Accounting Certificate of Achievement

Accounting is the study of analyzing, recording, summarizing, and reporting financial information to managers, owners, customers, investors, and other decision makers inside and outside a business organization. Career paths chosen by students pursuing undergraduate studies in accounting commonly include financial accounting, management accounting, tax accounting, governmental and not-for-profit accounting, and auditing. Careers in the discipline that generally require graduate-level degrees include forensic auditing, management consulting services and education. Even students who choose not to major in accounting find that coursework in the field can improve their ability to understand the role of accounting as a part of the overall business management team, as well as their ability to comprehend financial information as it pertains to their personal wealth management.

College of the Desert’s accounting curriculum includes course offerings that provide a general overview of the discipline, as well as a specialized focus on bookkeeping, financial accounting, managerial accounting, tax accounting, cost accounting, and computer accounting. The college offers an Associates of Science Degree for employment preparation and a Certificate of Achievement in Accounting, as well as courses leading to transfer to a four-year institution. Both the AS degree and the certificate are designed to provide students with skills necessary for employment or advancement in the accounting profession. Students earning the certificate may also choose to continue their study toward an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in the field. Past recipients of the COD Certificate of Achievement in Accounting have obtained positions as accounting clerks, bookkeepers, accountants, controllers and tax preparers. 

For more information, please contact the School of Applied Sciences and Business Office, the Counseling Center, or call 760.776.7316.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify, measure, record, and communicate financial information relating to business organizations varying from small service enterprises to large manufacturing firms.
2. Prepare tax returns for individuals and small business entities based on accurate understanding of tax laws.
3. Establish procedures to gather, present, and interpret internal data for management decision-making purposes.

Program Requirements