<p>My school is not a target school in the least. It does offer the choice of either double majoring in Finance and Accounting or the 5 year track to an MBA with a BBA in Accounting. Which would be the best route to take?<br>
I've heard that... well... I won't say just yet what I have heard, I want to hear from you all what you know about this. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Do the double major. You shouldn’t bother with an MBA until after a few years of work experience to decide if you really need it.</p>
<p>Is it more advantageous when looking for a job? I get that two majors means two fields of study, which, in an ideal world, means two possible fields of work. But are two majors better than one tagged on to an MBA?</p>
<p>I can’t answer if it is more of an advantage, but I wouldn’t double major. I would rather decide on one or the other. An MBA is only beneficial if you plan on climbing the corporate ladder. Take a few acct/finance course if you haven’t yet and then decide what you really want to do or if the double major still suit your needs.</p>
<p>I guess this is what I meant to ask from the beginning: Is a double major in Accounting/Finance + CPA just as good as BA Accounting + MBA (from non target Business school)+ CPA? Which is better in the eyes of employers?
Does a CPA trump an MBA?
I hear that an MBA isn’t worth it if it’s not from a target school but is that true for accountants? How would that affect me if in the long run I want to switch to another field?</p>
<p>Astran is right. Do the Accounting double major (I would combine it with Economics, not Finance), then get the best job possible and go back and get your MBA 4 or 5 years after graduation.</p>
<p>Can I ask why you want to double major in Accounting and Finance? If you plan on becoming a CPA why double major in finance? I don’t believe that the 5 year track is a good idea. Earning an MBA when you don’t have any type of work experience is absurd. It’s true going to a top university can land you a better chance at an interview, but as long as you keep your GPA up and network then you should be fine.</p>
<p>At some schools it requires relatively little extra coursework to double major in accounting and finance, since finance majors often need a significant number of accounting classes for the finance major. Accounting majors at my son’s school need only two extra finance classes to double major in accounting and finance, so that double-major is a very popular option there and can be done with 136 credits. It’s not like accounting majors will have to take an extra twenty or thirty credits to add finance as half the double-major at most schools. </p>
<p>Economics, though, you would probably have to add at least thirty credits to double-major with accounting, as econ is usually taught in the liberal arts school at universities, while accounting and finance are both part of the business school.</p>
<p>Go ahead and double major in finance to give yourself the flexibility for a job in finance down the road. Your key qualification though will be the CPA. No one is going to care about the MBA degree coming directly out of school - it’s a complete waste of time and money. If you do well as a CPA you may find that no one cares whether you ever get the MBA. (I have a CPA and an MBA from a target school).</p>