ACC 430 - Becoming Certified as an Accounting Professional (3)

Prerequisite: Senior accounting major.

An in-depth introduction to the skills/topics necessary to pass the CPA Exam, including discussion of the topics covered in each of the four sections of the CPA Exam (and the Ethics Exam required upon completion of the CPA Exam). In addition to an overview of the entire CPA Exam content area, one specific section of the CPA Exam will be covered in-depth to prepare the students to sit for that part of the Exam shortly after graduation. In addition to the in-depth CPA Exam preparation, students will also explore the wide variety of accounting certifications available to accounting professionals (e.g., CPA, CMA, CIA, Cr.FA, PFS, CFP, CFA, CFM, CFE, CISA, CGFM, GVA, HFMA, CBA, ABV, CVA, etc.).

Upon successful completion of this course, students will (1) be familiar with various certifications available to accountants; (2) understand the specific topic areas and skills that will be necessary for passing each part of the CPA Exam, plus the Ethics Exam; (3) develop a specific plan/strategy to study for and pass the Exam in terms of both timing of each section and content coverage; (4) develop the independent study habits/discipline necessary to successfully pass required certification exams (CPA and others); (5) study in-depth for the FAR section of the Exam with the intent to achieve sufficient mastery of the material to sit for that part of the Exam shortly after graduation; and (6) complete the CPA Exam application, including assembly of all required documentation of credentials. Graded as pass/fail.