Certificate in Accountancy Overview

The Bauer College of Business offers a non-degree certificate in accountancy through the Department of Accountancy and Taxation. This program is designed for non-degree-seeking post-baccalaureate students who plan to sit for the Uniform CPA exam. Students should contact the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for information about required general business courses. The certificate is awarded to students who complete at least ten courses in the program, excluding ACCT 2331 & ACCT 2332.

The purpose of this special program is to provide a cluster of 5000-level courses for post-baccalaureate students to fulfill the accounting course requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA exam.

The recent accounting-related corporate scandals and the resulting regulatory requirements have created a tremendous demand for trained accountants. In particular, there has been a significant increase in the demand for the services of certified public accountants.

To sit for the Uniform CPA examination in the state of Texas, an applicant must have completed an undergraduate degree and have a total of 150 hours of college credit. The 150 hours must contain 30 hours of approved upper-level accounting courses, an approved ethics course and 24 hours of non-accounting general business classes.

We have designed a program that will allow you to get the necessary accounting and ethics credits as quickly and efficiently as possible. You take only the courses you need. These courses are offered in the evenings and Saturdays to accommodate your work schedule, and they provide the strong background you need to successfully complete the CPA exam.Please check prerequisites before you register for classes.

Cost

All students pursuing certification will pay undergraduate tuition and fees and a certificate fee per course. This does not include mandatory fees charged by the University, e.g Library fees, cougar one card, etc. Please refer to the University fee schedule for a further breakdown of all fees and tuition.

The college does not allow students with an undergraduate degree to take undergrad courses because undergrad education is subsidized by the State of Texas. The certificate fee is determined by the tuition and fees charged for graduate courses and is typically adjusted at the beginning of each academic year. The fee is used to cover the cost of providing the certificate courses.

The certificate program does not qualify for financial aid unless students are taking specified classes in preparation for the MS Accountancy Program, in which case, funding is limited to a 12 month period, covering only undergraduate tuition, not additional certificate fees.

Faculty

We staff our courses with the most outstanding instructors from the Houston area. The staff includes instructors with advanced degrees and extensive professional experience.