How does this Accounting/CPA plan look?

[HorseManiac]

Ok, so I'm currently working on my BSBA in Accounting through TESC. Well, recently I've been talking with some people and I'm starting to seriously consider getting my CPA license. So I've been doing some research into getting my CPA license and I think I've got a plan worked out, but I wanted to run it by the forum members and see what you guys think.

So to start, I'll be getting my CPA license in Ohio. Now, I took some extra CLEP tests so upon graduation I should have 134 credits. Now in order to get the 150 credit hours that I need I was thinking of taking 10 more FEMAs and having those sent to TESC to be put on my transcript. I have a email in to them to ask them if this is possible. Then to get the final 6 credits I was planning on taking 2 more accounting classes (Payroll Accounting and Quickbooks) through Luna Community College. This would allow me to get the required 30 accounting credits. I already have the 24 required business classes taken care of. The only thing I would have left would be the experience requirement.

Now, I was planning on completing the FEMAs before I graduate from TESC and then take the 2 accounting classes after I graduate and have the transcript sent to the Accounting Board of Ohio in addition to my TESC transcript listing my degree.

Here is my planned area of study according to my TESC evaluation:
Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
1.. ACC-201 Intermediate Acctg I..... (3.00) --- ACC-201 *PL *TE
1.. ACC-202 Intermediate Acctg II.... (3.00) --- ACC-202 *PL *TE

Src Course # Title S.H. Grd TESC # Notes
1.. ACC-303 Cost Accounting.......... (3.00) --- ACC-303 *PL *TE
2.. ACC4022 Advanced Accounting. (3.00) --- ACC-401 *PL *TE
3.. BUS407 Auditing................. (3.00) --- ACC-411 *PL *TE
1.. ACC-421 Federal Income Taxation.. (3.00) ACC-421 *PL *TE

** I also have Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting under the Business Core **

Oh, and by the way, I have to find a different place to take my auditing course from because Ohio requires that all the courses be from the Accounting department and the Adams State College course I wanted to take, as you can see, transcribes to TESC as a BUS course. I'm thinking I'll go with Columbia College for Auditing.

So, what are your thoughts? Would this plan work? Did I forget anything important? Is getting the 2 accounting courses through Luna Community College a good idea? Or am I way off track and out of my mind?

Thanks guys!

[cannoda]

Oh, and by the way, I have to find a different place to take my auditing course from because Ohio requires that all the courses be from the Accounting department and the Adams State College course I wanted to take, as you can see, transcribes to TESC as a BUS course.

I would contact the Accountancy Board (in writing or email, not by phone) to get a ruling on this.

Many small schools do not have an "accounting department," including some schools in Ohio from which you can earn an accounting degree. Accounting courses taught by full-time qualified accounting faculty can be offered by a "business department" or "business school." A legitimate accounting course can carry a BUS prefix even when offered through an accounting department.

There are a lot of Ohio colleges that offer accounting degrees but are too small to have an "accounting department." I can't imagine that, say, Wittenberg's accounting graduates are ineligible to sit for the CPA exam in Ohio.

I believe that they are trying to weed out accounting courses that are not taught by a school's accounting faculty. For example, continuing education departments at some schools have teamed up with proprietary CPA review firms to offer college credit for a review course.

[HorseManiac]

I would contact the Accountancy Board (in writing or email, not by phone) to get a ruling on this.

Many small schools do not have an "accounting department," including some schools in Ohio from which you can earn an accounting degree. Accounting courses taught by full-time qualified accounting faculty can be offered by a "business department" or "business school." A legitimate accounting course can carry a BUS prefix even when offered through an accounting department.

There are a lot of Ohio colleges that offer accounting degrees but are too small to have an "accounting department." I can't imagine that, say, Wittenberg's accounting graduates are ineligible to sit for the CPA exam in Ohio.

I believe that they are trying to weed out accounting courses that are not taught by a school's accounting faculty. For example, continuing education departments at some schools have teamed up with proprietary CPA review firms to offer college credit for a review course.

Hmmm.....I didn't even think of that. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll email them and see what they say.

Here's where I found that the courses had to be from the accounting department (under section 3a)....http://acc.ohio.gov/Portals/0/PDF/course.pdf

[brothert69]

If you need an auditing class with an accounting prefix lsu has one for around 500.

[EI2HCB]

What is LSU, Louisiana or Lake Sioux? Do you have any links to those specific courses?

[brothert69]

What is LSU, Louisiana or Lake Sioux? Do you have any links to those specific courses?

Louisiana State University.
Main distance learning page
https://is.lsu.edu/courselist.asp?Level=...=0&nid=102

Auditing course page
LSU Continuing Education

[EI2HCB]

Thanks Brother!

[brothert69]

No problem. I'm cpa track at ec so I have a bunch of accounting class resources. Pm me if you need something.

[HorseManiac]

Ok, thanks everyone for posting! I got a response from TESC and they said that any classes/credits I send them will be put on the transcript whether they are used in the degree or not. I also got a response from the accountancy board saying that as long as I have the 30 accounting credits and the 24 business credits completed, then the additional credits needed to add up to 150 can be in any subject. So I'm going to take the additional 10 FEMA credits and send the transcript to TESC. I'll still have to take the 2 accounting classes from Luna Community College though.

I have an email into the accountancy board asking about the requirement that all accounting classes be from an accounting department. I'll let you know what they say.

If anyone else has any more input or suggestions, I'm open to hearing them. Thanks so much!

[HorseManiac]

I just got a response from the CPAES which is part of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Anyway, here is their response on courses having to come from the accounting department....

Yes, the accounting and business courses are first glanced over to see what comes from the specific departments. Some schools may not have an Accounting Department, but as long as the course is listed as an accounting course and is described as such in the course description then it would be used as accounting. For example, a course titled Financial Accounting from the Finance department would be an accounting course or Business Law from an Accounting department would be a business course. We only hold transcripts for up to 1 year waiting for a candidate to apply for the CPA Examination. Also, I believe the work experience must be obtained after you complete the CPA Examination, not before. But you can speak with the Accountancy Board of Ohio about the licensure requirements.

So it looks like as long as the course has accounting in the course description then it should be fine. Since the Adams State University auditing course is listed under the business courses and doesn't have accounting in the course description, I've submitted another email asking if they think it will still qualify.