Online Master degree in Accounting and Financial Management at the University of Maryland

Accounting and financial management is one of the main specializations in all types of companies and organizations, according to their nature and scope of work. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the area of accounting and financial auditing is expanding faster than average, and is expected to grow by 11% over the next 6 years. In 2016, the average salaries of accountants and auditors with a Bachelor's degree were more than $ 860,000 annually, while the average salary of financial managers was approximately $ 122,000 annually.

In view of the importance of the field of accounting and financial auditing, the University of Maryland is offering a Masters degree in Accounting and Financial Management within its Master's programs on the Edx e-learning platform. This program is offered to professionals, financial employees and accountants who want to advance their career and move towards organizational leadership positions in the companies in which they work to become financial managers and analysts or budget analysts and responsible for loans and insurances and other high positions.

Program Goals
The MSc program in Accounting and Financial Management focuses on building good experience in analyzing corporate financial transactions, assessing risks and returns from alternative investments, in addition to providing learners with the practical training and essential skills needed to enhance their ability to make effective financial management decisions that may affect the operations of institutions and their financial future. During this program, students will learn:

How to manage the financial operations of organizations including revenue, expenses, assets and financial value.

How to evaluate alternative investments using the time value of cash accounts, and understand their impact on cash flow.

How to design and conduct financial analyzes, contribute to strategic management decisions and solve operational problems.

- How to use case studies of real companies facing financial challenges to analyze situations, assess risks and suggest work paths.

Program components
The MSc program in Accounting and Finance consists of 4 advanced level courses at the same level as the Master's courses offered at the University of Maryland. These courses cover a number of specialized topics in economics, financial resources and business administration, as each course lasts about 8 academic weeks, and each week requires a number of study hours ranging between 10 and 15 hours. These courses are:

First session: Financial decision-making

The Financial Decision Making course is offered by Dr. Monica Sava Brunn and Dr. Sharon Levin, Professor of Statistics, Accounting and Financial Management at the University of Maryland. This course is specially designed to improve learners' skills in making and making financial decisions related to companies, focusing on introducing learners to the basic concepts of financial accounting, financing and management decision-making with a focus on applying financial and non-financial information to a wide range of management decisions.

The course lasts about 8 academic weeks at a rate of between 10 and 15 hours of study per week, at the end of which students will learn how to conduct basic financial analyzes to support decision-making, and how to apply reduced cash flow techniques to compare project costs. They will also learn about the role of financial decisions in the company's general management, and the ways to apply financial and non-financial information to management decisions, as well as learn about the relationship between risks and returns in companies available for public circulation.

The second session: Corporate financial accounting

The Corporate Financial Accounting course is offered by Dr. Sharon Levin, Accounting, Financial Management and Business Lecturer at the University of Maryland. The course lasts about 8 academic weeks at a rate ranging between 10 and 15 hours of study per week, and it is required to study the financial decision-making course before joining it.

The course focuses on educating learners on how to prepare corporate financial statements according to the US Securities and Exchange Commission "SEC", and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles "FASB" by the Financial Accounting Standards Board "GAAP". By the end of the course, students will learn research accounting topics using the Financial Accounting Board standards, and how to use the conceptual framework of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
Students will also learn how to prepare financial statements for American companies according to the standards of the Financial Accounting Board, in addition to analyzing, interpreting, and communicating financial information in a clear, correct, and concise style, as well as applying the American Institute of Certified Accountants' Law of Professional Conduct when making financial decisions.

The third session: Financial management in organizations

The Financial Management Course in Organizations is delivered by Dr. Jayenta Sen, Financial Analyst and Head of the Financial Management Program at the University of Maryland, and Dr. Jia Jin, Honorary Professor at St. Francis University. This course lasts about 8 academic weeks with a weekly average of no more than 15 academic hours. It is worth noting that joining this course requires studying the financial accounting course for companies first.

To study in the world's best universities online ... What are the most prominent scholarships available?

The global competition among the pioneers of higher education to attract international students is not only limited to offering scholarships to join the ranks of traditional academic programs, but also offers distinguished online study programs and the provision of scholarships to enable students to enroll in these programs. In this report, we highlight a set of distinguished scholarships offered by universities ranked among the best in the world.

University of London - UK
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of its first initiatives to support women in the academic field, the University of London announced this year 2018 the launch of a program that includes 150 scholarships for women wishing to study the "Global MBA Program" from a distance.

Applicants for the program are required to have a Bachelor's degree and the required level in the English language, and there are three periods available for registration in the program, the first ending in June, the second in September, and the third in December of the current year, and that Depending on the date of study for each period, these grants cover 40% of the value of the tuition fees specified for the program, knowing that applying for grants is available to students from all countries.

Edith Cowan University - Australia
Edith Cowan University is one of the newly established Australian universities and has succeeded in entering international rankings, including the "QS" rating for the best universities under the age of fifty, and ranked in this classification 101-150.
The University offers a number of scholarship programs for international students, the most prominent of which is the International Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies in Nursing via the Internet, which aims to enable international students to complete their postgraduate studies in nursing at the university and without leaving their countries. Students from all countries except Australia and New Zealand are allowed to enroll in the program .
The program is dedicated to granting it to students who plan to study postgraduate programs in management specialties and health care leadership, dementia studies, clinical risks and patient safety, child and youth nursing, masters programs in nursing specialties, and nursing studies, the scholarship includes coverage of 20% of the tuition fee for the program that he joined requester.

Imperial College London - UK
The Imperial College London, officially known as the “Imperial College London” is one of the top universities in the United Kingdom and the world, it is one of the ten best universities in the world according to the QS ranking for 2019, and one of the forty best universities in the world in Management and business specialization, and ranked sixth globally in technology and engineering, and thirty-third in the "QS" list of universities according to the preference of their graduates with operators around the world.

The college announced the provision of a set of scholarships for students who will join to study several of its masters programs for the year 2019, and these scholarships differed in their financial coverage and admission requirements, but they are mainly directed to distinguished students who wish to study the "Master of Science in Business Analysis" program online.
This group includes "technology and innovation grants" devoted to the study of artificial intelligence, automation or analyzes in the business world, and the value of the grants offered to each student is 20,000 pounds, provided that he has experience in technology and other conditions, and also includes "social impact grants" within a vision The university is to employ businesses to improve society, and these grants provide financial coverage of 20,000 pounds for each student. The third type within the group is business grants and includes the provision of 5,000 pounds for outstanding students. The fourth is college scholarships and provides coverage on 50% of the tuition fees for the master's program In business analysis.

University of Birmingham - UK
The University of Birmingham has won many international centers this year that have earned it a reputation among academic institutions of higher education around the world. Philosophy, ranked 39th among the best universities in the world in the English language, and 51-100 globally in the field of law.

The University offers scholarships annually for applicants for research master's programs (distance school) in several disciplines including: Law, English Literature, Philosophy, History, African Studies, Arts, and Music. These scholarships are available to students from inside and outside the United Kingdom, and the value of these scholarships varies according to the country of the student. Students from within the United Kingdom or European Union countries receive a grant of 3,000 pounds per student, while international students grant grants amounting to 10,000 pounds are deducted from Tuition fees for the programs they enroll in.

Study: distance education is the future

In 2015, the market value of e-learning was estimated at $ 166.5 billion, and it is expected to increase this year to $ 255 billion.

In a recent research study conducted by the "Global Shapers" community on 25 thousand young participants from all over the world, it revealed that 77.84% of the participants had more than one online course over the past year.

According to the Research Study for Online Learning last year, conducted by the Babson Group for Research Studies in partnership with many other institutions; The number of American students learning distance increased from 7.1 million students in 2014 to 7.4 million students in 2015, and the study also revealed that more than 5.8 million students were studying at least one online course during 2015.

According to the previous results, e-learning via distance has become the best alternative to traditional education, but is considered the future in the field of education as a whole. The increase in the market value of e-learning is only matched by the increase in the number of students and learners entering the world of distance learning, and joining high-quality courses and training courses through Internet.

What kinds of e-learning?

Distance e-learning depends mainly on the learner, as the student can directly learn anywhere and any time he wants, unlike traditional learning, e-learning is formed in two main patterns:

Simultaneous learning: It is learning similar to the real classroom, as it is conducted through the educational rooms via the Internet, and involves active participation at the same time between both the lecturer and the learners, or the learners with each other, so interaction is done through chatting, instant messages, or voice meetings. And the video, which helps continuous follow-up and personalization of the learning process.

Asynchronous learning: learning that allows learners to complete courses or training courses at the appropriate pace for them, and at the time that they choose, but it does not allow learners to participate and live interactions with the lecturer, while providing communication between the lecturer and learners through message boards and discussion forums in contrast to synchronous learning , So the learner can access the educational material whenever he needs it anytime, anywhere.


What distinguishes e-learning from traditional education
There are now millions of learners in the world who rely mainly on e-learning to acquire skills, expertise, and learn what they want.
A study by the US Department of Education in 2008 to assess both traditional and electronic education revealed; Distance learning is superior to traditional education in the classroom, and the study confirmed that the main reason for this is to provide e-learning the real need for students, as it provides the most appropriate learning experiences for them individually, which is not provided by traditional education through the classroom.

A study conducted at Portland State University, funded by the National Center for the Study of Adult Education and Literacy, also confirmed that self-learning alone or in conjunction with traditional education is much better than traditional education in the classroom.

E-learning possesses many advantages that its traditional counterpart lacks, and these advantages led to the spread of e-learning at a very rapid pace, there are now millions of learners in the world who rely mainly on this type of learning to acquire the skills, experiences, and learning what they want, and the advantages that led The e-learning has invaded the field of education and even surpassed its traditional counterpart:

Expenses

The annual study cost for university education students in the United States of America during the academic year 2013-2014 reached more than $ 18,000 for government institutes and universities, while this cost amounted to more than $ 36,000 for private institutes and universities, so university study costs an average of nearly 20 thousand dollars annually, which plunges students and their families into debt. The average debt of students during the past year was about 30 thousand dollars.

Therefore, the biggest real disadvantages of traditional education are the high costs borne by students and their families, in contrast to e-learning, which is now almost completely free. Hundreds of universities and international institutes have offered many high-quality courses offered by the best lecturers and professors through different e-learning sites.


Even the most expensive intensive online courses do not cost half the cost of traditional education in one year. The cost of one of the most expensive training programs to learn programming is approximately $ 10,000, where lecturers and experts focus on teaching students the necessary programming skills, so that the student becomes a programmer and developer. Professional during 12 intensive weeks, and 90% of graduates of the program can find a job opportunity in less than 3 months after graduation.

So when comparing this program to traditional education within the university, this intensive program is considered better and saves time and money, because its cost is $ 10,000 in just 12 weeks, while the cost of university education is about $ 80,000 during the four years of study.

Flexibility
The learner can start learning or studying wherever he wants, and wherever he wants, he only needs a computer and an internet connection
Unlike traditional education within the walls of schools and universities, e-learning provides absolute flexibility for learners. The learner is not obligated to go to the university every day on fixed and predetermined dates, as e-learning does not set specific conditions for learners.

Online and home distance learning tips for college students

Many universities around the world have stopped teaching face to face amid the outbreak of the virus
Here are some tips to make sure you can successfully learn from study and distance learning online
During these unknown times, many universities temporarily stop teaching face to face and college students are required to give lectures online. For some students, this can be a huge challenge.

It may not be easy to organize your own studies and take advantage of the full online lectures, but here are some ways you can do this. This is an overview for all students, but your university may have specific measures in place, so be sure to continue checking your emails and portal for updates.

1. Engage in your learning

The same way you take notes when attending a lecture, it is a good idea to do the same while listening to or watching a lecture online. Sit comfortably, get a notebook and pen on hand and try to keep any other distractions at the minimum.

Take some time to look at your schedule and work on a schedule to make sure you are well prepared to attend all seminars and lectures online. Read relevant previously and ask questions if there's anything I'm not sure about.

2. Coordination for group chats

There a lot of ways of online tools like Skype, Zoom, Facetime, or Watsapp that you can download for free and let you coordinate video chats with groups of people. Use these programs to prepare study groups with classmates so you can spend time discussing ideas, analyzing texts together, and switching study tips.

This is a so great way to keep in touch with other students in your class, and to make sure that you maintain the cooperative aspect of your university studies. It also helps to add some social media so that you do not feel isolated from studying alone.

Make sure you plan what you discuss in advance and try to stick to the topic so the discussion remains productive and not chatting about other things.

3. Keep in touch with your teacher and lecturers

You may no longer be able to see your teachers during their regular hours, but make sure that you are in contact with them regularly. Maybe email once a week or even every few days to make sure you're aware of any developments. In addition, if you feel anxious or stressed, talking to your teacher can help relieve any concerns you may have.

Also remember to keep in touch with the lecturers to ensure that you have updated reading lists and that you are searching in the right places for lecture notes and slides. Feel free to call if you have any concerns about your learning, but be patient when expecting a response. Your teachers may be under tremendous pressure to prepare lectures for delivery online, so give them time to get back to you.

4. Make sure that you have all of the right tools for studying

Online lectures require a fairly good computer and good internet connection. Some students already have these things, but if they are not, talk to your teacher or Student Services office about how to facilitate this. There may be backup laptops that you can borrow, or you can integrate with a small group of other students to study together.

Make sure that you have enough stationery (pens, highlighters, notepads etc.) and the right books or articles to study from, whether it is hard copies or digital versions.

Check your portal daily for updates on classrooms and any study tools the university provides to help you.

5. Think about study space at home

If you are used to studying in the campus library, you may find it difficult to move to study at home most of the time, but there are some things you can do to put yourself in the mindset of studying.

Select the place where you can sit and work. Some students are very lucky enough to have a desk, but if they are not, then any surface you can sit comfortably in using computer stationery. Fresh coffee? Bottle of water? Make sure to keep all the things you need nearby so you don't have to keep getting up. If you try to sit on the floor with the laptop balanced on your knees, you will end up with a painful end. Comfortable study spaces allow you to focus on study materials. When you are uncomfortable, pain and stiffness will distract you from the study and reduce your chances of you returning to study.

Dark room or space can become stuffy and frustrating. It will also lead to eye fatigue and fatigue faster. If you have a dark house or office, consider adding additional sources of indirect light.

Let everyone in your family know that you are studying online. Have them not bother you while studying so you can focus on the materials. You can turn off your phone and. Once you get distracted, getting back to school becomes increasingly difficult.

Many universities in the world have kept their libraries open, so this can be an option, but try not to get too close to your fellow students. It is also important to adhere to the latest guidelines from your university or about leaving your home in the country you are in, so be sure to check if this is the case.

6. Take regular breaks

This is a common advice but it is now more important than ever when studying at your living space. You don't have to stick to Table 9-5 if that doesn't work for you, but specify the hours that are most productive and focus on studying.