I know this question has been debated a bit already, but I would still appreciate opinions on my particular situation. I am currently enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in the MAcc program, but have actually been advised by the MAcc program advisor to consider switching to the Post-Bacc Certificate, and I am now struggling with which route to take. The main reason that he suggested the switch is that I received my B.S. in Biology rather than Business or Accounting, and I still have to take 21 credits of undergraduate accounting courses before I can start enrolling in the graduate level accounting courses. If I could take all of these courses at the beginning of the program, I would be pursuing my MAcc without hesitation, but for graduate financial aid reasons at least half of the classes I enroll in every semester must be at the graduate level. This past semester I managed that by completing the graduate business foundation courses, but now I will be completing useless graduate level marketing courses to keep my financial aid (due to not having the necessary prereqs to take any other kind of graduate business courses).

So needless to say I am feeling very frustrated with both of my options at the moment. It seems like those with post-bacc certificates have been unsuccessful in searching for jobs, but I actually already have a job as an accounting clerk with promised promotion to accountant when I graduate with whatever degree I choose to get (I work for a small CPA firm in Richmond, VA and my mother is a partner in the firm). However, I don't really want to consider any "promised promotion" when choosing an education path as that can change in an instant.

So...to outline my options:

1) Finish pursuing MAcc- This will probably take another 2.5-3 years after next semester if I am lucky due to prereqs needed, number of graduate level courses needed to maintain financial aid status, and course availability. Also, one of the things I found a bit odd about the VCU program is that there is also a "track" required. So I could pursue either what is essentially a graduate minor in either Finance or Information Systems (both of which would require even more undergraduate course prerequisites, unfortunately). Tuition over the rest of the program would also come out to about $30,000 more, on top of the $70,000 I already owe.

2) Pursue Post-Bacc Certificate instead- Will take another 1.5 years after next semester (the graduate business foundation courses I have taken will not count towards the certificate requirements). I also wouldn't have to take any unnecessary "track" classes- the certificate at VCU is strictly 24 hours in accounting beyond the introductory level and 24 hours in general business classes. This is why I never really understood why post-bacc certificates are frowned upon when compared to a B.S. or B.A. in Accounting. Including the introducy level classes, the certificate at VCU is equivalent to the B.S. degree minus some general education courses (which I completed in my prior degree). I would just pursue the B.S. at VCU but they won't consider general education courses from a prior degree as counting towards a degree currently being pursued. Do you think employers would be willing to consider graduates from a certificate program if it is 48 credits in length after the introductory level? Oh, and in this situation the tuition would be roughly $13,500 for the certificate.

My biggest hope if I switch to the post-bacc certificate program is that the economy picks up again some by the time I graduate and that there will be plenty of jobs for everyone (wishful thinking, I know). And I do intend to sit for the CPA exam as soon as I graduate, so I'm hoping that would also help. I would think that (provided I pass the exam) CPA certification with a few years of experience as an accounting clerk would be enough to secure at least some kind of job? VCU does offer career services to alumni and I know recruiters have taken post-bacc students before...

Anyway...suggestions, anyone? Continue with the MAcc and take quite a bit longer and put myself even more in debt or switch to the post-bacc program and risk not being able to find a job?