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Cost Accounting Online Undergraduate Certificate Program

can be completed in as little as

3 terms*

*2 terms per semester; each term is 7 weeks

Tuition

$335/credit

$1,005 3-credit course

Active Duty Military

truED Preferred Tuition

Credit Hours Required

16*

Application Deadline

Spring A: Jan. 3

Upcoming Start Dates

Spring A: Jan. 13

Explore Cost Accounting

Designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners and others who need an introduction to business accounting needs, Champlain's cost accounting online certificate will give you a foundation in financial accounting, business law, planning, financial frameworks, and cost-volume-profit patterns.

This online accounting certificate can be taken as a stand-alone program or as part of Champlain's online bachelor's degree in accounting.

 

Build Your Career Future

We understand how important it is for busy working adults to gain knowledge and expertise quickly, which is why our cost accounting courses are applicable to the workplace from day one. Whether you are looking for business accounting skills, or apsire to become a public accountant, a cost accounting certificate is a great way to earn a credential in the field, get your resume noticed, and demonstrate proficiency in a focused area of knowledge.

Take the next step

Academic Excellence and Recognition

US News & World Report Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs

Ranked among the Best Online Bachelor's Programs by U.S. News & World Report

Ranked Among Best Online Accounting Bachelor's Degrees

Ranked among the Best Online Accounting Bachelor's Degrees

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Designated among the best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees by Intelligent.com

New England Commission of Higher Education Logo

Regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education

Gain New Skills with a Certificate

Accounting careers are projected to grow 7% between 2020 and 2030, with globalization and a growing economy resulting in high demand for qualified accounting professionals.* 

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2020

Top Reasons to Pursue a Certificate

  • Enter a new field
  • Build new skills
  • Gain knowledge on your way towards a degree
  • Differentiate your resume
  • Earn a credential
  • Demonstrate proficiency in a focused area of learning
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Program Details

Learn more about Champlain's 100% online undergraduate cost accounting certificate.

Champlain's online cost accounting courses encompass the top skills needed by today's accounting professionals.

Note: Some of the courses in this program are available in 15-week terms only. Please contact your advisor for details.   

Required Courses (16 Credits):

Accounting is the language of business. This course introduces the student to accounting from the point of view of the user of financial reports and is appropriate for personal as well as business applications. Students explore the impact of transactions on the financial position and profitability of a business, and analyze financial reports of real-world corporations.

Managerial accounting focuses on the needs of management for accounting information to make informed decisions in the internal operations of a company. Topics include decision-making, accounting for planning and control, cost-volume-profit relationships, and budgeting.

Prerequisites

ACCT-130

Cost accounting presents the behavioral aspects of accounting and identifies essential data that managers use for planning and controlling, costing products and services, and performance measurement. Students study the basic concepts, uses, and procedures related to types of costs and costing systems and uses this information to solve business problems. They will develop quantitative and qualitative analytical skills to analyze and interpret raw data that support the business decision-making process and inventory costing.

Prerequisites

Complete ACCT-140

Provides an overview of the entire legal system, with an emphasis on contract rights. Discusses the essential elements of a contract, the breach of contracts and the remedies for breach. Presents business and consumer laws, including white-collar crime, landlord-tenant rights, real property interests and administrative law.

Learn the fundamentals of accounting information systems and how they function and fit into organizations. Using a cycles approach, the course introduces internal controls, covers basic elements of the revenue and expense cycles, and you will become proficient with documentation techniques, such as flowcharting. You will also consider the uses of computerized accounting software and undertake a software research project. The course focuses on the needs and responsibilities of accountants as users and developers of information technology.

Prerequisites

ACCT-231

In the culminating course for the certificates, students will reframe knowledge and competencies from their certificate into a workable model that is applied through experiential learning models to a professional opportunity. Students will apply these competencies as professional best practice in a project that incorporates relevant research findings from the field.

Prerequisites

Completion of certificate content courses before enrolling in this course.

Graduates of the online cost accounting certificate program will demonstrate the following industry-specific skills, knowledge, and competencies:

  • Apply laws as they relate to business and individual tax issues, businesses and their transactions and to their professional responsibilities.
  • Apply financial frameworks used by business to prepare financial reports and to complete other financial tasks required of them.
  • Objectively analyze information to identify problems and use business and financial knowledge to develop solutions for them.
  • Identify and assess factors that may jeopardize success of a project or entity in both audit and business contexts.
  • Integrate technology with financial analysis and presentations, to research professional guidelines and use it to keep abreast of changes in legal and accounting requirements and to investigate relevant business information.
  • Identify and evaluate own knowledge, skills, and abilities for application to professional practice.

Champlain College Online's accounting faculty, led by Program Director Dr. Linda Miller, are expert practitioners in the field. Their industry expertise ensures that our cost accounting certificate curriculum is aligned with the needs of employers, and reflects the skills today’s accounting professionals need for success. Classes led by our seasoned experts will give you real-world insight into the world of accounting, and create a rich community of career-focused learning.

Alumni of the Champlain College Online undergraduate certificate in cost accounting program work in corporations, small businesses, government organizations, and nonprofits nationwide, including:

  • Adecco
  • Avis 
  • Goodrich United Technology, Inc. 
  • Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
  • University of Vermont Medical Center
  • U.S. Army
  • Vermont Army National Guard 

 

Titles our alumni hold include:

  • Administrative Assistant
  • Budget Analyst
  • Financial Analyst II
  • Supervisory Staff Administrator
  • Tax Examiner
  • Unit Secretary

Many certificate students come to us seeking ways to get noticed at their current employers or to get hired in a new field. Given that, we are hyper focused on increasing the career mobility of our students and that's why we developed the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle, a suite of career offerings designed to help our students get noticed, get hired and land jobs they'll love.

Valued at over $1,000, the career bundle is offered to Champlain College Online students: 

  • Fast Start Formula Course: The Fast Start Formula Course for getting noticed and getting hired is taught by Jen Morris, an executive career coach that we've developed a partnership with to support our students in their job search journeys. This course is online, self-paced and full of tips and tricks to land a job you'll love.
  • Live Webinars: Log-on to ask your specific job search questions, get live “hot seat” coaching and gain valuable insights from leading career coach, Jen Morris.
  • Landing A Job You'll Love Ebook: Download this ebook full of tips and tricks for standing out from the competition. From how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, to insider information on how recruiters work and bypassing the automated application websites, you’ll be sure to learn how rise to the top. 

Upon enrollment in a degree or certificate, your access to the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle will made available to you. 

Tuition & Costs

Online Undergraduate Tuition Fall '23 - Summer '25

$335 per credit
$1,005* per course
$290** per credit for Champlain alumni or associate degree graduates from any college or university
$250 per credit for military service members (family members see truED tuition)
$150 One-time graduation fee

*Based on a 3-credit course; cost will vary if course is a different number of credits

** Starts Summer 2024, not retroactive 

See the undergraduate cost of attendance and fees here

What To Expect at Champlain Online

Expect Convenience

Go to school wherever and whenever is best for you, on the device of your choice.

Expect A Career Focus

Relevant and immediately applicable coursework gets you ready for your next career move

Expect Support

Your dedicated academic advisor provides the support you need to meet your academic goals

Expect Superior Faculty

Learn from practitioner faculty working in the field, with real-world experience and knowledge.

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