Finance & Accounting at the University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus appears in our ranking of the 20 Most Affordable Online Finance Bachelor’s Options.
Students who enroll for classes in accounting and finance at the University of Maryland Global Campus may choose from undergraduate majors in accounting and finance, as well as an undergraduate finance minor. For master’s degrees, students may pursue majors in accounting and financial management or accounting and information systems.
In addition, the university has a graduate degree in management where students may adopt a specialty in accounting or financial management. The university shares that the management degree is ideal whether a student already has experience in management or is interested in changing or advancing his or her career. The management program and the other degree programs in finance and accounting at the university also offer students the chance to work toward industry certifications.
Exams that students may prepare for while enrolled at UMGC include those for becoming an Accredited Tax Preparer, Certified Management Accountant, or Chartered Global Management Accountant. Students may also pursue classes that will allow them to take tests to become an Enrolled Agent, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or Certified Internal Auditor.
For graduate students who enroll in the graduate program in accounting and information systems, industry certifications that may be available after graduation include those of Certified Information Systems Auditor, Certification in Control Self-Assessment, Certified Information Security Manager, and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control. The accounting and information systems degree is a unique program that combines instruction on cyber accounting information systems and traditional accounting principles and practices.
Classes that are required of students in the accounting programs at the University of Maryland Global Campus include Financial Auditing, Federal Income Taxation, and Management Accounting. Meanwhile, finance classes that students may take include Financial Management in Organizations, Long-Term Financial Management, Strategic Financial Management, and Investment Valuation.
One of the unique offerings from the university is the Associate of Arts in General Studies for military veterans, their spouses, and their dependents. In the program, students can earn an associate degree with a specialization in accounting. Some of the classes in accounting that associate degree enrollees may take are Principles of Accounting I, Principles of Accounting II, Introduction to Statistics, and Information Systems in Organizations.
About the University of Maryland Global Campus
The University of Maryland Global Campus is the online education facility for the University of Maryland system. The school has its headquarters in the town of Adelphi, and it offers some classes on campuses in Largo and throughout the Baltimore area. The university also operates sites throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The school’s official colors are gold, red, and black.
More than 47,000 students are enrolled at the university, which is one of the largest in the world for distance and online education. The university has an open admissions policy for undergraduate degrees and offers more than 120 programs to its students. The university was once focused on offering evening classes to adults in the 1920s and would expand its offerings throughout the next several decades. It would join the University of Maryland in 1988.
University of Maryland Global Campus Accreditation Details
Accreditation for the University of Maryland Global Campus comes from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. This approval is for the overall university. The University System of Maryland Board of Regents also governs the university, and the school is further certified for operations by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Some of the programs offered at the university are also accredited by individual agencies.
For example, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) is approved by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education. Specialized accreditation grades the university’s program on the strength of its academics and the achievements of its students. The Master of Information Technology in Project Management is also accredited and has received approval from the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs.
University of Maryland Global Campus Application Requirements
The University of Maryland Global Campus has rolling admissions and multiple starting dates for classes throughout the year. To apply, students will begin with the official online application. The university recommends that students have a copy of their transcripts or military documents available when applying. Documents must include dates of attendance for previous schooling or the date of separation for military service. The application fee for most programs is $50, but doctoral applicants will pay $100 for their fees.
The university recommends that students apply for financial aid when they apply to the university, as well as prepare to have their official transcripts delivered to the university to finalize enrollment. Students may have their unofficial transcripts examined to determine transfer credits, but they must submit official transcripts to finalize the enrollment process. Students can enroll in their first classes at the university before their transcript evaluation is complete.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate programs for Maryland residents are $306 per credit. Standard graduate programs are $505 per credit. Specialty graduate programs are $694 per credit. Doctoral programs are $1.087 per credit. For out-of-state students, the rate for undergraduate programs is $499 per credit. Standard graduate programs are $659 per credit. Specialty graduate programs are $694 per credit. Doctoral programs are $1,087 per credit. Hybrid courses for graduate students are $418 per credit.
Some of the ways that the university has worked to reduce costs for students who enroll include offering no-cost electronic course materials, giving scholarships to students based on need and merit, and discounting tuition rates for federal employees. The university also has interest-free monthly payment plans and employer tuition assistance programs available.
Students who want to apply for financial aid will submit a FAFSA form and will want to meet one of three deadlines for enrollment. The summer session deadline is April 1, the fall deadline is June 1, and the spring deadline is November 1. Students may receive a variety of financial aid awards that vary from traditional student loans to need-based grants.
Each year, the university offers more than $259 million in financial aid to its students, with more than 57 percent of students receiving financial aid each year. To qualify for student loans through the federal student aid program, students at the University of Maryland Global Campus must enroll in at least six credits for undergraduate and graduate programs or three credits for doctoral programs and the MBA.