Program Overview

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Accounting Associate Degree

Program Overview

Madison College students choose to pursue a degree in accounting because of the variety of exciting career paths it offers.

Accounting Careers

Accounting professionals are in high demand by companies and organizations everywhere, so you can apply your skills to work in your community or take them anywhere. Employment opportunities in accounting exist in all industries, including financial, manufacturing, retail, service, non-profit and government institutions.

Madison College's two-year Accounting associate degree will get you ready for a range of professional positions in the field of accounting, including staff accountant, public accountant, cost accountant, tax accountant, account manager, account specialist or payroll accountant.

Real-world, Hands-on Learning

Madison College's accounting program teaches you real-world accounting concepts through hands-on learning. Our expert faculty will support your academic success by providing valuable feedback on your coursework to ensure you develop your accounting skills correctly.

Accounting Year 1

In your first year, you’ll learn essential accounting principles and develop a general understanding of business, finance and taxes. In addition, you’ll be skilled in using business tools like Microsoft Office Excel and QuickBooks.

Bonus: You'll automatically earn the Accounting Assistant technical diploma after completing the first-year curriculum!

Accounting Year 2

You'll expand your accounting knowledge in your second year learning intermediate accounting concepts, and gaining experience in cost management, payroll systems, economics and business law.

In your final term, you'll confidently complete a project demonstrating the accounting knowledge and skills you acquired in the program to perform real-world accounting for a small business. This capstone project is an instant resume-builder for you to showcase your newly acquired accounting talents to prospective employers.

Flexible Course Offerings

You can attend full- or part-time while taking courses in-person or online. Study close to home, whether in Madison at Truax or Goodman South campuses or regionally at our Reedsburg, Portage, Fort Atkinson or Watertown campuses.

Start Your Four-Year Degree Here!

Your accounting associate degree credits transfer if you plan to earn your bachelor’s degree to advance to a higher-level position in the field. We have transfer agreements with many four-year colleges, both inside and outside the state of Wisconsin.

What Is Accounting?

Learn more about accounting careers and Madison College accounting program options.

Curriculum and Experience

Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the **academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.

Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:

• Progress toward your specific requirements
• Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements

If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.

First Semester

• Accounting 1 - Principles (4 credits)
• Introduction to Business (3 credits)
• Business Spreadsheet Applications (3 credits)
• Math of Finance (3 credits)
• Written Communication (3 credits)

Second Semester

• Accounting 2 - Principles (4 credits)
• Tax 1 (4 credits)
• QuickBooks (2 credits)
• Professional Development (1 credit)
• Personal Finance (3 credits)

Third Semester

• Accounting 3 - Intermediate (4 credits)
• Cost Management (4 credits)
• Accounting and Payroll Systems (3 credits)
• Oral/Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)
• Psychology Of Human Relations (3 credits)

Fourth Semester

• Accounting 4 - Intermediate (4 credits)
• Computerized Accounting Applications (2 credits)
• Accounting Capstone (3 credits)
• Business Law 1 (3 credits)
• Economics (3 credits)

Admission

To Apply

Earning a degree is a great way to advance your career development opportunities.

International students who wish to apply for, maintain, or transfer their F-1 student visa status to Madison College are required to complete the International Admission Process.

Application Dates

• Summer 2025: Application open, Application completion deadline is July 15, 2025
• Fall 2025: Application open, Application completion deadline is November 15, 2025
• Spring 2026: Application open, Application completion deadline is April 15, 2026

Admission Requirements

All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.

1. Admission Application
2. Education Completion
   • Submit official transcripts from the institutions you attended that indicate one of the following:
     • High school completion (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
     • GED/HSED completion
     • College transcript or Madison College experience showing:
       • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
       • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale

Transfer Opportunities

UW System Schools

• UW Oshkosh
• UW Platteville
• UW Stevens Point

Wisconsin Private Schools

• Concordia University
• Lakeland University
• Milwaukee School of Engineering
• Wisconsin Lutheran College

Out-of-State Schools

• Bellevue University
• Capella University
• Colorado State University Global Campus
• Franklin University

Career Outcomes

After completing the Accounting program at Madison College, you will be able to:

• Process financial transactions throughout the accounting cycle
• Evaluate financial information to support decision making
• Process payroll
• Perform cost accounting tasks
• Perform income tax accounting tasks
• Apply internal controls to minimize risk

Graduate Summary

• Number of Program Graduates: 42 (2022), 31 (2023), 45 (2024)
• Number of Surveys Sent: 41 (2022), 31 (2023), 45 (2024)
• Number of Surveys Returned: 22 (2022), 17 (2023), 23 (2024)
• Percent of Surveys Returned: 53.7% (2022), 54.8% (2023), 51.1% (2024)

Graduate Employers

• Berndt CPA
• Columbia County
• Culver's Franchising System
• Dane County Courthouse
• Express Employment Agency
• Facility Gateway Corporation
• Madison Metropolitan School District
• Masters Building Solutions
• Midwest Family Broadcasting
• Off the Cuff Accounting
• UW - Madison
• Wisconsin Legistative Audit Bureau

Related Programs

• Accounting Assistant
• Finance