If you’ve ever Googled “How hard is the CPA exam?” you know the answer: very. The full exam runs 16 hours and is divided into four sections, each one focused on a core area of accounting:
If you asked a student preparing for the CPA, they’d probably tell you it feels like a part-time job.
The good news? The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) is built to support that journey. Our coursework aligns with all four CPA exam areas and helps you meet key eligibility requirements—especially if you’re planning to become a CPA in Texas.
The takeaway: You don’t have to navigate this process alone. The right program can make all the difference.
UT Permian Basin’s 100% online, AACSB-accredited Master of Professional Accountancy gives you the flexibility and structure you need to move toward CPA eligibility—without pressing pause on your career or personal life.
This program helps you build a strong foundation in both traditional accounting principles and the modern, tech-forward practices today’s organizations rely on. As you progress, you’ll learn to think critically, communicate clearly, and apply accounting concepts in real business settings.
And because the entire program is delivered online and asynchronously, you can learn:
Additional program benefits include:
Once you graduate, you’ll have completed key educational requirements needed to sit for the CPA exam, and you’ll hold a graduate degree that helps you stand out in a competitive field. For many employers, that combination—MPA + CPA eligibility—signals readiness, commitment, and advanced training.
Accounting is already a stable, respected career. But earning your CPA license takes things one step further. Here’s why so many professionals decide the extra effort is worth it:
Professional respect: The “CPA” credential carries serious weight. Clients and colleagues see CPAs as experts at the top of their field.
Put simply: Earning your CPA opens doors you may not even know exist yet.
Once you start the CPA exam, the clock begins ticking. You’ll have 18 months to pass all four sections, in any order you choose. Pass rates typically fall between 50 to 66%, so many candidates retake at least one section. It’s normal—and it’s exactly why strong academic preparation matters.
The CPA exam isn’t just a test; it’s a journey. Programs like UTPB’s online Master of Professional Accountancy are designed to help you start that journey with confidence.
If earning your CPA is part of your long-term plan, now is the perfect time to take the next step. Our online Master of Professional Accountancy can help you meet educational requirements, sharpen your accounting expertise, and prepare to sit for the exam, all while fitting school around your life—not the other way around.
Your future as a CPA starts with a program designed for where you’re headed.
Take the next step toward CPA eligibility. Apply here to get started.
Sources:
https://www.topaccountingdegrees.org/faq/what-benefits-does-a-cpa-certification-give-accountants/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/cpa-vs-accountant
https://blog.aicpa.org/2019/11/why-did-you-become-an-accountant.html#sthash.PUB0xySi.dpbs
https://www.accounting.com/careers/cpa/salary
Picture this: You’re a junior accountant, and your manager asks you to tweak a report to make the numbers look better. The request sounds harmless enough—just a small tweak—but you know it’s not above board. Now you’re stuck. Do you follow orders and risk crossing an ethical line, or do you push back and risk…
You’ve always been an analytical thinker. A problem solver. Maybe a math whiz, too. There’s a career that matches your strengths. Certified Public Accountants—or CPAs—excel in these qualities. Let’s explore why a CPA is no ordinary accountant and what it takes to become one. Want to Be a CPA? Here’s What You Need to Know …
It’s tax season. Your spreadsheets are a mess, your coffee’s cold, and it’s month-end close—again. Enter blockchain technology: a secure system that delivers real-time updates, lets you safely share data … and makes your job much easier in the process. Not exactly sure what blockchain is? Don’t worry! You’re in the right place. Let’s break…
Want to be a more effective leader? Understanding your management style is the first step.
From hands-off to motivational, every leader brings a unique approach to guiding their team. In this article, we’ll break down 7 common management styles, how they work, and when to use them—especially in today’s workforce, where collaboration, flexibility, and purpose matter more than ever.
Whether you’re a current manager or planning your next career step, this guide can help you align your leadership style with team needs and long-term goals.
You’ll find that there are many management styles and many ways to describe them. Let’s examine some of these management styles, in no particular order, and begin to explore what kind of leader you might want to be.
Take control and keep it. Make all key decisions yourself. You may consult with others, but ultimately, it’s all up to you. You must also stay very directly involved in everything your team is doing. This doesn’t necessarily mean micromanaging your employees, but rather staying tapped into the status of all projects.
Example: A CEO of a startup might use the autocratic approach when making pivotal decisions about the company’s vision and product development. They take full control of the decision-making process, consulting with team members but ultimately making the final call.
Sit back and let your people do what they do best, with minimal interference from you. If you’ve hired the right people, you may be surprised at what they can achieve when management steps out of the way.
Example: A senior manager at a tech company may delegate the responsibility of handling daily operations to their team while stepping back. With the hands-off approach, they trust them to use their expertise to meet goals with minimal intervention from leadership.
Focus on the overall direction of your team or organization and let your people deal with the day-to-day specifics that will help make your vision a reality.
Example: A creative director at an advertising agency might focus primarily on the agency’s overall direction, ensuring the team’s projects align with the company’s long-term vision. This leaves specific tasks like design and deadlines to the respective teams.
Show your people, in a positive way, why your vision and direction will ultimately benefit them and your organization. If you can create a clear picture for them, they will come over to your side.
Example: A marketing manager could use the influential approach by presenting the benefits of a new product campaign to the team. By showing how it aligns with both company goals and their professional growth, it may motivate them to work toward a shared vision.
Motivate your team through the judicious use of rewards such as bonuses and other incentives. This shows them in very tangible ways that you value their efforts and find them worthy of acknowledgement.
Example: A retail manager might offer performance bonuses and incentives to sales staff, rewarding them for meeting targets, and thereby boosting morale and encouraging continued high performance across the team.
Be a member of your team as much as its leader. Work together to find solutions to problems and develop effective strategies for success.
Example: A project manager leading a cross-functional team may collaborate closely with all members to devise strategies for overcoming challenges. This ensures that everyone’s input is valued and contributing to the overall success of the project.
Envision your staff as a team with you as its coach. Guide and mentor them, helping them improve their “game” and working as a cohesive unit driving toward the same goal.
Example: A sales leader mentors their team, offering regular feedback and guidance to help them improve their performance. They work alongside them to refine techniques and celebrate wins, creating a supportive learning environment.
For a snapshot of how each management style works, refer to the infographic below for brief descriptions that highlight their unique characteristics.
There’s no such thing as the “best” or “perfect” management style. What works for your team might not work for another. The management style that aligns with you and your team depends on both your personal preferences and the unique makeup of your team.
Every team has its own dynamic, shaped by the specific individuals who are part of it. Change one person, and you can completely alter the team dynamic. An effective leader “takes the temperature” of the team and adapts their approach to fit the situation, recognizing that no single management style is a one-size-fits-all solution.
Ready to sharpen your leadership skills and find your management style? The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. Our business program is one of a select few in the nation to be accredited by the respected Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Only 5% of the world’s business programs can claim this distinction.
We designed our program to build an in-depth theoretical understanding and practical, working knowledge of business and leadership fundamentals. It will help you strengthen your ability to think strategically and execute functional components of corporate operations, as well as improve your decision-making skills and your ability to apply business concepts in real-world scenarios.
Our Bachelor of Business Administration in Management is presented 100% online through asynchronous courses. This enables you to complete your coursework anywhere, 24/7, on your own schedule. If you’re currently working, have ongoing family responsibilities, or both, you’ll find this flexibility to be a tremendous advantage. Most of our program courses last just eight weeks. When you’re finished, your BBA provides a respected educational credential that can help you in your current and future professional endeavors in practically any business sector.
Develop leadership qualities that can help you gear your management style to today’s workforce with an online Bachelor of Business Administration in Management!
Sources:
https://www.workzone.com/blog/management-styles/
https://www.valamis.com/hub/management-styles
https://www.hatchbuck.com/blog/top-5-things-millennials-want-workplace
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/what-do-millennials-want-and-expect-to-get-from-work
Video calls. Robot vacuums. Voice assistants. Thirty years ago, we only saw this technology in cinema or on TV. Today, they’re billion-dollar industries. Many of the technologies now reshaping how we live and work first appeared in movies or on TV. While most viewers were happy to lose themselves in the narrative, an enterprising few…
Forget everything you think you know about management roles, like the idea that for the rest of your life, you’ll be chained to a desk under a ceiling of fluorescent lights. That’s not what management looks like—or at least, it doesn’t have to be. A business management degree doesn’t condemn you to a cubicle; it…
“It’s a beautiful summer day …” your star employee says as they stare longingly out the window. And chances are, they’re not the only one. Summer tests even the strongest teams. As the dog days hit, bloggers and journalists love citing a 2012 survey claiming that productivity drops a massive 20% during the summer. But…
From groceries to furniture to Friday night entertainment, more and more of our purchases happen with a tap or a click. Digital commerce—once a novelty—is quickly becoming the default way people buy and sell products and services.
But what is digital commerce exactly, and why does it matter so much today?
Simply put, digital commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services through digital channels, like websites, apps, and social media platforms. But it’s more than just online shopping. Digital tools create seamless, personalized, and accessible buying experiences from the moment a customer finds your product until the moment it’s in their hands (or downloaded to their device).
In this article, we’ll explore why digital commerce is essential for today’s businesses, how consumer habits are shifting, and how you can prepare for a future that’s increasingly digital.
While the COVID-19 pandemic gave online shopping an extra push, the shift began long before and shows no signs of slowing down.
So, why does digital commerce matter so much? Several factors contribute to its growing importance:
Even traditional retailers have adapted. Many brick-and-mortar retail chains are closing multiple locations, while others are completely closing up shop while keeping their virtual doors open through online channels.
You may still open a brick-and-mortar shop today, but a digital commerce component is essential to every business. Many people browse in physical stores to get to know a product, especially if it’s an expensive item, but ultimately purchase it online.
So, what makes digital commerce so appealing? There are several reasons why customers prefer online shopping over in-store experiences:
Black Friday, traditionally a bustling day for retail shopping and special deals after Thanksgiving, has been declining in popularity. It seems people are becoming less willing to wait outdoors for days to score a 50-inch OLED display TV for $50 than they once were.
Starting in 2005, Cyber Monday—the Monday following Thanksgiving—has grown in popularity and become a boon for digital commerce. The deals are equally as appealing as any offered on Black Friday, but there’s zero chance of getting trampled by overzealous bargain hunters, and there’s no need to camp out on cement sidewalks in inclement fall weather. Cyber Monday takes place entirely through retailers’ e-commerce sites.
The intangible nature of the internet has made possible the sale of intangible products. Of course, you can still order and pay for a couch, a fishing pole, or a pizza on the internet and have it delivered to your home. That’s not likely to change. But the internet itself has become the actual means of delivery for many purchases, some of which we discuss below.
Music and movie purchases today are often in the form of downloads rather than physical media. (An exception, the vinyl LP has reemerged in retail stores after largely disappearing in the ‘90s.) Many people also have subscription services (Netflix, Prime, Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) for these types of entertainment that enable them to watch or listen to whatever they want anytime, but they don’t actually own physical copies of the movies or music.
Paper gift certificates have been sold since at least the 1930s. In the 1990s, paper certificates gave way to gift cards, which were harder to copy, more durable in the wallet, and easier for a store clerk to use. If a paper gift certificate had a remaining balance, the clerk often had to create a new certificate reflecting the new balance, whereas modern clerks can simply swipe a gift card like a credit card and leave the remaining balance on the card.
While tangible gift cards remain popular, the electronic version allows recipients to shop online using a code they receive through their email. An individual can receive a gift card from another individual who lives far away and use it—all within moments—through an online retailer equipped for digital commerce.
The growing popularity of digital commerce appears to be a generational phenomenon. Research has shown that 80% of Gen Z and 75% of millennial buyers prefer to shop online compared to 65% of Gen Xers and 55% of baby boomers.
As the older population moves on, younger shoppers—largely millennials, for whom digital commerce has been a near-constant—will become the driving retail force, and their preference for online shopping isn’t likely to change. Shrewd businesses have prepared for this by expanding their digital commerce capabilities.
If you want to build a career in digital commerce, whether that means starting a career or furthering your existing career, education is a must. The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online undergraduate certificate in digital marketing —naturally—through our AACSB-accredited College of Business. Our digital marketing certificate complements your business degree with specialized knowledge that will equip you to thrive in a career within the rapidly evolving digital landscape. You’ll learn:
You can complete our 12-credit certificate program in tandem with any of our undergraduate bachelor’s degree programs. Each program course is dedicated to key aspects of digital marketing. Choose any four courses from the following:
Our flexible, 100% online digital commerce program features eight-week courses delivered in an asynchronous format. That means coursework is accessible anywhere, 24 hours per day. Complete your studies around any professional and personal responsibilities you may have—an advantage campus-based programs don’t offer. The future of your education, as with commerce, may be online.
Sources:
https://www.vendhq.com/blog/brick-and-mortar-vs-ecommerce
https://www.ibeta.com/e-commerce-versus-brick-and-mortar/
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/26/black-friday-is-losing-its-clout-more-bad-news-for-department-stores.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/02/black-friday-is-over-heres-why-retailers-are-touting-weeks-of-deals.html
Gen Z and younger millennials haven’t just entered the consumer marketplace. They’re reshaping it. According to a 2024 survey, 20% of U.S. consumers made purchases on a social media platform at least weekly. This means Gen Z and millennials are setting the tone for how future generations will discover and buy from brands. These digital…
Honoring and celebrating our mothers has been a global tradition throughout history. Although Mother’s Day was officially declared a U.S. holiday in 1914, its origins date back centuries. People have honored their mothers across cultures and time periods through festivals, religious observances, and communal gatherings. Understanding the historical significance of holidays like Mother’s Day provides…
Many of us feel the invigorating sense of fresh starts and second chances that New Year’s brings. On January 1st, we’re often eager to embrace a healthier, polished version of ourselves—and we’re not alone. According to a 2024 Forbes Health poll, 48% of participants said improving their fitness was their top priority, 36% cited improving…
In recent decades, accounting has unfortunately become synonymous with scandal in the world of big business. While the vast majority of companies use legal and ethical accounting practices, many of those involved in scandals are or were major players with household names. This cast an unfortunate shadow over a very important and legitimate profession.
What causes accounting scandals? Greed is a factor, though some types of accounting frauds are carried out to protect the solvency of a company. Let’s look at five of the biggest headline-generating accounting scandals in recent memory and see what steps have been taken to prevent future occurrences.
General Electric (2019)
In early 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it was investigating General Electric (GE) for what it called “aggressive accounting” practices. Later the same year, the Department of Justice also began an investigation of GE. The following summer, a whistleblower accused the corporation of fraud to the tune of $38 billion. The company had financial woes due, in part, to losses in its long-term care insurance division. Put simply, policyholders were living longer than expected, forcing the company to pay out more claims year after year. The company was accused of hiding massive losses to disguise its true value. Its stock took a large hit, CEO John Flannery stepped down, and the company was removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average after more than 120 years.
Bernie Madoff (2008)
One of the most highly publicized financial scandals was stockbroker Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Named after Charles Ponzi, who conned investors in the 1920s, this type of scheme involves paying current investors with funds solicited, under the guise of an investment, from new investors rather than through an actual investment. The fraudsters typically skim some money for themselves from every transaction. Madoff was ultimately sentenced to 150 years in prison and had his $170 billion fortune and property seized. Several others who were involved in Madoff’s scheme, including one of his sons and a number of investors, committed suicide. His scheme wiped out the life savings—estimated in the billions—of investors worldwide.
Lehman Brothers (2008)
This renowned global financial services firm went bankrupt after misrepresenting its financial assets, constituting the largest bankruptcy case in U.S. history at the time. Executives at the company and Ernst & Young, the company’s auditor, collaborated to hide $50 billion in loans by listing them as sales. Lehman Brothers had been an aggressive lender during the housing bubble of the early 2000s. When the subprime mortgage market collapsed (starting around 2007), the firm was dealt a financial blow that eventually proved fatal. Ironically, Lehman Brothers had been named the #1 “Most Admired Securities Firm” by Fortune Magazine just one year before its collapse.
AIG (2005)
Multinational insurance company American International Group (AIG) acknowledged securities fraud to the SEC. In a press release, the commission declared that AIG “materially misstated its financial results through sham transactions and entities created for the purpose of misleading the investing public.” The press release details various irregularities connected with the corporation’s financial misstatements, concluding that “as a result of these actions and other accounting improprieties, AIG fraudulently improved its financial results.” The bailout of AIG, considered “too big to fail” since its assets were intertwined with so many other financial institutions worldwide, created its own scandal, as American taxpayers bankrolled the rescue with funds that AIG executives accepted as bonuses. AIG is still in operation to this day.
As a response to unchecked use of taxpayer funds that occurred after financial scandals such as AIG, efforts have been made to prohibit companies that receive coronavirus-related bailouts from enacting mass layoffs or compensating executives. So far, these efforts have been unsuccessful.
Enron (2001)
Enron Corporation was an energy, commodities, and services company that collapsed due to multiple financial offenses, taking with it the massive accounting firm Arthur Andersen. Enron had misled regulators with fake holdings and off-the-books accounting practices. The company, which had losses of $591 million and was $690 million in debt by late 2000, had managed to hide its debt and toxic assets from investors and creditors. Enron’s stock tumbled, the company declared bankruptcy, and thousands of employees lost their jobs and pension benefits. Some of Enron’s executives were eventually charged with conspiracy, insider trading, and securities fraud. Company founder and former CEO Kenneth Lay was convicted but died before sentencing. Lay’s replacement as CEO, Jeffrey Skilling, was convicted in 2006 and received a 17.5-year prison sentence; he was released in 2019.
As a result of the accounting scandals of the early 2000s, Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to shield investors from fraudulent financial reporting by corporations. This law strengthened existing securities regulations and levied stricter penalties on lawbreakers. Later, in response to the financial recession that started in the U.S. in 2007, the Obama administration helped enact the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which created a dedicated consumer financial protection watchdog, made financial markets more transparent, and gave the government more tools to monitor risk and rein in firms whose failure might jeopardize the country’s financial system.
Learn modern accounting practices as you prepare for a career in accounting or position yourself to advance within the field in an online degree program from The University of Texas Permian Basin. Gain the skills that can help you thrive as a knowledgeable, ethical CPA or in other related professions. We offer multiple programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, including:
All of these programs are available 100% online through our AACSB-accredited College of Business, the gold standard for business schools. Classes are delivered asynchronously, which means you can complete coursework on your own schedule. This is a tremendous advantage when you have professional and family responsibilities to meet while you’re earning your degree.
See how you can become an ethical and successful financial professional with help from an online UT Permian Basin accounting program.
Sources:
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/top-accounting-scandals/
https://www.accountancyage.com/2019/03/20/a-summary-of-the-cases-of-financial-scandals-of-2018/
https://www.accounting-degree.org/scandals/
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/30/ge-says-sec-expanding-scope-of-ongoing-accounting-investigation-shares-fall.html
What are ethics? Merriam-Webster offers these definitions: “the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation” and “a set of moral principles.” In the world of high finance, ethics has its own distinct definition that’s connected with the appropriate use of money, whether it’s one’s own money or someone else’s.
Corporate finance, according to Investopedia.com, refers to “how corporations deal with funding sources, capital structuring, and investment decisions.” Corporate finance focuses on “maximizing shareholder value through long and short-term financial planning and the implementation of various strategies. Corporate finance activities range from capital investment decisions to investment banking.” In short, corporate finance is about where an organization gets its money from and how it decides to use that money.
Public Demand for Ethical Investment Choices
One prominent example of how ethics ties in with corporate finance is the South Africa divestment movement. In the mid-1980s, when South Africa was still under the segregationist apartheid system, American university students targeted U.S. companies that did business in South Africa in an effort to bring the apartheid system down. Participants in this divestment campaign pressured their own universities to divest from those companies. The idea was to compromise the finances of South Africa enough so that it had no choice but to change. The effort worked.
By 1990, more than 200 U.S. companies had divested from South Africa, taking with them $1 billion worth of investment from that country’s economy. Clearly, those businesses had gotten the message from the student-led university divestment and chose to do business elsewhere. Even if their motive for doing so was financial, the companies’ actions constituted an ethical use of financial capital.
Today, there are published lists of companies that embody socially responsible investing, or SRI. These lists tend to automatically eliminate any businesses connected with weapons, tobacco, alcohol, adult businesses, nuclear power, and coal, to name a few. Companies that focus on sound environmental policies, social responsibility, and strong governance are more likely to make the list.
It’s not unusual for customers, investors, and even the general public to renounce and boycott companies that run afoul of these principles. Conversely, those that adhere to them can reap significant financial rewards. For this reason, anyone involved in corporate finance today must have a firm foundation in ethics.
Insider Trading
Insider trading is one of the most common ethical issues in finance. Insider trades involve the buying or selling of stocks and securities using information that has been shared but is not publicly known. An insider is often someone in a management function of a corporate entity or an individual with whom they share information for their own benefit.
Many laws against insider trading in the United States came about following the stock market crash of 1929, which marked the beginning of the Great Depression. A spate of business mergers in the 1980s sent a lot of money flowing through the stock market. This is when selling (versus sharing) insider information was outlawed.
Former investment banker Ivan Boesky was involved in one of the most notorious insider trading cases in U.S. history. During the 1980s, Boesky accumulated an estimated $200 million by trading on corporate takeovers and mergers using information that was not publicly known. In exchange for helping the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (see more below) incriminate other corporate insiders who were under investigation, Boesky received a short prison sentence, a fine of $100 million, and a lifetime ban from working in securities. His name became synonymous with corporate greed.
Many financial scandals with big names attached to them would follow, including Enron, Worldcom, Bernie Madoff, and Jordan Belfort, who wrote the best-selling memoir The Wolf of Wall Street. Ethics may always be an issue in the world of high finance, but efforts are being made to stem the flow of money under illegal or immoral circumstances by outwardly legitimate parties.
Ethics Codified in Corporate Finance
Today, many American corporations and financial markets have adopted ethical codes, typically established by agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), one of the top regulatory agencies for the securities industry. This agency implements federal laws and regulations that deal with the ethical conduct of businesses and individuals operating within the securities field. In addition, many companies have set up their own ethics offices to self-govern their financial conduct.
Online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance Degree
Our online Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance program helps you develop the marketable operational knowledge and leadership skills you need to advance in many rewarding corporate careers, including:
Under the guidance of the same distinguished faculty members who teach the program on The University of Texas Permian Basin’s campus—including successful business professionals—you’ll discover how to:
We offer our MBA Finance program through our College of Business, one of the select business schools in the nation (and the only one in the Permian Basin) to be accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). This is a distinction that only 5% of schools granting business degrees worldwide have received.
Advantages of Our Online Programs
Our Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance degree, and many other programs that UT Permian Basin offers, is presented 100% online through asynchronous courses. This format enables you to complete your coursework anywhere, 24/7, on your own schedule. If you’re already working and/or have ongoing family responsibilities, you’ll find this flexibility to be a tremendous advantage. Our program also features accelerated time to completion (as little as 15 months), eight-week courses, and six start dates per year. When you’re finished, it provides a respected educational credential that can help you in your present and future professional endeavors.
Prepare for the world of finance with a strong foundation. An MBA with a concentration in Finance from UT Permian Basin is the place to start.
Sources:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/finance/finance-and-accounting-magazines/ethics-finance
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ivan-Boesky
Businesses concerned only with short-term goals overcome immediate challenges but fail to prevent their recurrence. Alternatively, businesses with only long-term goals may not last long enough to see them reached. Finding an adaptable middle ground between these two attitudes is a balancing act that senior financial analysts, finance managers, investment bankers, and other professionals must perform when making a financial plan.
Professionals capable of finding the balance between optimism and realism are compensated handsomely for their expertise and efforts: financial managers make a median yearly salary of $161,700. As we discuss how to balance long-term and short-term financial planning, a valuable skill in virtually any field, consider where a career in finance could take you. Earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in finance could lead to your next big career move.
Short-term financial planning is about solving immediate problems and developing strategies that will lead to results, usually within one year. Short-term goals should be achievable and adaptable to emerging circumstances. Let’s take a look at several common short-term goals and see how they translate into long-term success.
Increasing revenue by the end of the fiscal year is a common goal for financial professionals, but accomplishing this task is not as simple as charging more for products or services, having employees work longer hours, or taking unnecessary risks—especially if you hope to establish sustainable business practices. Incorporating more forward-thinking strategies, such as broadening your audience or recruiting a loyal workforce, can ensure that your immediate fiscal growth continues into the future.
Cash flow issues are not automatically resolved when a company turns a profit. Business leaders who fail to account for how cash flows in and out of their company could experience record profits one month and payroll issues the next.
Balancing long-term and short-term financial planning means more than just surviving from month to month. A strong financial plan will ensure that there are always enough cash reserves, especially during times of economic uncertainty, by budgeting for expenses accordingly.
From mom-and-pop stores to large corporations, every business needs to be properly structured. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, “[t]he business structure you choose influences everything from day-to-day operations, to taxes, to how much of your personal assets are at risk.”
Choosing the ideal structure for a business means saving money in the present and setting a company up for success in the future.
The axiom “it takes money to make money” will stay with you throughout your career in finance. Whether it’s a loan or investment, finding a reliable source of funding is often necessary to get a venture off the ground.
Still, there’s no need to think of this as a necessary evil. Countless business partnerships have been born from these arrangements and are often instrumental in ensuring a company’s long-term success.
Once short-term goals have been established, it’s time to create a five- or ten-year plan that will see your company’s mission realized. Where will your company be in a decade? It’s okay if you don’t have the answer to that question just yet. That’s what long-term financial planning is for.
According to the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), long-term financial planning is “the process of projecting revenues and expenditures over a long-term period, using assumptions about economic conditions, future spending scenarios, and other salient variables.” Although the GFOA deals with government agencies, the principles of their long-term financial planning definition apply to businesses as well. Essentially, financial professionals are meteorologists who forecast budgetary needs instead of the weather.
To plan for these needs effectively, businesses should have SMART long-term financial goals. As outlined in Forbes, SMART stands for: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. It may be tempting to keep a long-term financial goal broad—remain profitable, for example—but your long-term goals should be as well defined as your short-term goals.
For instance, if your company has a short-term goal to generate $1,000,000 in net income in one year, you may also want to consider a long-term five-year goal of generating $5,000,000 in net income annually.
To achieve these long-term goals, you’ll need a financial plan that includes the following elements:
You can gather the data and insights needed for a long-term financial plan by building on the processes established through your short-term goals. The lessons learned in a single fiscal year help shape projections, inform strategic decisions, and strengthen your path toward long-term success. While balancing optimism and realism is still key, integrating both short- and long-term goals into your overall financial plan ensures your business is positioned for sustainable growth.
Long-term and short-term financial planning are two sides of the same coin. You can’t plan for the future without considering current needs. Similarly, you can’t plan for a lifelong career in finance without first considering your immediate next steps. Before enrolling at UT Permian Basin, all of the students in our online MBA program with a concentration in finance had to consider this very dilemma, and they all arrived at the same conclusion.
An MBA is a versatile degree with almost limitless potential, and an MBA with a concentration in finance will only make you a more viable candidate for lucrative positions. If you’re looking to establish a career in finance or advance at your current company, our program can help you get there. At The University of Texas Permian Basin, you will:
Many of our students already have established careers and demanding schedules. Fortunately, our MBA in finance program is 100% online and can be completed in as little as 15 months, which means you can continue working while pursuing your education. If your personal long-term goal is to rise through the ranks and obtain a high-paying paying position in the field of your choice, an MBA with a concentration in finance can help you achieve it.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program with a concentration in finance.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbessanfranciscocouncil/2019/04/03/how-to-create-a-long-term-plan-for-your-small-business/#20fd1dde5b1b
https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/choose-business-structure
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If you’re considering a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), you’re likely aiming for a leadership role in the world of business. But with so many directions to choose from, picking the right focus can feel overwhelming. That’s where a BBA in management comes in. This versatile degree is designed to equip you with the communication, strategy, and leadership skills that today’s employers value most.
At The University of Texas Permian Basin, our online BBA in management program is built to prepare you for a wide range of career opportunities, from managing people and projects to launching your own business. Whether you’re drawn to HR, marketing, or entrepreneurship, your journey starts here.
Let’s explore seven rewarding—and often well-paid—careers you can pursue with a BBA in management.
The duties of a human resource (HR) manager extend far beyond administrative tasks. HR managers, along with the HR department they oversee, help shape the culture, practices, and policies at their companies.As an HR manager, you’ll wear a number of hats, but your main duty will be to foster communication between a company and its employees.
Our online BBA in management program can prepare you for this role through classes like Business and the Law and Human Resource Management, which covers such topics such as:
Human resources managers made a median annual salary of $140,030 in 2024 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). If empathy and communication are among your professional strong suits, this is the role for you.
A career as a marketing manager is perfect for graduates who would like to continue to express their creativity in BBA management jobs. Marketing managers work with internal teams to implement marketing initiatives, whether that means kicking off a new advertising campaign or crafting click-worthy emails.They may switch between multiple platforms, or they may specialize in one area of marketing, such as social media marketing.
At UT Permian Basin, classes like Principles of Marketing teach students the fundamentals they need to excel in this role. Marketing managers made a median annual salary of $159,660 in 2024, proving that satisfying and high-paying roles are not mutually exclusive.
This career is for the closers. Sales managers promote products and services while engaging in a more direct relationship with customers than marketing managers. They work to understand customer preferences, attract new customers, and resolve customer concerns. Sales managers must also possess hard skills, like:
Depending on the size of the organization, sales managers may oversee a single team or a network of sales managers with teams of their own. Whether sales managers specialize in business to business (B2B) or business to consumer (B2C), their skills are highly valued in BBA jobs. According to the BLS, sales managers made a median salary of $138,060 in 2024.
Once a sale is made, an account manager is often there to take up the baton. Account managers are the point of contact for a client, passing along goals, rules, and expectations to the rest of their team and ensuring that they are met.
Communication is essential for this position, which is why we make it a priority in our program. Business Communications is an upper-level course covering basic interpersonal communication, including composing, editing, and revising business-related communications. Entry-level salaries for this position are about $71,000 a year; however, account managers can go on to make well over $100,000 a year
Business analyst, data analyst, market research analyst, financial analyst—take your pick. Thanks to classes like Computers and Problem Solving, graduates of our program possess the problem-solving skills needed to succeed in any of these BBA jobs.
Analysts look at data to devise ways to improve businesses’ processes and systems. They are often called upon to initiate change without losing sight of a business’s overall goals. For example, financial analysts might assist companies with investments while being mindful of risk and potential losses—a valued skill that nets financial analysts an average annual salary of $101,910.
Individuals wishing to continue their education in finance can earn a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance. Like our BBA in management program, this program is flexible, 100% online, and accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Although their job duties will depend on their chosen industry—law, healthcare, construction and engineering, information technology—project managers are responsible for planning, initiating, and overseeing specific projects. This means considering a number of resources, including time and money.
Production Operations Management is an upper-level core course in our online program that can prepare students for this exciting position by teaching them fundamental concepts of management, including:
According to the Project Management Institute, there will be an average of 213,974 newly created positions each year through 2027 in project-management-oriented industries in the U.S. In addition to being in demand, project managers are well compensated, making just over $90,000 a year. Project managers can go on to earn even higher salaries as program managers and portfolio managers.
One of the major appeals of our online BBA in management program is the access it provides to flexible career paths. Many graduates of our program decide to forge their own career paths by starting small businesses.
UT Permian Basin’s online BBA in management program can prepare you to step into a leadership role by teaching you how to:
U.S. small business owners make about $70,000 a year, but how much you pay yourself is entirely up to you. This is one of the most important decisions you will face as a business owner. What’s right for you, and what’s right for your business? This is just one of the many questions you’ll be prepared to address as a graduate of our program.
If you’re interested in developing the leadership, communication, and management skills needed to succeed in BBA management jobs, our online BBA in management program is for you. Our program is AACSB accredited and 100% online. Earn your degree while prioritizing your personal and professional life. Apply now for an online program as flexible as your future career path.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online BBA in management program.
Sources:
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm#tab-1
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm#tab-4
https://www.linkedin.com/salary/account-manager-salaries-in-united-states
https://www.indeed.com/career/project-manager/salaries
If you’re considering a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), you’re likely aiming for a leadership role in the world of business. But with so many directions to choose from, picking the right focus can feel overwhelming. That’s where a BBA in management comes in. This versatile degree is designed to equip you with the communication,…
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Forget everything you think you know about management roles, like the idea that for the rest of your life, you’ll be chained to a desk under a ceiling of fluorescent lights. That’s not what management looks like—or at least, it doesn’t have to be. A business management degree doesn’t condemn you to a cubicle; it…
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) can provide you with the education and skills needed to obtain a C-suite job or strike out on your own as an entrepreneur. Despite these benefits, many individuals—especially those with a mind for business—may have concerns about whether the time and cost required to earn a degree is an investment worth making. Is an MBA really worth it?
Absolutely! The University of Texas Permian Basin’s MBA program is 100% online, costs less than $15,000 to complete, and can be completed in as little as 12 months. Although we can’t decide for you, this article will provide some helpful information regarding tuition, financial aid, accreditation, and the coursework you can expect in our convenient online program.
If you’re interested in earning an online MBA, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more affordable, rewarding learning experience in West Texas than the one offered by UT Permian Basin.
Earning your MBA is a big investment, but it doesn’t have to break the bank or take years to complete. UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program is designed to be both affordable and accelerated, helping you take your career to the next level on a timeline and budget that works for you. Whether you’re aiming for a leadership role or looking to launch your own business, our flexible, 100% online MBA program provides the skills and knowledge to make it happen.
If you’ve already earned an undergraduate business degree, you can complete UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program with just 30 credit hours, or 27 credit hours of required courses and 3 credit hours of electives. The total tuition for students with an undergraduate business degree is $10,080 ($336 per credit hour). If you have an undergraduate degree in a non-business discipline, you can complete the program in 36 credit hours. Your total tuition will still only be $12,096: a fraction of what you would pay in other MBA programs.
As reported by Forbes, some MBA programs now cost more than $200,000. Although a majority of graduates surveyed in the Forbes article found their programs personally and professionally rewarding, it’s no surprise that only 68% found their programs to be financially rewarding. A $200,000 degree alone does not guarantee success, nor does it help counter the lost wages and personal sacrifices that students in less flexible MBA programs must sometimes make to continue their education.
Instead of putting yourself in tens of thousands of dollars in debt, why not apply for our online MBA program and receive an education unparalleled in West Texas? UT Permian Basin’s College of Business is one of a select few business programs in the nation to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Only 5% of business programs in the world can make that claim. At UT Permian Basin, not only will you have the opportunity to continue your education at an affordable price, but you’ll also be given a caliber of instruction that few other institutions can provide.
We understand that any tuition amount, no matter how affordable, can be a burden on students. Many of our students are working professionals with responsibilities they must attend to while continuing their education, and others are recent undergraduates hesitant to commit to a graduate program. If you’re concerned with the cost of earning your degree from UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program, we encourage you to contact our financial aid counselor at finaid@utpb.edu to discuss your options. Financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans, can help cover tuition costs and ease your transition into a rewarding career as a marketing manager, financial manager, business operations manager, or owner of your own company.
It takes 30-36 credit hours to complete our online MBA program, but how much time will you need to actually invest? Our online MBA program can be completed in as little as one year.
Our flexible 8-week courses offer six start dates a year, which means that by next year, you could be graduating with a master’s degree, having only minimally impacted your professional and personal life. Our program is so fast, in fact, that it is ranked among “The 50 Fastest Accelerated MBA Degree Programs” by MBA Central.
Our online MBA program provides students with the performance-based knowledge and critical-thinking skills needed to excel as a business executive. Whether you’re looking to advance at your current company, venture into a new field, or start a business of your own, you will be prepared to step into a leadership role. Through our online MBA program, you will be able to:
You’ll be receiving an education of the highest caliber in our affordable online program. Core courses are taught by the very same on-campus faculty who provide students with a solid foundation on which to build their careers. In these core classes, you’ll learn alongside other emerging professionals who could one day be invaluable contacts. Core courses include:
UT Permian Basin also offers an MBA with an Accounting Emphasis program and an online MBA with a Concentration in Finance program for anyone looking to expand their competencies in financial management. Like the UT Permian Basin MBA program, the MBA finance program is affordable, AACSB-accredited, and 100% online. No matter what program you choose, you’ll be earning one of the most prestigious degrees in West Texas.
At UT Permian Basin, we believe that financial concerns should not bar students, especially working professionals, from earning a degree that can open doors to a number of exciting careers. That’s why we’ve made it possible for you to earn an affordable, accelerated, AACSB-accredited MBA program online and receive an education that meets, if not surpasses, the quality of education found elsewhere in West Texas.
You can request more information if you’d like to learn more about our online MBA program, or apply now if you’re ready to take the next step in your education and, ultimately, your career. By next year, you could be a graduate of UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program, equipped with a new set of tools and talents to turn heads in your chosen career field.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program.
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Many students pursue an MBA to gain a strong foundation in business fundamentals and to open up career opportunities. In 2025, MBA graduates are predicted to earn an average starting salary that’s $30,000 higher than projections for experienced, direct-from-industry hires.
An MBA with a concentration in finance offers the best of both worlds: a solid grounding in business and a specialized focus on financial management. With an education that spans investment, economics, and accounting, graduates with a finance concentration are highly employable, often securing jobs within three months of graduation.
If you’re passionate about finance, The University of Texas Permian Basin can help you on the path to a rewarding career. Not convinced? Below, we break down four reasons why you should consider pursuing an MBA with a concentration in finance with us.
Why choose a finance specialization when an MBA alone can already lead to a rewarding career? It’s true that UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program prepares students for leadership roles in several fields, including:
In addition to being affordable, 100% online, and AACSB-accredited, an MBA with a finance focus can help ease—and often accelerate—your transition into a career in finance. Whether you’re aiming to become a financial manager, chief financial officer, or analyst, this specialization opens the door to numerous opportunities.
Think of it as the difference between a general practitioner and a surgeon. A general practitioner can help in a wide variety of medical areas, but only a surgeon can wield a scalpel with expert precision. Both enjoy rewarding careers, but surgeons will ultimately earn a higher salary.
So, how do you become a surgeon of finance?
UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program with a concentration in finance empowers students with the skill set needed for a career in the world of budgeting, investments, and financial systems. Core courses are paired with concentration courses—e.g., Management of Financial Institutions, Options & Futures, International Finance—to teach the financial skills needed to thrive in virtually any industry. It’s no wonder that graduates of our online MBA program with a concentration in finance are so employable.
Students enrolled in our program are often already gainfully employed and are looking to advance their careers. However, students looking for a career change may join our program to make themselves more employable. Either way, graduates who have earned an MBA with an emphasis in finance will be in demand regardless of where they end up.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the average employment rate for 2023 graduates three months after graduating from full-time MBA programs was over 86%. The demand for MBA graduates is further exemplified by findings from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which showed that 78% of employers planned to hire recent MBA graduates in 2019.
Employers are looking for MBA graduates, but that won’t make your career search any less competitive. Professionals stand out from the crowd when their resume mentions a specialty, especially an MBA with an emphasis in finance.
U.S. News also reports that the average salary for 2019 graduates of full-time MBA programs in the financial services industry was an impressive $128,997. Monster similarly reports that finance is among the best-paying MBA majors. Graduates of MBA programs with a finance focus often earn six-figure salaries because of the in-demand knowledge and skills that only they possess.
Let’s take a look at the median annual salaries for several finance careers as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
Financial managers are responsible for an organization’s finances, including development and strategies for achieving long-term financial goals. On average, financial managers made $156,100 a year in 2023. In addition, the projected job outlook is 17% through 2033, much higher than the national average.
Financial analysts look at financial data to guide organizations in their investment decisions. Financial analysts earned an average annual salary of $99,890 in 2023, but the highest 10% earned over $175,840.
Similar to financial analysts, budget analysts look at financial data to make recommendations, but their focus is on helping organizations budget and track spending. Budget analysts made an average annual salary of $84,940 in 2023, but the highest 10% earned over $131,630.
Networking is essential in a financial career, and it begins long before applying for a new position. As a student of our online MBA program with a concentration in finance, you’ll (virtually) learn and engage with other aspiring professionals who have made it their priority to succeed in the world of finance.
Long-lasting relationships born of this program will serve you well in the years to come, as your colleagues inform you of new opportunities, industry trends, and career advice. At UT Permian Basin, ensuring your future success begins the moment classes start.
1. What can I do with an MBA with a concentration in finance?
Graduates can pursue roles such as financial manager, chief financial officer (CFO), financial analyst, or investment banker. The degree also opens doors to consulting and leadership positions in a variety of industries.
2. Is an MBA with a concentration in finance worth it?
Yes! Specializing in finance can lead to higher salaries and stronger job prospects. Finance-related roles consistently rank among the top-paying MBA careers.
3. How long does it take to earn an MBA with a finance concentration?
At UT Permian Basin, students can complete their degree in as few as 15 months, depending on their course load and prior business education.
4. Is an online MBA with a finance concentration as valuable as an in-person degree?
Yes. Accredited online MBA programs, like the one at UT Permian Basin, provide the same rigorous curriculum as in-person programs while offering greater flexibility for working professionals.
Students with a mind for finance are often interested in pursuing degrees with the highest return on investment (ROI). At UT Permian Basin, our AACSB-accredited online MBA program with a concentration in finance costs less than $15,000 to complete (about $11,000 for students who already have undergraduate business degrees). For less than $15,000, students gain access to a first-rate education and one of the most financially rewarding career fields for MBA graduates.
Although an MBA with a finance focus can be earned in as few as 15 months, our program is also entirely online and can be completed at your own pace, meaning there’s no need to forgo personal or professional responsibilities. Continue your education and your current career without needing to prioritize one over the other.
UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program with a concentration in finance will expand your competencies in financial management, empower you with an in-demand skillset, and connect you with a network of like-minded students. If you have a clear career goal in mind, invest in a degree with a concentration that aligns with that goal. For an affordable, flexible, and first-rate financial education, apply to UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program with a concentration in finance.
Learn more about UT Permian Basin’s online MBA program with a concentration in finance.
Sources:
https://www.coursera.org/articles/mba-degree-salary
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/articles/mba-salary-jobs
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm#tab-4
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/financial-analysts.htm#tab-5
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/budget-analysts.htm#tab-5
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Marketing is often seen as a fast-paced, exciting world that requires a highly competitive—or even cutthroat—sensibility. In reality, those who enter the marketing industry find a welcoming field that rewards individuals willing to learn and grow as leaders and communicators. At The University of Texas Permian Basin, students who earn an online Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing go on to enjoy long-term careers in a rapidly growing field.
Thinking about a career after a BBA in marketing? Let’s take a look at some of the most in-demand marketing jobs.
We’ll start with one of the roles that most frequently comes to mind when picturing a typical marketing career. As a marketing manager, you’ll develop and execute marketing campaigns for a wide range of mediums, including digital media and print media—or alternatively, you could specialize in just one marketing medium within your company. You might be evaluating campaign performance one day while brainstorming new marketing strategies with your team the next.
Through upper-level courses, such as Principles of Marketing and Marketing Management, students in our online BBA in marketing program are taught how to anticipate and thrive within tomorrow’s marketing landscape and excel within their roles, including marketing management. Marketing managers made a median annual wage of $136,850 in 2019, and with an 8 percent projected growth rate through 2028, demand for this role doesn’t show signs of waning.
Although most, if not all, marketing jobs entail working with an internal team, there are also those that require client interaction. Account managers act as liaisons between marketing agencies and their clients—but don’t confuse this for a simple middleman role. Account managers are tasked with:
As you can see, many marketing roles will require you to wear multiple hats. This is one of the main draws of the marketing industry: you never know what tomorrow will bring. An online BBA in marketing from UT Permian Basin can help prepare you for the multifaceted field of account management by teaching you how to analyze markets, competitors, and buyer behaviors to develop and propose marketing strategies. Account managers have an average base pay of $62,263 per year.
Posting, tweeting, sharing—this is how people communicate today, and these are the same avenues social media managers use to market to them. Many students who enter UT Permian Basin’s online BBA in marketing program are already familiar with social media platforms, but there’s so much more to this role than just updating Facebook profiles. Social media managers are in charge of curating a company’s online presence by publishing eye-catching media and clear, concise, and informative content. In many ways, they are the voice of their company, as they engage directly with audiences. Like the two previous entries on this list, social media managers work with talented teams, use data to inform their decisions, and execute marketing strategies. This is the perfect job for those who want to take on a leadership role while maintaining their creativity.
The median base salary for a social media manager is $50,000 per year, but many graduates go on to find even more lucrative positions by putting their natural communication skills and creative impulses to good use. UT Permian Basin’s online BBA in marketing program can foster these natural talents while providing an essential foundation in business fundamentals and best practices.
If you live to see your hard work turn into quantifiable results, market research analyst may be the career for you. Like marketing managers, market research analysts help their companies figure out how to reach their target audience and promote their products or services. However, market research analysts take a more direct approach when making these decisions. As the job title implies, market research analysts analyze data they obtain through surveys, questionnaires, polls, and other sources to:
Although this job may seem like primarily crunching numbers, market research analysts must also possess soft skills in order to translate complicated findings into easy-to-understand summaries. Courses like Marketing Research can prepare you for the research aspect of this position, while the entire BBA in marketing program can equip you with the soft skills you’ll need to excel in this role. Market research analysts can expect to earn a median salary of $63,790 per year, or $30.67 per hour.
Much like social media managers, public relations specialists carefully craft their organization’s voice. However, public relations specialists are also in charge of curating an organization’s entire public image across any and all platforms. Public relations specialists may also communicate with multiple audiences, including consumers, news outlets, and investors. Every encounter is an opportunity to present your company in the best light. The job duties of a public relations specialist, also known as media specialist or communications specialist, may entail:
For public relations specialists considering a career in politics, a BBA in marketing can also lead to a rewarding career as a press secretary. Perhaps more than any other career on this list, this role requires professionals to have outstanding problem-solving skills. At UT Permian Basin, our online BBA in marketing program prepares students for public relations by teaching them the skills needed to overcome challenging situations with grace and poise. Public relations specialists made a median annual wage of $61,150 in 2019, and that’s just one possible career out of numerous others in the marketing field.
Learn about UT Permian Basin’s online BBA in marketing program.
Sources:
https://www.careerbuilder.com/advice/whats-it-like-being-a-marketing-manager
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/market-research-analysts.htm
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/public-relations-specialists.htm#tab-1
