Online education takes a variety of forms and meets a variety of needs. It is important to identify your reasons for taking the course, your level of comfort with the subject, your experience with online course taking, your availability for the workload and your budget.

Taking Courses for Credit

If you want to take classes for credit toward a degree or certification, your focus will likely be on reputation and transferability. You may seek out courses offered from highly reputable institutions in the field or programs that are known for providing a specialty. If you are taking courses from an institution other than the one you are currently matriculating at or are not currently enrolled in a program but want to use these classes to work toward a degree or certificate, be sure that you understand the transferability before enrolling. If you are taking the courses to earn eligibility to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination, ensure that the courses and institution selected meet all national and applicable state requirements. Some courses may also meet the requirements for continuing professional education. Online Schools GuidetoOnlineSchools.com (www.guidetoonlineschools.com/accounting.html) provides a list of online schools offering coursework and programs in accounting, from high school-level courses all the way to Ph.D. programs. Individual institutions will also list their accreditation, if any, on their website and/or marking materials. Campus Extension Programs and Community Colleges Many public colleges and universities offer extension programs with cheaper and less restrictive enrollment requirements than their core programs and campuses. The same is historically true for community college courses as well. Generally limited to those individuals living in geographical proximity to the institution, these institutions may offer basic and mid-level accounting courses online that are fully transferable with few restrictions.

Taking Courses for Personal Enrichment

When taking courses for personal enrichment, subject matter and cost are important considerations. Look for the classes that have a focus closest to the areas of accounting you are most interested in. You may want to focus on financial instead of managerial accounting, or vice versa, or learn about personal finance. Since you don't need the courses to complete an overall academic program, there are free online and offline options to choose from if you don't want to pay the enrollment and per-credit fees of taking a class at a larger institution. ITunes offers audio and video podcasts from a variety of educational institutions. These range from short audio clips discussing specific accounting tips and techniques to full-length course lectures and lecture series. Universities, including MIT, Carnegie Mellon and University of California, Irvine, offer free course lectures and materials on their respective websites.

Level of Experience

Your experience and comfort with accounting, and with online course taking in general, is important to consider. Online courses increase flexibility but can decrease accountability and can be hard to fit into your schedule. Most online course alums, however, would agree that they are worth the effort. If you have little or no accounting background and are enrolling in more advanced classes, it may be difficult to obtain the necessary additional learning opportunities and immersion without a physical, in-class learning experience. You may want to take certain core classes in a traditional learning environment. Be sure to also review all course prerequisites and strongly consider whether more difficult courses would be more beneficial in a traditional setting.

Availability

Consider how much time you will have to devote to coursework. On average, you can expect to spend two to three hours of outside time for every one unit of in-class time. When selecting the number of courses you are going to take and the number of units, keep in mind that the work required for an online course will still be at least the same as for a traditional course.

Cost

Some employers offer to pay for education for their employees. Depending on the employer's guidelines, accounting courses may be eligible. Whether or not your employer will pay for the course may affect the budget you have for your courses. If you are a member of an educational alumni network, discounted courses may be available. Becoming a member of a professional trade organization may also open doors for course availability and discounts. There are other important questions to consider. Will financial aid be available, and do you qualify? Are payment plans available? How much will the course materials, including textbooks, cost? Are there additional requirements or costs, such as required computer software programs or calculators?

Recommendations

Try to meet people who have taken similar coursework, ideally people from your target institution, and get their feedback and recommendations. You can search online for forums or discussion groups for online courses in general, as well as for discussions of certain classes, professors or institutions.

Actually Taking the Course

It is vital that you set aside enough time each week to complete the coursework and lectures for an online course. Some people are able to log in and complete their coursework at work or at their home office; others find these locations to be too distracting. Alternatives include public libraries, community centers or coffee shops with free Internet access. Although you can plan week-to-week on where you will be, it is best to get into a routine you can stick to week after week.

Source:

Education Portal: List of Universities Offering Free Online Accounting and Financial Courses

CPA Exam: Steps to Becoming a CPA

Apple: iTunes University

More Information:

CPA Exam Information

Robert Half Int'l: Salary Center for Accounting & Finance Professionals