The Accounting CPA/Preparation Certificate allows students who have earned a four-year degree in a field other than accounting to earn the required accounting credits to sit for the CPA exam. The CPA credential is the premier recognized credential in the field of accounting. Successful passing of the CPA exam will open a range of career opportunities in the public, private and non-profit accounting fields.
This program is available to be completed 100% online.
This certificate will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the certificate, please notify the Office of the Registrar at RegistrarOffice@tri-c.edu.
Program contact: Learn more
Learn more about how certificate credits apply to the related degree.
Related Training and Credentials
Program Admission Requirements
- Applicant must have already completed an associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
Program Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- Communicate financial and related information with internal and external constituents.
- Work professionally, ethically, and with fiduciary responsibility to pursue the corporate objectives in a manner that is within the appropriate professional code of conduct.
- Accurately record and apply fundamental accounting processes to properly record routine and nonroutine business transactions culminating with a complete set of financial statements.
- Recognize when inaccuracies or other issues arise, including weaknesses in internal controls and ethical lapses that impact presentation of business results and operating activities, research alternatives, and proactively suggest solutions.
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Meet the accounting requirements and be prepared to sit for the CPA exam.
Suggested Semester Sequence
| Summer Semester | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT-1041 | Individual Taxation | 4 |
| ACCT-1311 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 7 | |
| First Semester | ||
| ACCT-1341 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-2041 | Business Taxation | 4 |
| ACCT-2310 | Intermediate Accounting I | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 11 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ACCT-2320 | Intermediate Accounting II | 4 |
| ACCT-2510 | Auditing 1 | 4 |
| ACCT-2xxx | 2000-level ACCT elective course | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Requires FIN-2100 Financial Management as a prerequisite. Students who did not take this course or its equivalent as part of their bachelor's degree program will need to complete this course prior to enrolling in ACCT-2510 Auditing.
ELECTIVES
Must select from below courses to fulfill elective requirements.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT-2340 | Cost Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT-2500 | Governmental/Non-Profit Accounting | 4 |
| ACCT-2530 | CPA Review - Auditing and Attestation (AUD) | 2 |
| ACCT-2550 | CPA Review - Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) | 2 |
| ACCT-2560 | CPA Review - Regulation (REG) | 2 |
MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement. These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016. Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.