51ºÚÁÏ

Post-Baccalaureate CPA Certificate

According to the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy, a person who is interested in sitting for the CPA exam must have a baccalaureate or master’s degree and have completed at least a total of 36 semester credits in accounting and auditing, business law, finance or tax subjects. This specialized certificate is for those individuals who possess a bachelor’s degree in a field other than accounting. By completing the 36-credit certificate, students will be able to meet the educational requirements mandated by the State Board of Accountancy and will be qualified to sit for the CPA exam, as well as gain exposure to all areas of examination testing. When combined with a previously earned Baccalaureate degree, this program will fulfill the 150 semester -hour requirement required by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and by Pennsylvania and most states in the nation. At least 8 of the 12 required courses must be taken at 51ºÚÁÏ.

General Admissions Information

Students are admitted to graduate programs at 51ºÚÁÏ on the basis of individual qualifications.

Applications for the Post-Baccalaureate CPA Certificate are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Students are admitted to the program in the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

Application materials and all correspondence relating to admission should be sent to:
51ºÚÁÏ
School of Adult and Graduate Education
100 College Drive
Blaney Hall, Room 212
Allentown, PA 18104-6196
Phone: 610-740-3770
Email:
Office hours: Monday-Thursday 8:30 am-6:30 pm; Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm

International applicants should send materials and correspondence to:
51ºÚÁÏ
International Admissions
100 College Drive
Allen House, Room 202
Allentown, PA 18104-6196
Phone: 610-606-4666, ext. 4587
Email:
Office hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm

Applicants and prospective students may contact the admissions office to schedule a campus tour or in-person, online, or phone appointment with an admissions counselor.

Please see the Admission of Students section at the beginning of the catalog for more information related to admissions processes and policies.

Post-Baccalaureate CPA Certificate Application Requirements
To be considered for admission to the program, applicants must submit the following items:

• A completed admission application, found at www.cedarcrest.edu/apply
• Official transcripts from the bachelor’s degree-granting institution and any other institutions where relevant coursework was completed.
  • Transcripts from institutions located outside the United States will need to be accompanied by an official course-by-course evaluation, with degree equivalency, completed by a NACES-recognized foreign transcript evaluation agency, such as World Education Services (www.wes.org).

Post-Baccalaureate CPA Certificate Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• An applicant must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Applicants may apply while finishing their bachelor’s degree requirements, however the degree must be conferred, as shown on an official transcript, prior to the start of the student’s first matriculated semester at 51ºÚÁÏ.
• Minimum bachelor’s degree GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). However, applications are reviewed holistically, and applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may be granted conditional admission at the discretion of the program director if their application materials demonstrate the potential for success in the program.

Required Courses

ACC 101 Financial Accounting 3 credits
ACC 102 Managerial Accounting 3 credits
ACC 202 Business Applications and Technology 3 credits
ACC 203 Cost Accounting 3 credits
ACC 250 Principles of Finance 3 credits
ACC 309* Intermediate Accounting I 3 credits
ACC 310* Intermediate Accounting II 3 credits
ACC 315* Personal Income Tax Accounting 3 credits
ACC 316* Corporation Income Tax Accounting 3 credits
ACC 321* Advanced Financial Accounting 3 credits
ACC 322* Auditing 3 credits
BUA 221* Business Law 3 credits

*Must be taken at 51ºÚÁÏ.