<p>Anyone think its a good idea to squeeze in the 150 credit hours required for the CPA in undergrad rather than getting an MAcc? One of the main reasons I settled on Accounting over Medicine is because I don't wanna have massive debt and be in school forever. Granted, one year of an MAcc is a lot less time/debt than medicine, but its the concept of it. As is, taking only 4 classes a semester and never doing a summer, I will graduate with ~135 credits (didn't do the math of it just now, but it was around there last I checked). Seems like I'm so close to 150 that I should just squeeze in some classes and do it instead of taking a whole additional year, losing that years salary, and likely having to take out a small loan at least.</p>
<p>DD’s school encourages accounting majors to take more load if they can handle or add summer classes to graduate within 4 years while meeting licensure requirement since Calif is requiring 150 semester units starting 2014.</p>
<p>They have a very rigorous acct program. Even with the current 120 semester-units licensing requirement, many of the accounting majors graduate with more than 200 quarter units in the past. So 225 is doable with some efforts. (225-quarter units equivalent to 150 semester units)</p>
<p>DD is planing 18-units average every quarter, that’s at least 216 within 4 years. With some AP and summer internship if possible, that will be beyond 225 without summer classes. Her plan is NOT to go straight for master . If she happens to still like accounting even after a few years of work, she can go for the master in acct/tax as she feels necessary or just for the sake of having a master on her resume (and hopefully on the company’s bill). If she doesn’t like accounting anymore after she sees the real world, she can work on a master in another discipline and do a career switch, (on her own money, not mine )</p>
<p>Your last two sentences basically hit the nail on the head for me. That’s my main purpose in not wanting to go for the masters just yet. I want to kinda test the waters in public accounting, hopefully big 4, first and then evaluate from there. I have a weird feeling I’m gonna hate it, but that could just be the “worry wart” in me. I think I’d enjoy management type stuff better, so I’ve considered trying to get a top-20 or so MBA after some working, but thats obviously not something I can just do because I say so. I’ve also considered the FBI, which wants a CPA but not necessarily anything else besides work experience. All this makes me think I should at least try to see if I can fit it in.</p>
<p>A MACC serves no purpose if you can get to 150 in undergrad. Get eligible to sit for the CPA exam and impress recruiters that you were proactive with a long term goal in mind during your undergrad by skipping a MACC.</p>
<p>Clutch post as always! I just wanted to make sure you would be acknowledged for the actual number of credit hours you have rather than the year you are in. Plus in Florida, the requirements to sit are only 120 credits, while the credits for licensing remains at 150.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind that the 150/225 units don’t have to come from the university you are getting a degree from, you can take the remainder anywhere, even online. All that matters is that you have taken that much units, anywhere. I’d suggest taking any extra units online because your grade won’t affect your GPA (all you need is a C to get those extra units) at your respective university and if you decide to apply to grad school, you can just not send them your online classes transcript.</p>
<p>^ The problem is - Calif is also requiring extra 30 units of accounting related/ethic courses on top of the current 24 acounting + 24 business (semester units) in the near future. What courses qualified for the 30 additional is not finalized yet. So in DD’s case, on the safe side, she will take most of her additional units from the school’s accounting/business curriculum since the dept’s advisory board is following this new change closely and the school will adjust the curriculum in response to the change to make sure the students can meet the licensing requirement upon graduation.</p>
<p>Thats interesting. In my case, if that change went through in Florida I would be forced into the M.Acc program because there aren’t many additional undergrad accounting courses aside from the accounting classes in the actual program that I’m already taking as part of the degree. </p>
<p>Never thought about online classes. That would be much better than a local CC, although I heard online classes tend to be expensive.</p>
<p>a_mom, is that once the new requirements go in place in 2014? I’m from California and go to school there and have not heard a single thing about those 30 units of ethics.</p>
<p>rusoboy, it’s total of 30 semester units (45 quarter units) of additional courses from the area of ethics AND accounting/business. Information from DD’s school regarding the new requirement in 2014 is -</p>
<ul>
<li>Bachelor degree</li>
<li>total of 225 quarter units includes
36 quarter units of accounting (same as current)
36 quarter units of business (same as current)
15 quarter units of ethics (new in 2014)
30 quarter units of additional accounting/business (still undefined) (new in 2014)</li>
</ul>
<p>This is the licensing requirement. Requirement to just sit for the exam is still the same. (Bachelor + 36/36)</p>
<p>These supposed 2014 changes, this is ONLY for California you guys are talking about right? I’d hate to get my extra 30 credits in basket weaving I-XXX and then having to do a Masters anyway.</p>
<p>An easy solution is to sit for licensing in state other than CA…</p>
<p>Those requirements are pointless. The 150 hour rule is controversial enough and does nothing more than limit supply to try to keep the CPA “prestigious” versus it actually leading to better, more qualified CPAs.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what this means when the individual is working for big 4/ national firms that have offices everywhere, but it definitely has limitation if one wants to have his/her own practice down the road.</p>
<p>(Yes, we Californians like to do things differently.)</p>
<p>What state are you in? (I’m guessing Florida from one of your posts). You have to check the requirements for the state you’re planning to get licensed in. For example, Alabama requires 33 semester hours of non-introductory accounting courses as part of the 150 hours, plus an additional 27 semester hours of non-accounting business courses. There are schools that don’t offer 33 hours worth of undergrad accounting courses past the intro level, so that might be tough to do without taking grad courses or getting the MAcc. However, if you’re in a state where you can get your required hours at the undergrad level, that’s what I’d do.</p>
<p>Guys, I thought that additional 30 credits could be in anything, but it seemed to me that someone stated that they have to be only in business. What did you mean?</p>
<h1>1. If you’re considering to be CPA eligible, the first thing you want to remember is the education requirements for licensing vary from state to state. Posters here come from different states. If you don’t filter information, you only get yourself confused or even misled.</h1>
<h1>2. When you say “additional 30 credits”, what is the base for that additional?</h1>
<pre><code>The additional 30 credits beyond a bachelor degree for the total units requirement, or
The additional 30 credits in business course beyond non-introduction accounting course for the subject requirement, like the case in Alabama as a previous poster mentioned, or
The additional 30 credits on top of the current 48 units subjects requirement due to legislative change as in the case of California?
</code></pre>
<p>The answer will be different depending on which state you’ll be licensed for and which 30 credits you’re talking about.</p>
<p>One on myflorida.com says… "# TOTAL UPPER DIVISION ACCOUNTING HOURS: 36 semester or 54 quarter to include the following: Taxation, Auditing, Financial, Cost/Managerial and Accounting Info Systems.</p>
<h1>TOTAL UPPER DIVISION GENERAL BUSINESS HOURS: 39 semester hours or 58 quarter hours to include the following: six (6) semester hours or eight (8) quarter hours of business law. One course can be at a lower lever (freshman or sophomore), the other course must be upper division (junior level or higher). Business Law 1 and Legal Environment of Business are often considered duplicate."</h1>
<p>This would mean I’d have to do a MAcc because I can’t take that many accounting courses in undergrad.</p>
<p>Then this is on the becker website for Florida… "# 24 semester or 36 quarter hours in accounting education at the upper division level which shall include coverage of auditing, cost and managerial accounting, financial accounting, accounting information systems, and taxation.</p>
<h1>24 semester or 36 quarter hours in general business education which shall include not less than the equivalent of 6 semester or 8 quarter hours in business law courses which include coverage of the uniform commercial code, contracts and torts."</h1>
<p>This on the other hand would be doable at the undergraduate level. I guess I’m going to have to call…</p>
<p>The most reliable source for the CURRENT requirement would be your state’s board of accountancy, or equivalent official department - the one that actually do the licensing. </p>
<p>Check with them and ask if any pending legislative change in the near future.</p>
)</p>