CPA Exam Prep 2

This certificate is designed forstudents working toward their Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.  A CPA license is a specialized and highlyregarded credential in the field of accounting. Obtaining a CPA license enables individuals work in public accounting,corporate accounting, business, government, not-for-profit, and educationfields.[1]  The CPA Exam consists of four segments (1)Auditing and Attestation, (2) Business Environment & Concepts, (3)Financial Accounting & Reporting, and (4) Regulation.  The CPA Exam Preparation 2 Certificateprepares students for the Business Environment & Concepts section of theCPA Exam.   

 

Theclasses included in this certificate meet the 150-semester hour requirement forlicensure in California. 

Uponsuccessful completion of this certificate, students will

·        Understand the concepts, computations, and reportingrequirements needed to pass the Business Environment & Concepts part of theCPA exam.

·        Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical standardsestablished by related professional organizations.

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[1] “Become a CPA.” AICPA, aicpa.org.  AmericanInstitute of CPAs.  Web.  26. Jul. 2020.

Certificate Program:
For students preparing for the CPA exam, Mission projects 15 graduates a year.

 

Estimates of the number of sections of core courses to be offered annually:

•       15-16sections of ACC 001A courses offered at Mission.

•       8-9sections of ACC 001B courses offered at Mission.

•       2-6sections of ACC 070 course offered at Mission. 

•       1section of ACC 051A, 051B, 057A, 058A, 058B, 059A, 066, 067, 075, 77 course offered at Mission.

Therefore, our department proposes a suite of certificates that mirror the sections of the CPA Exam.  These certificates would be designed to prepare students for that part of the exam. The proposed certificates are:

1. CPA Exam Preparation 1: Auditing & Attestation (AUD)
2. CPA Exam Preparation 2: Business Environment & Concepts (BEC)
3. CPA Exam Preparation 3: Financial Accounting & Reporting (FAR)
4. CPA Exam Preparation 4: Regulation (REG)

The new certificates are based mainly on the same core curriculum as our current Accounting A.S. degree, therefore, few new classes need to be submitted for the creation of this certification.  Also, the classes can be taught by existing faculty and utilize existing facilities on campus. 

 Other benefits of these new certificates include:

·        Preparing student for specialized certification in the industry.

·    Providing students with a credential option for those not wishing to complete an associate’s degree.

·  Providing students with an affordable alternative to other programs.  Similar certificates in our area can reach as much as $14,850 in cost.[5] 

·    Increasing the marketability of the college.  Many of the surrounding community colleges, offer a similar certificate.[6]  Not having this as an option for our students places us at a competitive disadvantage and may negatively impact our enrollment in the long-term.

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[1] “Article 2. Comprehensive Mission Statement[66010.4.]”  California LegislativeEducation Code leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.  Web.  26. Feb. 2020.

[2] Franklin, Mitchell, et. al.  “Principles of Accounting, Volume 2:Managerial Accounting”.  RiceUniversity.  OpenStax.org.  2019, pp. 36-37.  

[3] “Accounting and Auditors.”  Occupational Outlook,bls.gov.  U.S. Bureau of LaborStatistics.  Web. 27. Feb. 2020. 

[4] “What is the Uniform CPA Examination?”  NASBA, nasba.org.  National Association of State Boards ofAccountancy.  Web.  26. Feb. 2020.

[5] “Tuition and Financial Aid.” Leavey School of Business,scu.edu.  Santa Clara University.  Web. 4. March. 2020.

[6] “Certificate of Achievement in CPA ExaminationPreparation.”  Accounting,Foothill.edu.  Foothill College.  Web. 9. March. 2020.

“CPA Exam Prep: Accounting Foundation.”  Degrees and Certificates,collegeofsanmateo.edu.  College of SanMateo.  Web.  9. March. 2020.

The goal of the California Community College system is to “offer academic and vocational instruction at the lower division level for both younger and older students, including those persons returning to school.”[1]  This mirrors the Accounting Department’s objective, stated in our Program of Study summary (approved by the state3/7/2018), which is to prepare students for entry level accounting positions, career advancement and to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.  The focus of these new certificates is to assist in reaching the latter program goal of preparing students to take the CPA exam. 

The Certified Public Accountant(CPA) designation is considered the top tier in accounting certifications and is highly regarded around the world.[2]  Those individuals possessing this certification find work in all areas of accounting for companies of all sizes and formations.  According to the bureau of labor statistics, the job outlook for accountants over the next ten years is anticipated to grow at 6% (as fast as the national average) with a median annual income of $70,500.[3]  Therefore, we believe preparing students for this technical professional certification falls in line with our program’s goal.  

In order to become a Certified Public Accountant, candidates must take the uniform Certified Public Accountant(CPA) exam, developed by the AICPA and assisted by NASBA and state boards of accountancy[4].The CPA exam consists of four separate sections.  They are (1) Auditing and Attestation, (2)Business Environment & Concepts, (3) Financial Accounting & Reporting, and (4) Regulation.  Our new certificates would prepare students by offering certificates that focus on each these individual sections. 

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
ACC 001A ACC 001B ACC 057A ECN 001A One Elective: ACC 073 ACC 075	Financial Accounting Managerial Accounting Cost Accounting Principles of Macroeconomics Cloud Computing & Analytics in Accounting Business Processes & Enterprise Resource Planning Systems	4 4 4 4 4	Year 1, Fall Year 1, Spring Year 2, Fall Year 1, Spring Year 2, Spring Year 2, Fall

The creation of these CPA Exam Preparation certificates is well-supported by the department’s advisory board

When surveying the local area, you will find nine community colleges within 25 miles from Mission College. They are: San Jose City, DeAnza, West Valley, Foothill, Evergreen Valley, Ohlone, Canada, Chabot, and College of San Mateo. Of the nine, three offer CPA exam preparation certificates. When the search is expanded to some private programs, we find a few more participants in this area. Santa Clara University’s is the most well-known in the area. The university has responded to the demand of CPA candidates by creating a Certificate of Advanced Accounting Proficiency (CAAP) several years ago to align to the new educational requirements put forth by the California Board of Accountancy. Santa Clara University boasts that this certificate “grants the necessary accounting units to sit for the California CPA exam” . The program consists of 8 accounting classes and carries a price tag of $14,850. The classes offered in this certificate are Introduction to Financial Accounting, Intermediate Financial Accounting I, Intermediate Financial Accounting II, Auditing, Advanced Accounting, Cost Management and Strategy, Tax Aspects of Business Decisions, and Accounting Information Systems. The classes we propose as part of our CPA exam preparation certificates are identical. See comparison below: Santa Clara University Mission College CID Course Units CID Course Units ACTG 180 Introduction to Financial Accounting 5.0 ACC 001A Introduction to Financial Accounting 4.0 ACTG 181 Intermediate Financial Accounting I 6.0 ACC 058A Intermediate Financial Accounting I 4.0 ACTG 182 Intermediate Financial Accounting II 6.0 ACC 058B Intermediate Financial Accounting II 4.0 ACTG 183 Auditing 5.0 ACC 059A Financial Auditing 4.0 ACTG 184 Advanced Accounting 6.0 ACC 067 Advanced Accounting 4.0 ACTG 185 Cost Management and Strategy 6.0 ACC 057A Cost Accounting 4.0 ACTG 186 Tax Aspects of Business Decisions 6.0 ACC 051B Taxation of Business Entities 3.0 ACTG 187 Accounting Information Systems 5.0 ACC 073 Accounting Information Systems 4.0 Total Quarter Units 45.0 Total Semester Units (converted) 30.0 Total Semester Units 31.0 Therefore, our certificate offers students an accessible and affordable option. Students in our local community will no longer have to commute to the 2-year colleges offering CPA exam preparation certificates (only Chabot and College of San Mateo) and we will offer our local students an affordable option over Santa Clara University’s specialty certificate program. In fact, our certificates go a step further than the CAAP offered at Santa Clara University, as our four certificates align to the four sections of the CPA Exam. So if a student is focusing on one exam section, they can follow the classes outlined on the respective exam certificate. Having this structured will prove user-friendly to students and helpful to counselors as they advise their learners.