Hi, I'm looking for insight. I am active duty Air Force and recently completed my CCAF associates in Fire Science. I am looking to pursue a Bachelors in Accounting. I am wondering a few things: 1. I was told by educational counselors not to pursue programs offered by U of Phoenix, Devry, AMU...schools like that. Any truth to that? Why? 2. I recently was given a informal degree plan based on what I already have done and it said I still need 108 credits toward my 124 credit Bachelor degree...this is from Hawaii Pacific University. Does that seem right? 3. What kind of school should I be looking into, I am looking for one that offers distance learning because of my travels, but is still respected and will get me somewhere after I am out of the service. 4. Lastly, does the school have to be AACSB accredited? I want to set myself up to be able to sit for CPA exam in the future. Any help/thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
1) Some people have an issue with for-profit institutions, of which all of those schools are. Some are known for mass marketing, shady recruitment tactics, cutting education-related expenditures for the sake of stock holders, etc. Not all do, but you can usually get a better bang for the buck at not-for-profit institutions, especially at in-state tuition rates. 2) It blows but that sounds about right. Fire science and business will have very different degree requirements, but dependent upon how many gen eds / electives are required you could probably get a friendlier evaluation elsewhere. 3) I'd look at public, not-for-profit institutions, followed by private, not-for-profit ones. Can't really make any suggestions, though I hear good things about Peru State. 4) AACSB is important in some environments, but it seems like the majority of private companies don't pay any attention to it... at least from what I've heard. It's better to have program accreditation than not to, but it won't have any impact on your ability to pass the CPA. Good luck.
What state do you plan on taking the CPA exam to become licensed? States have differing requirements; check with your State Board of Accountancy. For instance, in Texas accounting coursework must be completed within a regionally accredited college /university and its business school or accounting program must additionally have programmatic accreditation such as AACSB, ACBSP, or IABSP. “Effective June 1, 2011, the board will accept schools accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools--Commission on Colleges and the schools accredited by the associations identified in subsection (a)(1) - (5) of this section so long as the schools accredited by the identified associations offer a baccalaureate or higher degree, and have a business school or accounting program accreditation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a specialized or professional accrediting organization. Examples of a specialized or professional accrediting organization are the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International (AACSB) or the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).” In that IABSP is also now CHEA recognized, then IABSP accredited programs should also be acceptable in Texas. Re Texas Administrative Code: : Texas Administrative Code
As indicated above, programmatic accreditation may affect your ability to qualify for the CPA exam. The rules vary from state to state, but some states may prefer or require credits or degrees from schools with particular types of accreditation. Check the website of your home state's board of accountancy (and any other states where you think you might want to practice).
I don’t believe Peru State College’s School of Professional Studies has programmatic accreditation; however, their 150 CH accounting program meets Nebraska State Board of Accountancy licensure requirements—but may not meet other state’s accreditation requirements: “Level 3 accreditation – the college or university. In a Level 3 accreditation, the college or university is accredited, but neither the business school nor the accounting program meet Level 1 or Level 2 requirements. This level applies to a degree granting college or university that is not accredited at Level 1 or Level 2, but is accredited by an organization currently recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation as a regional accrediting organization or a regional accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.” Re http://www.sos.state.ne.us/rules-and-regs/regsearch/Rules/Board_of_Public_Accountancy/Title-288/Chapter-09.pdf Wayne State College’s Business & Economics Department offers the online 150 CH Accounting concentration (CPA path) and is IACBE accredited. The online tuition is $190 /CH; the same as Peru State College. This may be of importance as regards those states that do require specialized accreditation beyond RA. http://www.wsc.edu/schools/bst/bsec/academic_programs/accounting Chadron State College: Accounting option 150 CH CPA path (ACBSP accredited). Online tuition is also $190 /CH. Degree Programs - Business Academy - Chadron State College
Wow good info, thanks everyone! I will look into Washington State and Peru, but if it seems like I will receive about the same amount of transfer credit with the others, I will probably stick with Hawaii Pacific University. I will be in Hawaii for the next 3 years starting in Feb...makes sense to be near the campus I think. One more question, if the bachelor program at HPU is only 124 credits, when I go for Masters will that count toward my 150 thats probably needed to take CPA exam?
If you plan on practicing in Hawaii (Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs – Professional and Vocational Licensing)… §16-71-17 Education. (a) An applicant for a license of certified public accountant shall: “Present satisfactory evidence that the applicant has received a baccalaureate degree from a university, college, or other four-year institution of learning accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education under the requirements of 20 United States Code section 1099b.” http://hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/pvl/har/har_71-c.pdf Hawaii Pacific University's College of Business Administration is AACSB accredited.
If you read the whole page it mentions that you must hold a BS or higher degree that has program accreditation, it says nothing of the accounting credits besides them being from an approved program. Namely, someone with a big 3 degree, an ACSBP accredited MBA, and the proper # of accounting credits could qualify to sit for the CPA exams.
First, I did read the entire page prior to my post; perhaps you may want to reread my posting as regards the Texas State Board of Accountancy and the Texas Administrative Code. If the college /university’s business program must have programmatic accreditation, then it would be apparent that the completed accounting courses would come from that same accreditation umbrella. So per your example, if the Big-3 undergraduate degree program doesn’t have specialized B-school or accounting program accreditation, an MBA from a specialized accredited B-school would still require that the MBA accounting hours be earned from a specialized accrediting source to be considered approved by the Texas State Board of Accountancy. If per your example, the applicant’s Big-3 accounting courses were not earned via a programmatic accredited program (e.g., Excelsior, TESC, and COSC), they are not acceptable in Texas by the TSBA … period (eff. 06/01/2011). Also I know of no MBA with a concentration in accounting, with specialized accreditation or not, which requires 30 semester hours in accounting per the below information—but there could be. Re Educational Requirements (Examination Information for Prospective Texas CPA Applicants): ∙ Baccalaureate or graduate degree conferred by an accredited institution of higher education recognized by the Board; and ∙ completion of courses recognized by the Board totaling not fewer than 150 semester hours of college credit; and ∙ successful completion of at least 30 semester hours of accounting course work beyond the first two semesters of elementary accounting, with at least 20 of these semester hours in core accounting subjects as defined by Board rule; and ∙ successful completion of at least 20 semester hours of related business courses as defined by Board rule. Re http://www.tsbpa.state.tx.us/pdffiles/3B062002.pdf ** The optimum words being “Board” rule. BTW, I spoke with the Texas State Board of Accountancy re the Texas Administrative Code re Title 22 Ch 511 (e.g., Recognized Colleges and Universities) supervisor working for William Treacy (Executive Director) this morning—per the TSBA supervisor, any SACS accredited college /university B-school DOESN’T need to have programmatic accreditation (eff. 06/01/2011). Conversely per my posting —the same Effective date of June 1, 2011, ALL other colleges /universities regionally accredited by any of the other 5-regional accreditation agencies (e.g., MSACS, NCA-HLC, NEASC, NWCCU, and WASC) MUST have B-school and/or accounting program programmatic accreditation in addition to their regional accreditation whether the completed program is baccalaureate or higher degree level. Moreover to date, IABSP accredited B-schools and/or accounting programs have not been approved by the Texas State Board of Accountancy to date to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam in Texas. Regarding CHEA recognized IABSP accreditation acceptance by the TSBA, my assumption was incorrect.
As for Texas, I also noticed the following "At least 15 of these hours must result from physical attendance at classes meeting regularly on the campus of the transcript-issuing institution."
Moreover per your post (re 15 of the 30 required accounting credit hours), “Blended and hybrid courses do not meet this requirement.” http://www.tsbpa.state.tx.us/pdffiles/x0015.pdf
