<p>I have economics degree(non-business) from rutgers(09). I want to go into accounting so I am taking accounting and business classes at a community college(will take me 1.5 years) to sit for CPA (NJ). The college is not AACSB accredited, so will I qualify? MY plan is to get CPA and then apply for jobs. Is this a good option? or should I plan for mba in professional accounting for people who wants to do accounting but majored in something else, offered at Rutgers?</p>
<p>Go to your state’s CPA website and see if your community college is on there. In Texas I think only 4 qualify(but I think all are the enormous, heavily government supported community college systems for Houston, Dallas, Austin, and maybe San Antonio). Regardless, the first two accounting classes you take probably won’t count towards the CPA anyway. In Texas, you could count 6 of your econ classes towards your business requirement and possibly another 6 for statistics(don’t know if it matters if it’s “Econ Statistics”).</p>
<p>You have a economics degree, which can be applied in many areas. I would suggest to get your masters at a buisness school.</p>
<p>I don’t know of any state that requires AACSB accreditation for accounting classes in order for them to qualify. Check with your state for exact requirements, but your community college classes are probably fine. Make sure you’ll hit the minimum business credit requirement too.</p>
<p>Texas is one of the only (if not the only) state that requires a certain number of accounting credits to be upper-level, most states are fine with community college credits.</p>
<p>Texas is not the only state requiring upper division courses, please be sure to check with your state board of accountancy for specific requirements. NJ, for example, states that your classes can come from either undergraduate or graduate classes, but requires that you take courses in taxation and auditing, among others. Usually taxation and auditing are upper division courses.</p>
<p>It is true that is can vary by state, that’s why I also suggested contacting your state board. Most states require certain classes (eg audit), which are generally UL. However, I know that in Illinois there are many community colleges that have certificate programs designed for people who have degrees in something other than accounting so that they can meet the requirements. In these programs auditing, corporate tax, advanced accounting, and other classes that you would expect to be UL are offered as 200-level courses, simply because the two-year colleges here do not offer classes above a sophmore level. Texas actually makes the distinction that the classes taken must be upper-level, not only specifying the classes that need to be taken.</p>
<p>I’m also looking into the MBA in Professional Accounting at Rutgers. I just don’t want to do the MBA classes… I hate how they can’t just make a straight forward Masters in Accounting program for non-accounting majors.</p>