Although in many cases it is acceptable to obtain a bachelor's degree, some employers prefer candidates to have a master's degree in accounting or business administration with a concentration in accounting (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015) . Some positions, such as accounting clerks and bookkeepers, may only require an associate's degree as long as the candidate has some on-the-job accounting experience to go along with the training. One way to gain experience while completing educational requirements is through an internship with an accounting firm or a company's accounting department. After earning your accounting degree, you can choose to become a certified public accountant, CPA, to improve your job prospects. If you choose to further your career by becoming a CPA, additional educational requirements are required. Nearly all states require CPA candidates to complete 150 semester hours of college coursework to earn certification. This requirement means that someone with a bachelor's degree still needs another 30 hours of college coursework to be qualified to take the CPA. Upon completion of the required 150 hours of college coursework, there is a four-part Uniform CPA exam by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). You do not need to take the four-part exam all at once, but all four parts must be completed within 18 months of successfully completing the first part