The online bachelor's degree program in accounting at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) was picked as the best in the nation by the web site bestschools.org, according to a news release from the school on Wednesday.

The program at the UAB Collat School of Business prepares students for the examinations to become certified management accountants, internal auditors or fraud examiners.

UAB's online bachelor's program allows students to roll credits directly to the master's in accounting degree program and fast-track their time to complete it, the release states.

The online accounting program at Auburn University's Raymond J. Harbert College of Business finished right behind the program at UAB at No. 2 in the Best Schools ranking.

The Collat School's two online master's degree programs -- in accountancy and the management of information systems -- recently cracked a national top 20 in a ranking by U.S. News & World Report.

"Online students (at UAB) are taught by the same professors who teach traditional courses and have access to academic advising, tutoring and career services," according to the U.S. News web site.