Accounting is a broad profession that is on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ list of fastest growing career fields.

Employment in accounting jobs is expected to grow at a rate of 22% in the 10-year period between 2008 and 2018.

To illustrate the possibilities of an accounting career, the experiences of a family friend come to mind.

Years ago, this friend told me that her mom encouraged her to major in accounting in college. And although accounting was not her first choice of a career, she listened to her mother.

After graduation, the friend moved from her home state of Hawaii to California, where she quickly found an accounting position working for an East Bay county. The job paid well and offered excellent benefits.

A few years later, she chose to return to Hawaii to be closer to her family. Her California supervisor offered her a management position with pay raise to entice her to stay; but she decided to proceed with her moving plans.

Yet before she left, she already had another accounting job lined up in Hawaii, with greater responsibility and higher pay. She has continued to fare well in the accounting field — even during the recession.

Her story is not unique, even taking into account that she is diligent, detail-oriented, and dependable.

But that said, her choice to earn an accounting degree has contributed greatly to her career success.

Some potential students avoid accounting, because they think it involves a lot of complicated math. They remember that they disliked math in school and assume that they would not enjoy accounting.

However, accounting falls under business schools, not math departments, and usually requires one math course — business math or its equivalent. It is essentially the same math class that other business students are required to take.

Accounting coursework covers not only the fundamentals of business, but also the specifics of how to record financial transactions, compile financial information, and generate financial documents.

And since most financial information is now stored on computers, accounting software programs handle the bulk of the compilation, calculation and generation of financial data.

Accredited online degree programs have made it easier for working adults to pursue a career in accounting. Some students enroll in online accounting classes to enhance managerial skills, while others seek a new profession that appeals to their logical and analytical minds.

Accounting continues to offer opportunity and hope to many who currently seek stable employment. Online degrees allow flexibility for the precious few hours that are available in busy schedules.

Jobs available to those with online accounting degrees and certificates include accountants, auditors, bookkeepers, accounts payable clerks, accounts receivable clerks, bank loan officers, and financial advisers.

Perhaps this is the best time to pursue a online degree in a field that outshines and outlasts most others.

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A medical physicist, who spent 25 years building an excellent reputation in the medical equipment inspection business, is in prison for fake degree fraud.

According to the New York Times, Norman Fenton’s clients included at least 24 hospitals, 51 dentists, 33 doctors and other medical facilities.

Yet he had no real credentials for his job of inspecting radiological medical equipment and training others in his career field.

Instead, he had purchased a fake college degree and never took the time to complete a legitimate one during the long span of his career.

Also, to top it all off, he aided in the prosecution of another medical physicist for a similar crime. Ironically, both received the same sentence — 4 years in prison.

In the end, it did not matter that Fenton was highly respected in his field, that his colleagues acknowledged his expertise as a medical physicist, and that he performed outstanding service to his clients. It did not matter that he was intelligent, diligent and personable.

All that ultimately mattered was that he lied about his credentials and perpetrated a fraud.

Diploma mills are a multimillion dollar business; so it is likely that thousands of people are using fake degrees to either deceive hiring personnel and employers, or to accept promotions that should go to more deserving co-workers.

It would be wise for those individuals to do damage control by enrolling in an accredited online degree program to earn a genuine college diploma.

The completion of an accredited online degree does not right all wrongs. But it may help to reduce or eliminate jail time for those whose deceptions are uncovered in U.S. states that prosecute those using fake degrees to gain employment or job promotions.

The hope is that many will learn from the missteps of Norman Fenton and others like him.

In the words of an old proverb, “a word to the wise is sufficient”.

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One Wisconsin inmate had a bright idea for making money. He decided to sell fake college degrees.

The inmate was no stranger to con games and had a long rap sheet for similar crimes. Yet this con turned out to be a surefire way to turn a profit.

So, with the help of co-conspirators outside the prison walls, Kenneth Shong ran a profitable business — a diploma mill called ‘Carlingford University’. And sure enough, Mr. Shong happily discovered that people were eager to buy college degrees they did not earn.

By the time the law caught up with him, for the umpteenth time, Mr. Shong had been in the fake degree business for 2 years. Some of his best customers were fellow inmates; but others on the outside may also have turned over hard-earned cash or checks to receive the professional-looking college diplomas.

It should have been obvious to buyers that this was not the real deal — that ‘Carlingford University’ was not a legitimate accredited online school.

After all, the usual signs were there:

• there were no classes to attend
• there were no books to buy, no assignments to complete
• there were no reputable faculty members
• the diploma arrived in the mail within a few weeks
• there was no tuition, just a fee for the diploma
• customers could choose the type of advanced degrees they would receive
• the school was not accredited by any reputable accrediting agency and was not listed among the post-secondary institutions approved by the U.S. Department of Education

Yet, surprisingly, people still bought the fake degrees.

Fortunately, the benefits of fake degrees are often short-lived. Those who use them to acquire jobs or job promotions are usually ‘outed’ by co-workers, managers or personnel representatives.

Then they lose those jobs or promotions and are labeled as liars and cheats. Ironically, by the time the deception is discovered, the holder of the fake degree could have earned an accredited online degree. But few take advantage of that option.

Kenneth Shong’s jailhouse operation demonstrates how quickly diploma mills are able to spring up and draw in customers.

So really, it is up to consumers to refuse to take part in the unethical, and often illegal, activity of diploma mills.

Thankfully, in this case, law enforcement officials swooped in and ended the activities of Kennth Shong and ‘Carlingford University’.

But what happens in the future will depend upon the public.

Maybe next time one of these places attempts to reel in customers by claiming to be a legitimate online school, individuals will refuse to bite the hook. Inmates or not, perhaps they will ignore the spam e-mails and slick diploma mill advertising.

Instead, maybe they will actually earn an accredited online degree the honorable, hard-working, long-lasting way.

Then others who come along looking for a fast buck will know that a diploma mill business is not such a bright idea after all.

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Do employers accept online degrees? Will they unequivocally hire individuals with an online bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree?

The answers to these questions heavily influence those who are considering an online degree program.

An article in The Economist today, A Triumph of Democracy: Should an MBA be open to anyone?, appears to bolster the notion that a rising number of employers favor online degrees, including online MBAs.

According to the article, the acceptance of online degrees by U.S. employers is particularly evident in India.

There, distance-learning is legislated as a valuable and acceptable means to gain additional credentials, training and higher degrees. According to Indian law, employers must accept accredited online degrees in hiring, promotions and pensions.

So what does this have to do with U.S. employers? Well, considering that U.S. companies are outsourcing jobs to India in droves, this is extremely relevant.

A growing number of U.S. businesses have eliminated departments and moved entire companies overseas in order to shift operations to countries, like India, where employers pay a fraction of what they previously paid to American workers.

Yet millions of highly skilled workers in India receive their training and college degrees online. So by shifting operations to these workers, U.S. employers are wholeheartedly accepting online degrees across the board.

In 2004, both Fox News and USA Today predicted that the outsourcing of high-tech and accounting jobs to India (and other nations) would increase significantly over the years. In fact, hundreds of thousands of U.S. tax returns are prepared in India each year through American accounting firms that may or may not divulge this fact to their clients.

Today’s article in The Economist confirms that India has “. . . a huge and diverse distance-learning market.”

Distance-learning continues to dominate higher education in India in order to meet the needs of 230 million potential students who cannot be served by traditional means. As these students graduate with online degrees, they are integrated into the mainstream of new jobs created by an increasing number of U.S. and foreign businesses.

So, is it possible that U.S. companies could so firmly embrace foreign workers who earned online degrees, yet question the validity of accredited online degrees earned by American job applicants?

It seems that this issue would cause quite a stir in the climate of the current job market, especially if employers attempt to use an accredited online degree as an excuse not to hire someone.

Hopefully, such a hypocritical stance is unacceptable to any honest, well-informed employer.

Instead, taking the few minutes to check the validity of online degrees through the U.S. Department of Education, as well as contacting the Admissions & Records departments of the schools in question, appears to be the best route to insure a win-win situation for all.

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There are many excellent reasons to return to school to earn an online degree, professional certificate or other job training.

But a recent New York Times article, Millions of Unemployed Face Years Without Jobs, ups the ante by stating that the current competitive job market makes returning to school especially imperative for high school graduates and dropouts.

In 2009, approximately 14,265,000 people lost their jobs according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

This job loss situation could take years to remedy. And in the meantime, the ‘new poor’ struggle to make ends meet while attempting to figure out what to do.

Thankfully, online education has opened up new solutions to job seekers — allowing them to take advantage of online degree programs and job training in schedule-friendly formats.

Already, the BLS has recorded a drop in unemployment from 10% to 9.7% for the month of January 2010. This slowing of job losses is considered to be an indicator of things to come.

Therefore, those who wish to qualify for the new jobs on the horizon should consider enrolling in online schools, online degree programs or online certificates.

In a highly competitive job market, returning to school may be the wisest thing to do.

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The world is watching in awe as the Winter Olympics continue a schedule of competitive games in Vancouver.

Millions of people love this modern-day display of courage, skill, determination and focus as individual contenders and teams go for the gold.

Yet interestingly, there are parallels between the winter Olympians in Vancouver and adult learners who return to school to earn online degrees. These are just a few:

• The quest for a online degree requires patience, sacrifice, and perseverance over several years — characteristics that are vital in those who prepare for the Olympic trials.

• E-learners must discipline themselves to primarily study alone, with the guidance of their teacher, just as hopeful Olympians often hone their athletic skills on their own, or with the guidance of just a coach.

• The completion of required assignments in an accredited online degree program require excellence and diligence in order to move onto the next level of academic classes — just as athletic contenders must practice with excellence and diligence in order to move successfully through Olympic trials before qualifying for the Olympic games.

• At the end of several years of perseverance and hard work, the payoff is the earning of an online degree for e-learners, while Olympians earn honor and acclaim — and perhaps a gold, silver or bronze medal — for their substantial efforts.

Both e-learners and Olympians choose to make an investment of time and money, far in advance, in order to earn something of value down the road.

But the risks are worth the payoff, in the long run, for those e-learners and Olympians who finally finish the race and receive their coveted and well-deserved prizes.

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Public college administrators in California believe in online education.

In fact, they embrace online education as a solution to offset the detrimental effects of major budget cuts.

Soon, students will be able to enroll in e-learning classes at Kaplan University, a major online school, to fulfill degree requirements for their brick-and-mortar community colleges.

Well-known Kaplan has partnered with the California Community Colleges system to offer students a viable option for completing their associate’s degree.

The partnership gives students a 42% discount on tuition fees at Kaplan when they enroll in individual courses. A significant drop in the availability of vital classes at California junior colleges has frustrated students by increasing the length of time it takes to graduate.

Statewide, college students are experiencing the repercussions of cutbacks in faculty, available courses, and academic programs in the overall college system.

The 23 campuses of California State University (CSU) face similar budget challenges. As a result, students take longer to graduate and many drop out before graduation. The decrease in graduation rates has led the Board of Trustees to announce a graduation initiative, which includes the use of online education to help students earn their diplomas.

Online degree programs and online classes continue to be extremely popular, due to their flexibility. Students are able to study at home or any other place, as long as they have a computer and a suitable Internet connection.

It is, therefore, no mystery that California public colleges have decided to tap online learning as a primary solution for the present and an investment in its success for the future.

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A record 4.6 million college students enrolled in online classes in the fall of 2008, according a newly released study by the Sloan Consortium.

The study, “Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009″, found that enrollment in online courses rose by almost 17% from the previous year, while enrollment in the overall higher education population rose by only 1.2%.

More than one in four college and university students now studies online.

Over 2500 colleges and universities took part in this important research, which was a collective effort of the Sloan Consortium, the Babson Survey Research Group, and the College Board.

Part of the growth in online education was attributed to the rise in college enrollments spurred by problems in the economy. It appears that financial ‘hard times’ motivate individuals to return to school to improve their odds of finding suitable employment or job advancement.

For-profit online schools continue to benefit from high demand for accredited online degree programs that inherently offer flexibility and convenience to busy students.

The new Sloan C study confirms what students already know — that online learning is the wave of the future.

And, much to the chagrin of some traditional higher education institutions, it is here to stay.

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If you missed President Obama’s State of the Union address, you may want to either read it or watch it online.

Although the political pundits are having their usual field day of picking apart and analyzing every phrase and gesture, most admit it was ambitious — and definitely not “business as usual”.

For example, President Obama stated that he hated the bank bailouts, but they were necessary — with most of the bailout money having already been paid back.

He announced that all combat troops will be out of Iraq by the end of August 2010; but troops will remain in Afghanistan through July 2011.

President Obama announced that his administration has made 25 different tax cuts, and no tax increases — which positively affected 95% of working families.

Of course, economic recovery was at the top of the list in his remarks, with promises of millions more jobs for out-of-work Americans, a new tax credit and easier access to low-cost loans for small businesses, lower mortgage rates for homeowners, and continued efforts toward health care reform.

But higher education was the star of the State of the Union speech, in terms of long-range economic strategy for our nation.

The President emphasized that a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job. A college degree is necessary to access most new jobs that are coming down the road — especially as America builds new clean energy facilities and seeks new advances in technology and medicine.

Anyone who has considered earning a traditional or online degree will find encouragement in the following potential education-related changes, as announced by the President:

• Community colleges will be revitalized, improving access to a cost-effective 2-year college degree.
• Pell Grant amounts will increase, providing lower income students with more money for college.
• Military personnel, especially those returning from war, will receive the financial aid and support they deserve.
• Subsidies to banks from student loans will end, making the money available as a college credit to taxpayers of $10,000 over 4 years.
• Student loan payments may change, in order to not exceed 10% of a borrower’s income. After 20 years, the loan would be completely forgiven (or only 10 years if employed in public service).
• Doubling the child-care tax credit will help parents to work and attend college.

The State of the Union address gave the American people something more than promises — it portrayed hope for a promising future for Americans and the rest of the world.

And that is something we all needed to hear.

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You may think that it is none of your business when diploma mills sell fake college degrees to individuals seeking job promotions, new positions, or entry into graduate school.

After all, what’s the harm?

The obvious answer is that this deception costs some honest Joe or Jane a position that they have earned by completing an accredited on-campus or online degree program.

But there is a more compelling reason.

Fake Degrees are an Easy Purchase for Terrorists and Criminals

Unfortunately, there is a darker side to the problem of false credentials. There is the possibility of their involvement in terror threats, criminal activity, and identity theft.

• Fake degrees in medicine, psychology, education, and physical education give unscrupulous individuals and criminals access to children.
• Fake degrees in engineering, architecture and computer science allow home-grown and foreign terrorists key access to major transportation centers (airports, trains, bridges), city centers, and computer systems.
• Fake degrees in accounting, finance and business open doors into the stock market, banking institutions, and credit agencies — centers of critical information about millions of Americans.

According to the article, ‘United States has become world capital of fake degrees and diplomas’ , diploma mills and their fake degrees are everyone’s business. This is an international problem; but the U.S. is way ahead of the pack in allowing over 800 diploma mills to prosper on their soil and endanger an unsuspecting public.

The repercussions are severely underrated.

What Can We Do?

Is there a solution to this insidious problem? Yes, here are some practical ways to help.

• Never buy a fake degree, even if the purpose is just to hang it on your wall at home. You are supporting those who supply fake credentials to anyone who can fork over the cash.
• Get the government involved. Write your Senators and Representatives and let them know you are concerned about this issue and will support legislation designed to eradicate diploma mills.
• Employers, be thorough when checking out the credentials of job applicants. Check with the Department of Education to insure that college degrees listed on the application are from accredited traditional and online schools. Then verify, with the individual college or university, that the applicant actually earned the specific degree.
• Enroll only in accredited online schools; and double-check with the Department of Education to make sure the school is legitimate.
• Be alert to anyone who does not appear to have the required knowledge or skill for the job they are doing. You are entitled to be suspicious, especially when that person’s job title and access involves your safety, and that of the general public.

Remember that fake degrees are far from harmless. And most of all, they are everyone’s business.

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