Is pursuing online BCom along with CA a good idea?

Is pursuing a CA on your cards? Do you aspire to be a professional in the domain and also broaden your career prospects in the area? We suggest taking up an online BCom degree in parallel to enhance your domain knowledge in both finance and accounting. This is a highly convenient option for those students who are pursuing a professional degree program in Chartered Accountancy (CA). Taking up a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree online on the side can help provide the right foundation for a long-term career as a CA. This blog further highlights online BCom with CA benefits for students.

Online BCom with CA benefits for students: Why it’s a good idea

Pursuing CA alongside online BCom is highly recommended for students aspiring to pursue a career in the professional field. Here are some of the top benefits of studying BCom online with CA:

Flexible learning structure:

Pursuing a BCom degree online offers the flexibility of choosing a study schedule that best suits your convenience. This is particularly important for CA students, helping them balance their study hours between the online classes and preparing for CA exams.

Aligned curriculum for both courses:

The subjects taught as part of the online BCom degree program are similar to those studied in CA foundational courses. A few examples include taxation, accounting, and finance. The overlapping of subjects in both courses enables students to better prepare for CA exams.

Easy affordability:

Studying a degree online is generally more cost-effective than its traditional campus counterpart offering. This helps students already pursuing CA courses and investing in exam costs to save further money on account of pursuing BCom online.

Access to a wide range of quality learning material:

Studying online makes a host of top-quality digital learning resources easily accessible for students. These include video lectures, recorded audio lectures, and virtual discussion forums. All these platforms prove valuable to students, providing them with the much-desired extra study material for CA exam preparation.

Improved career prospects:

Yet another of the online BCom CA career advantages is that pursuing both degrees in parallel makes you eligible for suitable job roles in both related industries. This significantly boosts your employability quotient in the job market, making you appear attractive to potential employers in accounting, finance, and business management domains. 

You may also like: Why is online BCom the best option for CA aspirants?

Best ways to manage time when pursuing CA with online BCom

Pursuing two degrees in parallel can seem daunting. Managing time when combining CA with online BCom studies can be difficult. Here are a few tips that can help manage time more effectively:

Create a structured study schedule:

Create a study timetable for yourself – either weekly or monthly – whatever works best. Make sure to keep a balanced approach when allocating time to both BCom coursework and CA exam preparation. Set realistic goals and milestones for both courses.

Prioritize studying subjects:

It is difficult to study all the subjects for both courses together. A better approach would be to focus on some common subjects that overlap for both online BCom and CA. This would make it easier to learn initially. You can then move on to more challenging subjects, as you’d have more time by then to focus on them.

Make good use of breaks:

When combining CA with online BCom studies, it’s essential to take regular breaks to avoid feeling burned out. However, it’s equally important to take a break from one course once in a while and switch to the other for practice topics or revision. This would help dedicate focus to one area of study and avoid feeling confused or overwhelmed. Moreover, make sure to time your breaks and focus on recharging or refreshing activities during your downtime to facilitate productive study. This can include practicing a few minutes of yoga, stretching, or listening to music.

Take guidance from mentors:

This would help you manage stress effectively and also assist in clearing your doubts, if any. Equally important is the need to stay connected with other peers who are balancing online BCom and CA studies. They can exchange a few tips and also lend moral support to keep going.

Make use of online study resources:

These include virtual study tools and applications that can help with managing time effectively, jotting down important notes, and studying efficiently. Make good use of productivity tools online such as Asana or Trello to plan your studies effectively. Additionally, Pomodoro timers can help with focused study sessions.

Also read: 12 best accounting software and tools for BCom/MCom students

Tips for Staying Motivated and Avoiding Burnout        

While pursuing two degrees in parallel undoubtedly has long-term benefits in terms of career growth, it can be hard and taxing on the student. It is easy to feel burnt out and hard to stay motivated all along the journey. However, to keep you encouraged and consistent in your path to achieve the goal, here are some tips that can come in handy when balancing online BCom and CA:

1. Clearly define your goals: This includes both short- and long-term and is a key step in staying consistent on the path. With your goals clearly defined before you every single day, you’re sure to find inspiration from within. It is highly recommended you set realistic short-term goals for both the degree programs – online BCom and CA. As you keep achieving those goals, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment to continue further. 

2. Keep a study-life balance: Achieving a healthy balance between studying and maintaining your well-being is critical to avoid burnout. Make sure to keep an exercise regimen, practice some hobbies, and incorporate certain relaxation techniques into your everyday routine.

Conclusion 

Pursuing an online BCom while preparing for CA can be tough but it has key long-term benefits. The most important advantage is that the curriculum of both programs tends to overlap, making it easier for students to learn both courses in parallel. Additionally, the online BCom degree follows a flexible, self-paced learning structure that is easy to follow but improves career prospects for graduates also preparing for CA exams manifold. 

Moreover, if you ever decide to take a break from preparing for CA (for any reason), you’d still have a degree in hand (online BCom). It would make you eligible to apply for varied job roles in related domains – accounting, finance, or business management. This facilitates flexibility in career choices for students. What’s more? The knowledge and skillsets imparted during the online BCom degree can come in handy while preparing for CA competitive exams. This gives a competitive edge to students pursuing both degrees over those who are only preparing for CA. Not to forget, it boosts their professional value in the job market multifold. 

Manipal University Jaipur offers online BCom degree programs to students with different interests and aspirations. Those preparing for professional courses like CA find it valuable and relevant to pursue a BCom degree online in parallel with Manipal University Jaipur, as it is globally recognized and validated. Additionally, the university is accredited A+ by NAAC, and its degree programs are entitled by the University Grants Commission (UGC).