Effective January 1, 2012, Pennsylvania changed the education requirements to become a CPA.  CPA candidates will need a bachelor’s or master’s degree and at least 150-semester credit hours—including a minimum of 36-credit hours in accounting and related subjects (tax, auditing, finance, business law).  The required credits can be accomplished through courses taken at the undergraduate, graduate, or a combination
of both levels.

The Accounting Faculty at Kutztown University is dedicated to working on an individual basis with each student interested in pursuing the CPA designation.  No two students are the same and it is our goal to help each student devise the best program to meet their individual needs. 

Upon selecting Accounting as a major, students will be assigned an accounting faculty member as an advisor.   The advisor will assist students in planning their academic schedule and will be available to discuss career opportunities.  For those students interested in pursuing the CPA designation, faculty advisors will also help chart a path to satisfy the
150-hour requirement. 

Specific options a student might choose to satisfy the 150-credit hour requirement include:

• Completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Kutztown University’s MBA requires 30 credits and when coupled with a bachelor’s degree in accounting meets the 150-hour requirement.

• Completing a specialized graduate degree (e.g., a Master of Science in Accountancy or a Master of Science in Taxation).

• Completing the 150-hours (and meeting the 36-credit hour requirement in accounting and related subjects) within Kutztown’s traditional 4-year undergraduate program for Accounting majors.  The cost is minimized by taking extra credits during spring and fall semesters, taking courses in the summer, successfully passing CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exams, and utilizing any AP (Advanced Placement) credits.

• Dual majoring. For instance, a student interested in fraud or forensic accounting may be well advised to dual major in Accounting and Criminal Justice. A dual major of Accounting and Finance has already been a choice of several students.

You are encouraged to contact any Accounting Faculty member if you have questions about the 150-hour requirement, the accounting curriculum, career options, dual majors, etc.

updated February 2012