Is it necessary to get a Master's degree in accounting in order to take the CPA exam

Is it necessary to get a Master's degree in accounting in order to take the CPA exam?
or could just a Bachelor's degree be enough?
Higher Education (University +) - 3 Answers

Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1
No, not at all - a Bachelor's is enough. But keep in mind that at many schools, a major in Accounting has become a 5 year course -- which is why you may be thinking it's a master's degree? Each state is a little different, but in most states, you have to have had enough accounting classes in college and a certain amount of experience (1 year seems to be the norm) before you can sit for the exam.


2
No


3
The distinction is between states that require 150 semester units and states that do not. A Master's degree is not required but certain universities in states that have adopted the 150 unit requirement are now offering concurrent Masters in Public Accounting. Such as the integrated MPA offered by the McCombs School at UT Austin: http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/mpa/integrated/ The Uniform CPA Exam is the same in every state, but the requirements to sit for the CPA Exam and to be licensed vary from state to state. In over half the states 150 units is now required; in some instance to sit for the exam, and in other instances to attain the CPA license. In California, a Bachelor's degree in any major that includes 24 units of accounting and 24 business related units allows a person to sift for the CPA exam. If a person has 120 units, he can gain the license with two years appropriate experience. With 150 units, the license only requires one year of appropriate experience. The 24 units in accounting and 24 units in business related subjects do not have to be taken as part of the Bachelor's degree program. They can be completed long after the bachelor's degree was earned. The requirements for California are found on pages 3-5 of California Board of Accountancy "Uniform CPA Examination Handbook(First-Time Applicants)" available at this link. http://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/publications/exambk1.pdf Florida requires the most accounting education of any state: 36 upper division Accounting units and 150 units overall. But no experience is required for licensure: http://www.myflorida.com/dbpr/cpa/CPA-examlink1.html New York goes to the 150 unit requirement this Summer. Texas and Illinois also require 150 units. A CPA needs to be licensed in the state he practices in. Go to the State Board of Accountancy website for full details of what is required in a state. Requirements for all states can be accessed at this link: http://www.beckercpa.com/state/index.cfm