How Andrew Cyr Strengthened Skill Set With Grad Certificate in Accounting

When Andrew Cyr’s boss recommended he consider taking some accounting courses to add another tool to his toolbox, he turned to Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) to explore options.

He landed on a Graduate Certificate in Accounting, completing his studies online in 2021.

Learning With Flexibility

“There were many things that attracted me to the SNHU program,” Cyr said. “The biggest factors, however, were the course flexibility and the value of the education I’d be receiving compared to the cost of the program. It was a perfect match for me.”

He said he really appreciated both the flexibility and the 10-week course structure in the graduate program.

“I knew that if I had a large project come up at work that might cause me to miss a session (a term), I’d only have to wait a few more weeks to continue the program rather than an entire semester,” Cyr said. “Also, not having set class times was very appealing.”

While he lives close to SNHU’s Manchester, New Hampshire, campus, Cyr said he liked having the ability to complete courses online. “Being able to work on my own schedule was very important to me,” he said. “I had previously taken online courses… but found the style of SNHU’s courses more flexible and better connected throughout the entirety of my program.”

He also noted the diversity of students in his courses, and their experiences and views, often with peers from throughout the U.S. and in some cases, the world.

Beneficial Accounting Courses

While Cyr had worked in many roles in corporate finance, he said he lacked significant experience in accounting before earning his Graduate Certificate in Accounting.

The certificate program “offered me an opportunity to expand my knowledge base outside of the office and increase the breadth of career opportunities ahead of me in the future,” he said.

His boss, who initially had encouraged him to take some accounting courses, was extremely pleased, Cyr said, when he started his program at SNHU. Along the way, he said he found out some of his work colleagues were also continuing their education at SNHU.

“A few had started taking courses at other online universities,” Cyr said, “but they had yet to complete their programs. Based on my experiences, I recommended highly that they consider enrolling at SNHU.”

He especially enjoyed his TAX650 course: "Federal Taxation of Individuals."

“It was different than many of my other accounting courses and really helped tie my personal experiences together with the coursework,” he said. “It also drove many very interesting discussion board interactions amongst my fellow classmates.”

As for the instructors Cyr encountered along the way, he felt they added a lot of value to his education in a couple of ways. “They were consistently adding real-world examples to the weekly lessons as well as challenging students on the discussion board to think beyond the basics of the task at hand,” he said.

Was A Certificate Worth It?

Cyr found value as well in his overall program, noting, “I would recommend this course of study to anyone looking to either reconnect with their undergraduate accounting studies or to further their understanding of the field for career advancement.”

While there’s no guarantee that a degree or certificate program at SNHU will provide a promotion, Cyr said, “It helped me check another box that ultimately led to additional responsibilities.” And in time, that work did result in a promotion.

Cyr said he’s confident that the coursework he completed for his Graduate Certificate in Accounting has and will continue to benefit him in his career for years to come.

“I don’t think there is another program out there that can match the overall value an individual can gain with the SNHU programs,” he said. “The flexibility and depth of the courses, the length of terms, passionate professors, helpful advisors and all for what could be considered a below market cost; it was an easy decision for me, and it has proven to be the right one.”

Pamme Boutselis ’15, ’17G is an award-winning writer and content producer, currently serving as a senior director of content and a communication adjunct at Southern New Hampshire University. She loves hearing and sharing stories. As a writer spanning a 25-year career, her work has been featured in print and online via news media, career and education-focused blogs, regional magazines, technology publications and more.

A bachelor’s and master’s in communication — earned as an adult learner — positively impacted her life and career, melding decades in diverse industries with professional and academic knowledge and experience. A serial volunteer, Boutselis has been a TEDx organizer since 2013 and a speaker coach. She’s been fortunate to work with dozens of nonprofits throughout the years. Connect with her on LinkedIn.