Accounting Clerk Diploma

Program Overview:

The Accounting Clerk Diploma prepares students to process accounting records for a business, such as recording and posting sales invoices, cash disbursements, payroll, and other business transactions.

Program Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Accounting Clerk program at RCTC, students will achieve the following outcomes:

• Record, analyze, interpret, and report financial transactions using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and other professional accounting standards and laws.
• Develop and use critical thinking processes to compare detailed expected results to actual reported information.
• Utilize technology including accounting software, spreadsheets, database, and other accounting information software when reporting financial information.
• Analyze, interpret, and report financial data and non-financial information to aid decision-makers within an organization.
• Use clear and concise oral and written communication methods to convey financial and non-financial information effectively to different users.

Career Opportunities:

Accounting is the language of business. Every business- small, medium, large; private or public; manufacturing, service, healthcare, retail, or financial have a need for accounting skills. Pay and benefits vary with employer size, location and type. Compensation also varies with the employee’s education, experience and responsibility.

The Accounting Clerk diploma program is designed as an occupational program leading to employment upon graduation. If pursuing further education, check with receiving institution regarding which RCTC credits will transfer because each college or university determines what credits will transfer to their institution.

Additional Information:

The student should have average to above average ability in reasoning and reading comprehension. Students should be proficient in basic communications and basic math. Discretion, judgment, and ethical behaviors are also important. In addition to accounting skill competence, employers seek accountants who have common sense, sound judgment, ambition, dependability, initiative, poise and talent.

ACCOUNTING CLERK DIPLOMA

MINNESOTA TRANSFER CURRICULUM (MnTC)/GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (7 CREDITS)

• ENGL 1109 – Introduction to Professional and Technical Communications (3 cr) OR ENGL 1117 – Reading and Writing Critically I (4 cr)
• Remaining 3-4 credits to be taken from MnTC courses.

PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS (17 CREDITS)

• ACCT 1814 – Payroll Accounting (3 cr)
• ACCT 2217 – Financial Accounting (4 cr)
• ACCT 2218 – Managerial Accounting (4 cr)
• ACCT 2234 – Computerized Accounting & Business Applications (3 cr)
• ACCT 2237 – Accounting and Business Information Technology (3 cr)

BUSINESS RELATED ELECTIVES (7 CREDITS)

• Select any ACCT, BUS, ECON courses.

RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES

FULL-TIME

• Semester 1 (15 CREDITS): ACCT 2217, ENGL 1117, MnTC (Goal 3, 5, 6, or 9), Any ACCT, BUS, or ECON
• Semester 2 (16 CREDITS): ACCT 1814, ACCT 2218, ACCT 2234, ACCT 2237, Any ACCT, BUS, or ECON

PART-TIME

• Semester 1 (8 CREDITS): ACCT 2217, ENGL 1117
• Semester 2 (7 CREDITS): ACCT 2218, MnTC (Goal 3, 5, 6, or 9)
• Semester 3 (7 CREDITS): ACCT 2234, Any ACCT, BUS or ECON
• Semester 4 (6 CREDITS): ACCT 1814, ACCT 2237
• Semester 5 (3 CREDITS): Any ACCT, BUS or ECON

Course descriptions can be found at: RCTC course descriptions