Finance and Accounting Programs at Stark State College
Stark State College appears in our ranking of the Top 10 Affordable Associates Degrees in Finance Online.
Stark State College offers several majors and programs for incoming students who want to study finance or accounting. One option is the standard accounting major, which prepares students for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam in Ohio. This program helps students learn how to analyze financial and accounting data, which they’ll need to use when creating financial documents, making decisions and creating budgets. It also looks at tax preparation methods and can go along with the college’s certificate programs.
The banking associate certificate program takes one year to finish and helps students develop the skills needed to work in financial institutions. It includes courses on math applications, financial services, and banking laws. The college also recommends this program for students who work in banking and want to advance their careers. Another certificate program that takes one year to complete is in bookkeeping. Students can transfer all of their credits into the accounting program and will take courses such as Business Analysis with Algebra, Payroll Accounting, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, and Business Law and Ethics.
In the computer integrated accounting program, students look at the software that accountants use and become adept at using those programs. They can complete their studies on-campus in North Canton or online. Majors will take three different computer courses to learn how to use Word, Access, and PowerPoint. Accounting majors can also study forensic accounting, 33 credits of required courses that teach them how to investigate forensic crimes and using accounting methods. Those courses include Forensic Accounting, Fraud Examination, Financial Statement Analysis, and Computer Crime and Investigation. Majors will also take 31 credits of general education classes, including Business Law and Ethics and PC Upgrading and Maintenance.
Other certificates that are available from Stark State College include one in fundamental payroll and another in accounting services for health administration. In the fundamental payroll program, students learn the basics of following a budget and paying employees. It includes a course on using computer applications for accounting and a class on payroll applications. The accounting services for health administration program can help students complete an entire degree in this field when they take more classes. To earn their degrees, they need to take courses on financial and managerial accounting as well as Fraud Examination and Reimbursement for Health Care Services.
Also available are associate degrees in finance and taxation. In the college’s taxation program, students can volunteer in tax clinics that provide help to locals with low incomes. They also meet some of the steps needed to either take the Ohio CPA exam or transfer to a four-year finance or accounting program. In the college’s finance major, majors take 65 credits of finance, banking, and accounting courses. Those courses include Taxation I and II, Financial Statement Analysis, Principles of Marketing, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Investment and Securities.
About Stark State College
Stark State College is a public college often called Stark State that has a campus in North Canton, Ohio. Established in 1960 as the Stark County Technical Institute, it became the Stark State Technical Institute a few years later. The institution would also serve as Stark Technical College and Stark State College of Technology before becoming Stark State. A large campus expansion added a new parking lot for commuter students and several buildings for all students. In addition to the North Canton campus, classes are available on extension centers in Downtown Canton, Alliance, and Barberton. Stark State College Akron opened in 2017 and offers several degree programs with plans to expand the course offerings in the future. The college also has an agreement with the University of Akron to help students transfer to that four-year university after one to two years at Stark State.
Stark State College Accreditation Details
All the finance and accounting programs available at Stark State have the same accreditation that its business programs do, which comes from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). With accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Stark State has the regional accreditation needed for students who will seek financial aid. This accreditation lets students who need financial help to apply for aid with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). HLC accreditation also ensures that students can transfer from Stark State to a four-year school.
Stark State College Application Requirements
At Stark State, students only need to complete six steps to enroll. When they apply online, they need to set up an account with a login ID and a pin code that includes six numbers. The college also asks them to add an email address and a full name. After finishing the application, they need to have a high school guidance office or department send in their transcripts. Students with a GED can bring a copy of their scores to the college and let it make a copy. The college asks for an ACT or SAT score but also allows students to take a placement test on-campus. They can then apply for financial aid, complete the student orientation and schedule a time to speak to an admissions representative.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Stark State lets students calculate how much it costs to take classes each semester because it charges $174.60 per credit hour for Ohio residents. Students not from Ohio pay this rate plus a $129 per credit hour nonresident fee. All students pay a $95 fee when they first start at the college and a $25 fee for maintenance and security every semester. Students taking classes online pay $5 to $10 on top of their tuition rate based on the level of classes that they take. Those who pay a $25 fee and put a credit or debit card on file with the college can sign up for a payment plan.
With financial aid, students may not need a payment plan. Stark State awards scholarships to students regardless of their age, financial need or grades. Some scholarships do not have a minimum grade point average or test score requirement. The deadline for scholarship applications is April first, and the college begins handing out those funds around the middle of the month. Students majoring in accounting or finance at Stark State College and those in the certificate programs can qualify for loans, grants, and work-study too.
