Accounting & Finance at Westmoreland County Community College
Westmoreland County Community College appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Best Associates in Accounting Online.
Westmoreland County Community College offers six program types that include associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates, and there are five program options for prospective students who want to study finance or accounting. Program options with an accounting focus include an Associate of Applied Science in Accounting, a General Accounting Certificate, and a Computer Accounting and Tax Specialist Certificate.
Students who want to study finance have the Associate of Applied Science in Business – Finance Option and the Business Certificate – Finance as their choices. Each program offers students the chance to find work after graduation in environments like accounting firms, banks, and insurance offices. Conveniently, students can earn their degrees and certificates online, which means they can enroll from anywhere that has a computer and an internet connection.
For the Associate of Applied Science in Accounting program, students will need to complete a total of 60 credits with several classes taken in business management, accounting, and computing. The AAS is designed to aid students who have never studied accounting before, which means it’s appropriate for students who have never taken college classes or worked in an accounting position.
Some of the classes students will need to take in the AAS program in accounting include Math of Business, Managerial Accounting, Business Communication, and Payroll & Spreadsheet Software. The college expects that students who enroll in full-time study will finish the program in two years. Students who want to complete their accounting program in a shorter timeframe will want to consider the General Accounting Certificate or the Computer Accounting and Tax Specialist Certificate.
Both accounting certificates require that students complete 18 credits, and students will get to learn valuable computer programs that are commonly used in accounting like Excel, as well as study topics like math, accounting, payroll, and spreadsheets. Students who choose the Business Certificate – Finance program will enroll in similar classes but will focus on topics like insurance, money, banking, and financial statements.
Like the AAS in accounting, students who choose the Associate of Applied Science in Finance will need to complete about 60 credits to earn their degree. Classes in the program include Money & Banking, Principles of Insurance, Business Analytics, and Business Law.
About Westmoreland County Community College
Westmoreland County Community College is located in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, and was founded to serve the higher education needs of students in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and others throughout Westmorland County. At its start, the college offered its classes at night at a local high school and would move operations to a former Westinghouse plant within a few years. The college’s official colors are blue and green.
The college has around 4,800 students enrolled, and the campus has expanded over the years to accommodate an ever-growing student body population. The college has several education centers around the county with facilities in Export, Uniontown, Indiana, and Smithton. Students who attend enjoy some of the lowest tuition rates for higher education in Pennsylvania. There are 64 associate degree programs and 13 diploma programs at the college.
Westmoreland County Community College Accreditation Details
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has accredited Westmoreland County Community College, and this accreditation applies to the overall college. Institutional accreditation allows the college to award degrees and for students to transfer classes to and from programs at the college to other institutions. Some of the programs at the college are also accredited by various programmatic and national agencies.
Accreditations come from the American Culinary Federation Accrediting Commission, which has accredited the programs in culinary arts, baking and pastry, and food service management. The Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association has approved the dental assisting and dental hygiene programs. The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing have accredited the nursing program.
Westmoreland County Community College Application Requirements
Students will use the official application published by the college to apply to Westmoreland County Community College. The college requires an additional application for students applying to health professions programs. Students should send transcripts from high school or evidence of having earned a GED, as well as standardized test scores to the college. The college also recommends that students submit an application for financial aid when they apply.
After the college has received the prospective student’s application and test scores, the applicant will need to attend an educational planning session with an advisor, as well as take a placement test. During the planning session, students will receive information on which classes they should take to complete their educational and future career goals at the college.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for Westmorland County residents who attend Westmoreland County Community College and enroll in one to 11 credits is $133 per credit. Pennsylvania residents who live outside the county will pay $266 per credit. Out-of-state students will pay $399 per credit. The college charges a flat rate for students who enroll in 12 to 18 credits. The rate for Westmorland County residents is $1,995, the rate for out-of-county residents of Pennsylvania is $3,990, and the rate for out-of-state students is $5,985.
Students will also need to budget additional money to buy books and supplies, and there are also some fees the college will charge at the time of enrollment. Fees include a general fee of $61 per credit, lab fees that range from $70 to $80 per laboratory course, and a capital fee of $6 for out-of-county and out-of-state residents.
Financial assistance and awards like scholarships and grants are handled by the Financial Aid Office at Westmoreland County Community College. Students must demonstrate financial need to qualify for grants, and may receive scholarships based on financial need or academic merit. Student loans guaranteed by the federal government are also available for students who submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Students whose household incomes qualify them for grants may receive Federal Pell Grants or Supplemental Opportunity Grants, as well as be awarded Federal Work-Study awards where the college will offer the student a job on or near campus. Students may also receive student loans through the government’s Direct Loan program, and these loans may accumulate interest during the student’s college career or begin accruing interest after he or she graduates from Westmoreland County Community College.
