A CPA is a Certified Public Accountant licensed by the state. Jobs held by CPAs can vary, but common responsibilities include maintaining financial records and making sense of complicated financial statements under the growing list of state and federal accounting standards. Not only does a licensed CPA need to successfully pass the rigorous Uniform CPA Exam, CPAs must also have extensive knowledge of general and state-specific accounting principles, a bachelor’s degree, and hands on experience in the accounting field.
As of January 1, 2014 new requirements will be in place in order to obtain a California CPA license. Candidates will now be required to complete 150 semester units, equivalent to 225 quarter units, including:
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24 semester or 36 quarter units in accounting subjects
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24 semester or 36 quarter units of business-related subjects
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20 semester or 30 quarter units of accounting study
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10 semester or 15 quarter units of ethics study
Fraud and Forensic Accounting is one of UC San Diego Extension’s new offerings to fulfill these requirements. Other requirements include passing the CPA & ethics exam and experience working under the supervision of a licensed CPA.
California is currently one of the few states in the nation that does not have a mandatory 150 semester unit requirement. Changing the requirements will make California CPA’s more marketable and give them the ability to apply for reciprocity in order to use their license in other states.
The Professional Accounting Certificate can help students fulfill the accounting education requirements to sit for the CPA Exam or increase their knowledge in this discipline. No prior knowledge in accounting is needed to begin the certificate. To learn more about the Accounting Certificate Program, register for a free information session this Wednesday, March 27th.
Spring accounting courses begin the week of April 1st. For more information, contact Joyce Short at jmshort@ucsd.edu or (858) 534-8189.
Source: California State Board of Accountancy (CPA) www.dca.ca.gov/cba (916) 263-3680.