Graduate education provides an opportunity to expand academic horizons, to learn practical skills for real world applications, and affords the opportunity to do advanced research and influence future generations of students in a given field. Boston College’s Masters in Accounting Program will afford me the opportunity to conduct research, advance my knowledge of the field and study with some of the finest faculty in the profession. I will be able to advance my knowledge in a vibrant profession that has implications for a broad range of industries and services that are used daily by millions of people throughout the world.
There are many challenges that the modern accountant must face while working in the professional world. Accounting standards are in flux and it is imperative to stay up to date with the most current techniques applicable to an industry and a task. Furthermore, different government entities require compliance with different rules and an accountant must be intimately familiar with GAAP, International Financial Reporting Standards, and compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. My Masters education will prepare me to understand the regulatory environment as it presently stands, and to understand new regulations as the authorities promulgate them.
My initial career goals are modest, insofar as my first step will be to seek a position in a Big Four accounting firm. Such a position would allow me to combine the skills that I have learned in my undergraduate studies with the education I receive at Boston College. The broad-based interactions that will occur during my master’s studies will expose me to many fields that will serve me well as I collaborate with the diverse groups involved in accounting and auditing. Proficient in spreadsheet software, I would take increasing responsibility for audit works, as I continue to learn new methodologies and procedures as the firm incorporates them. The global focus at Carroll will expose me to the diverse nationalities of the students, and consequently provide me with insight that will serve my clients as they seek to maximize their understanding of financial statements that increasingly involve cross border transactions. The ability to communicate that will be honed at Carroll will be of prime importance as I navigate this challenge.
Ultimately, I hope to find a position as an accounting or financial manager in a large investment company. As a manager I will be responsible for making decisions regarding other peoples hard earned money. The position is one of high responsibility, which my training will prepare me for. As a financial manager I will be presented with the work of analysts and I will be required to make fast decisions while keeping the state of the industry, economy, and markets in mind. My masters’ degree will familiarize me with the financial analysis rules that the current regulations require of audit committees. Core courses in financial statement analysis, and assuring and consulting services, as well as elective courses will position me to use the latest finance techniques in support of my objective of maximizing investor returns.
