Bookkeeping Certificate

Hegis Code: 5002

NYSED: 40147

Program Description

The Bookkeeping Certificate can be completed in one year of full-time study at 13 credits per semester. It provides the student with focused instruction in introductory accounting theory and practice, accounting software (QuickBooks), and sales and payroll taxes. There is also emphasis on accounting for non-profit and government agencies, and spreadsheets used in business decision-making. The graduate is prepared for entry-level bookkeeping positions in both the private and public sectors, such as accounts receivable/payable clerks, payroll clerks, and county or town account clerks and bookkeepers. All the courses listed in the certificate can be transferred to our A.A.S. degree in Business: Accounting as part of the core curriculum.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the certificate program, students will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

• Perform bookkeeping tasks including the maintenance of general and subsidiary ledgers
• Perform accounting-related tasks using spreadsheets and accounting software
• Compile and maintain complex payroll data
• Understand the tax and filing requirements for small businesses
• Introduce students to the specialized financial accounting and reporting standards applicable to the governmental and not-for-profit sectors as well as the basic processes of business-type accounting.