Is This Program for You?
If you are an energetic self-starter, inquisitive, adaptable, analytical, and a forward thinker with good communications skills, you may have what it takes to be successful in the accounting field.
Students entering the Accounting Associate Degree program should:
- Have good analytical skills and work well with details.
- Like to organize information.
- Work well under the stress of deadlines.
Program Basics
- Associate degree requiring a minimum of two years to complete.
- Face-to-face and online classes.
- High school articulation courses accepted.
- Financial aid available.
- Classes start in August or January.
- Modified plans available.
- Articulation agreements in place for transfer to four-year university programs.
Related Degrees & Certificates
Program Outcomes
At the completion of the program, students are expected to be able to:
- Process financial transactions throughout the accounting cycle
- Analyze financial and business information to support planning and decision-making
- Perform payroll preparation, reporting, and analysis tasks
- Perform cost accounting preparation, reporting, and analysis tasks
- Perform organizational and/or individual tax accounting preparation, reporting, and analysis tasks
- Identify internal controls to reduce risk
- Utilize computers and calculators as they apply to the accounting profession
Technical Skill Attainment (TSA)
This TSA scoring guide will be used to document your attainment of technical program outcomes for the Accounting Degree. To meet the requirements on the scoring guide, you will be asked to draw upon the skills and concepts that have been developed throughout the program and are necessary for successful employment in your field. Results will be used to inspire continual improvement of teaching and learning in Wisconsin Technical College System. In addition, this assessment will provide feedback to you about your performance.
Job openings in the accounting field are expected to remain strong. As all organizations, including government, public accounting firms, service businesses, financial institutions, and manufacturing companies, require accounting services. The following are some typical jobs that a graduate of the Accounting program may enter:
- Bookkeeper
- Cost Accountant
- Public Accountant
- Staff Accountant
- Tax Accountant
- Accounts Receivable/Payable Clerk
- Account Manager
- Account Specialist
- Payroll Accountant
- Governmental Accountant
- Not-for-Profit Accountant
Southwest Tech's Career Connections Center offers Services to assist students looking for job placement.
Career Pathways
Career Pathways offer new ways to achieve your education goals. Instead of studying just one program, the Career Pathways model links related academic programs in a sequence. Each program offers direct job preparation AND a path to the next higher academic program. Learn More
Credit for Prior Learning
Experience Pays! You've Been There... You've Done That... Let's See If You Can Get Credit For It!
Credit for prior learning gives you opportunities to earn credit for college-level knowledge that you have already acquired. This may be the result of work or volunteer experiences, certifications, apprenticeships, military training, extensive self-instruction, or professional development. Credit for Prior Learning affords you the opportunity to accelerate the completion of your educational goals.
For more information or to request Credit for Prior Learning see our Credit for Prior Learning page.
Accounting Courses that may have Credit for Prior Learning options:
| Course # |
Course Title |
Challenge Exam
(Demonstration) |
Challenge Exam
(Standard) |
CLEP |
Credential |
Portfolio |
