potential?
- Please give a brief, candid evaluation of yourself. Include some discussion of your strengths and weaknesses. What do you consider most unique or distinctive about yourself?

Step 4 – Complete the Excel Proficiency Exam

All students admitted to the Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate have to complete an Excel requirement before registering for classes. This requirement is completed after successfully passing two Excel exams (basic and advanced). Students that are prepared to take the exams should spend on average about 1.5 hours per exam.

View Excel Modules

There are two options to complete this requirement:

Option 1: Take the basic and advanced exam ($10) and pass with a combined score of 85%.
If you were to score below 85% you could retake both tests to get a higher score. If you still can’t get a combined score of 85%, go to Option 2.

Option 2: If, after reviewing the module titles you decide to just purchase the lesson courses and prep, you will pay $40 for that and then $10 for the exams (total of $50). If you purchase this option, you will have unlimited test opportunities to pass the two exams.

Instructions for payment:

Copy and paste the following link into your internet browser: https://app.myeducator.com/s/250Cn8KYK01/
Click on the “Checkout” button. Payment information will be needed ($10).
You will be asked to create an account with MyEducator if you do not already have one. If you already have an account, please just log in.
Once your account is created and payment is made, you will be directed to the course material.

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