When you take the university course you need for Bachelor's degree in accounting or business, you will be on your way to becoming a CPA. Most accountants have job offers to start their career before they finish their final year of university, but this is in an entry –level as a junior accountant. If you want to advance your career, you should take a close look at what it takes to become a certified public accountant because this designation opens up a whole world of possibilities for positions in which you can advance your career.
The acronym CPA refers to certified public accountant and it means you are licensed to practice in most areas of the accounting industry. There are different regulations regarding the road to certification in different states, so you should check these regulations for the state in which you wish to work. It is a prestigious designation that demonstrates to employers that you have the professional ethics, skills and abilities needed to take on challenging and complex issues in the accounting field. You do have to take additional courses and write a comprehensive four-part exam to obtain this certificate, so it is not something that you can achieve overnight.
When you want to become a CPA, you have to pass the Uniform exam wherever you are in the country. The requirements fore eligibility include twenty-four semester units in accounting related subjects and twenty-four semester units in business related subjects over as part of those completed for the undergraduate degree. Before you can write the exam, you must have at least two years of experience working as an accountant. If you choose to work towards achieving a Master’s degree in accounting or business, only one year of experience is required in most states. If you plan to work in New York State, then you will need much more experience than is required in other areas.
Another requirement you must meet in order to write the CPA exam is that you have to complete 150 hours of continuing education courses over and above that which was required for your degree. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants administers the exam and has many resources that will help you succeed. It is important to recognize that the exam is very comprehensive and difficult and very few accountants pass it the first time they take it. You take one part of the exam at a time and you can take two exams in a three-month period, but you are not permitted to take a repeat exam in that time frame. Once you pass one part of the exam, your credit for it will remain in place for eighteen months. Basically, you have eighteen months to complete the exam if you don’t want to lose any credits you have earned and have to retake the exam.
In the application process for registering for the CPA exam, you have to submit your university transcripts to prove you have an undergraduate degree. You also have to submit character references to show that you are of high moral character as well as statements from your employers to prove that you do meet the work experience requirements. Many employers encourage their accountants to pursue this certification and pay the fees associated with the registration process as an incentive.
