How to get 30 extra credits for CPA license?

[acethroughcollege]

At what point do I add a minor? Before or after enrollment? Will that increase the amount of credits I can transfer in?

You can add a minor after you're enrolled. It will not increase the number of credits you can transfer in. You must take 30 credits at UMPI and there's a minimum of UL courses required to be completed at UMPI as well. The minor will replace the General Elective courses.

Most of the minors have 6 courses which would be 18 credits.  How will this route enable me to get the 30 credits I need?

[bjcheung77]

My suggestion has been recommended already, for the cost of a WGU Masters in Accounting degree you hit multiple hurdles and get a degree in the end. Here's a previous post of mine, it's pretty much what I am going to be recommending you as well to get the extra credits with the Masters. Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid353500

[ss20ts]

At what point do I add a minor? Before or after enrollment? Will that increase the amount of credits I can transfer in?

You can add a minor after you're enrolled. It will not increase the number of credits you can transfer in. You must take 30 credits at UMPI and there's a minimum of UL courses required to be completed at UMPI as well. The minor will replace the General Elective courses.

Most of the minors have 6 courses which would be 18 credits.  How will this route enable me to get the 30 credits I need?

What are you looking to do? You can have multiple minors. Keep in mind that many classes fill multiple minors though. You're required to complete a minimum of 30 credits at UMPI.

[acethroughcollege]

At what point do I add a minor? Before or after enrollment? Will that increase the amount of credits I can transfer in?

You can add a minor after you're enrolled. It will not increase the number of credits you can transfer in. You must take 30 credits at UMPI and there's a minimum of UL courses required to be completed at UMPI as well. The minor will replace the General Elective courses.

Most of the minors have 6 courses which would be 18 credits.  How will this route enable me to get the 30 credits I need?

What are you looking to do? You can have multiple minors. Keep in mind that many classes fill multiple minors though. You're required to complete a minimum of 30 credits at UMPI.

Masters is not an option right now I want to have the option to go to law school which means the 60 credits I want has to be before the bachelors.

I just need 60 graded credits and 150 credits for the CPA done by the time I get out of the bachelors program at UMPI.

Is the minor the way to go or another major?

[thecontrarian]

1.  Check the requirements for initial CPA licensure in your state (or the state where you want to be licensed initially). The 150-hour/accounting major is pretty much standard, but every state is a little different. Texas, for instance, requires 30 hours of upper level accounting, 2 hours in accounting/tax research, and 3 credits in a board-approved ethics course. New York requires a course in fraud examination. You may need specific courses to meet your states specific requirements. Also, note that most states have a requirement (often 90 or 120 hours with some accounting) to sit for the exam and a different requirement (150 total hours, more accounting, etc) to actually be licensed. Be sure you understand both.

I am in NJ and they say:
To sit for the CPA Exam in New Jersey

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from accredited school/university
  
• 24 semester hours in accounting and 24 semester hours in business
  
• Minimum of 120 semester hours
  
• Degree can be in any field of study
  

To become licensed in New Jersey

• 150 semester hours from accredited school. Credits can be obtained within or beyond a degree program.
  
• One year of experience (1,750 hours) working under a CPA whose active license is from NJ or from a state that is substantially equivalent to NJ. Currently all states are substantially equivalent. The experience must be in the areas of auditing or accounting.
  

2. I have not seen a state that says that the “extra” 30 hours has to be completed after your bachelor’s degree. That doesn’t say they don’t exist—see point 1. So, more likely than not you can simply complete 150 hours in your bachelor’s degree.

It doesnt say it has to be after the degree.

Assuming your state does not limit ACE credits (my home state/the state where I want to be initially licensed does), you could take more ACE classes add more ACE credits to your UMPI transcript. That might be cheaper and easier than more UMPI coursework.

Adding one or more additional major, minor, or concentration at UMPI should also do the trick. 

What are ACE credits?

3. According to that I have been told/read online, a lot of people have taken random community college courses to get to 150. If you could do one of the free semesters/bunch some free courses from the different things that get posted on this board or you live in a place with cheap CC tuition, that is an option.

I will keep an eye out for these.

4. A master’s degree. Note that I didn’t say anything about it being in accounting. Unless you need to meet state-specific requirements, it wouldn’t need to be in accounting. If you have a particular interest within accounting, it might even make sense to pursue a degree in a different field. A degree in taxation, IT/CIS/CS (useful since so much accounting data is electronic/born digital), finance, or even an MBA could be very helpful, depending on your ambition/desired path.

Personally, I am drawn to the Emporia State master’s in accounting. It’s around $10,000 and has some course options that seem really interesting. It’s AACSB accredit and a non-profit/state school.

I also am considering the WGU master’s in accounting. It is $4,675 per term. I have tried researching online if this degree can be completed in 1 term, but haven’t been able to find that out. Even 2 terms would be less than $10k, so definitely not bad for an ACBSP master’s degree. PLUS, you receive the Wiley CPA review course at no cost upon completion. I haven’t taken the time to figure out which version you get, but that is hundreds of dollars worth of a perk.

I am also considering doing a Level 7 diploma in Accounting and Finance (and maybe a top-up MSc degree in Accounting and Finance), as described here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...rings-Grad and here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid344463  I haven’t been able to find too much information about these top up degrees being evaluated in the US, but it seems the Level 7 diplomas are routinely evaluated as graduate certificates and the top-up masters as master’s degrees by WES Canada, see this forum: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigr...ba.623151/  This option is right in line cost-wise with 1 term at WGU for the Level 7 plus top-up, significantly less for the the Level 7/grad certificate.

Hmmm...I have not heard of these but I will consider an accounting masters. Thanks for that info. 

My goal is to open a small accounting firm of my own and just do basic stuff for people to start, like taxes etc.  Later I might take the EA exam and go further. To be honest I dont know where the degree might lead to.  

On the ACE credit thing.

NJ accepts Online, RA transferred, AP, CLEP, and ACE.

[bjcheung77]

You may want to review this thread, I just made a comment on the 30 credits: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...60-credits

[davewill]

One thing to note if you're going to try and fill these through ACE or other alternative credit is that they need to get onto a college transcript to work. If you wait until after your bachelor's degree confers, you may find it hard to do that without paying for credit banking somewhere.

One way to work around that is to register for another degree, a second bachelor's or even an associate's, so that you remain an enrolled student after graduation and can send in your alternative credit and get it on your transcript. It's not necessary to actually work on that second degree, or ever actually earn it, you just want to remain enrolled and able to add to your transcript.

[Gloddy]

1.  Check the requirements for initial CPA licensure in your state (or the state where you want to be licensed initially). The 150-hour/accounting major is pretty much standard, but every state is a little different. Texas, for instance, requires 30 hours of upper level accounting, 2 hours in accounting/tax research, and 3 credits in a board-approved ethics course. New York requires a course in fraud examination. You may need specific courses to meet your states specific requirements. Also, note that most states have a requirement (often 90 or 120 hours with some accounting) to sit for the exam and a different requirement (150 total hours, more accounting, etc) to actually be licensed. Be sure you understand both.

2. I have not seen a state that says that the “extra” 30 hours has to be completed after your bachelor’s degree. That doesn’t say they don’t exist—see point 1. So, more likely than not you can simply complete 150 hours in your bachelor’s degree.

Assuming your state does not limit ACE credits (my home state/the state where I want to be initially licensed does), you could take more ACE classes add more ACE credits to your UMPI transcript. That might be cheaper and easier than more UMPI coursework.

Adding one or more additional major, minor, or concentration at UMPI should also do the trick. 

3. According to that I have been told/read online, a lot of people have taken random community college courses to get to 150. If you could do one of the free semesters/bunch some free courses from the different things that get posted on this board or you live in a place with cheap CC tuition, that is an option.

4. A master’s degree. Note that I didn’t say anything about it being in accounting. Unless you need to meet state-specific requirements, it wouldn’t need to be in accounting. If you have a particular interest within accounting, it might even make sense to pursue a degree in a different field. A degree in taxation, IT/CIS/CS (useful since so much accounting data is electronic/born digital), finance, or even an MBA could be very helpful, depending on your ambition/desired path.

Personally, I am drawn to the Emporia State master’s in accounting. It’s around $10,000 and has some course options that seem really interesting. It’s AACSB accredit and a non-profit/state school.

I also am considering the WGU master’s in accounting. It is $4,675 per term. I have tried researching online if this degree can be completed in 1 term, but haven’t been able to find that out. Even 2 terms would be less than $10k, so definitely not bad for an ACBSP master’s degree. PLUS, you receive the Wiley CPA review course at no cost upon completion. I haven’t taken the time to figure out which version you get, but that is hundreds of dollars worth of a perk.

I am also considering doing a Level 7 diploma in Accounting and Finance (and maybe a top-up MSc degree in Accounting and Finance), as described here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...rings-Grad and here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid344463  I haven’t been able to find too much information about these top up degrees being evaluated in the US, but it seems the Level 7 diplomas are routinely evaluated as graduate certificates and the top-up masters as master’s degrees by WES Canada, see this forum: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigr...ba.623151/  This option is right in line cost-wise with 1 term at WGU for the Level 7 plus top-up, significantly less for the the Level 7/grad certificate.

Thank You for this response.  I am curious if you or anyone reading this has a recommendation for a school that offers a Masters in Taxation?  Not a Masters in Account with a focus on Taxation.  I do not plan to get my CPA. I am a Financial Planner for an RIA that provides tax-advantaged investments to affluent business owners.

I reviewed two schools so far, Villanova and University of Cincinnati. Villanova waives the GMAT for CFPs, which I am and Cincinnati doesn't require it. The challenge is the cost.  V = $46,500 and C = $34,500 before books and other fees.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[acethroughcollege]

One thing to note if you're going to try and fill these through ACE or other alternative credit is that they need to get onto a college transcript to work. If you wait until after your bachelor's degree confers, you may find it hard to do that without paying for credit banking somewhere.

One way to work around that is to register for another degree, a second bachelor's or even an associate's, so that you remain an enrolled student after graduation and can send in your alternative credit and get it on your transcript. It's not necessary to actually work on that second degree, or ever actually earn it, you just want to remain enrolled and able to add to your transcript.

I dont understand what you mean by credit banking.

[rachel83az]

Credit banking is the process of getting all credits from various sources onto a single college transcript, even though you're not currently seeking a degree. When obtaining credits for employment, they usually don't want to see (for instance) a TESU transcript AND a UMPI transcript AND an ACE (Credly) transcript AND a UExcel transcript. They just want everything listed neatly on a single transcript.

Professional credit banking usually starts at a few hundred dollars a year. Pretending you're seeking another degree (or even a certificate) can be a way to credit bank without paying the ridiculous fees for doing so.