Overview
The accounting certificate program is designed for individuals who already hold a baccalaureate degree in a major other than accounting. It is intended to prepare the person to enter the accounting profession.
To become licensed as a CPA in New York state, 33 semester hours of accounting coursework are required. The accounting certificate program only requires 28 semester hours of accounting coursework. Students planning to enter public accounting and achieve licensure as a CPA need five additional semester hours of accounting coursework, which can be obtained through additional courses in either the undergraduate accounting program or the MBA accounting program. Students should consult with the Office of Transfer Admissions or their academic advisor to assess individual situations if they want to become a CPA.
In addition, to become licensed as a CPA in the state of New York, a total of 69 semester hours of accounting and business coursework are required. The accounting certificate program only requires a total of 48 hours of credit. Students planning to enter public accounting and achieve licensure as a CPA need to make sure they have or plan to obtain the required 69 semester hours.
The entrance requirement is a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with at least 60 credits in the liberal arts, including MATH 112C - P4 Calculus for the Social Sciences, or equivalent, and CSCI 150 - P4 Life in a Digital World, or comparable coursework.
The program requires the following:
| ACCT 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 304, 310, 311, 401, 415 | (28) |
| ECON 105C, 106C, and 221 | (9) |
| FINA 315, and FINA 316 or 336 | (6) |
| MGMT 203 and 409 | (6) |
| Total | (49) |
Note: A minimum of 21 hours, including five credit-bearing accounting courses, must be taken at the College, including ACCT 202, 304, 310, 311, 401, and 415 (all with a grade of “C” or higher). A grade point average of 2.00 is required overall and for all accounting courses taken at Fisher.