Bachelors in Accounting and Human Resources?

[sanantone]

TESU does have a CPA track. Their pass rate for the New Jersey CPA exam is pretty high, but these students likely took their accounting courses at TESU.

https://www.tesu.edu/business/bsba/accountingcpa

Is this the CPA track for all states?  I'm guessing that if you're getting your accounting courses in one state, and taking your CPA in that same state, that your instructors are going to give you state-specific info that will help you in that state.

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The Uniform CPA Examination is a national test offered by AICPA. TESU's New Jersey track and Excelsior's New York track just means that their programs include the courses required for licensing within their states. However, requirements don't vary much by state. 150 credits has become standard, and most states don't require AACSB or ACBSP accreditation. Texas is an anomaly because of its face-to-face requirements. The only thing people really need to watch out for is how their states treat alternative sources of college credit.

[davewill]

The Uniform CPA Examination is a national test offered by AICPA. TESU's New Jersey track and Excelsior's New York track just means that their programs include the courses required for licensing within their states. However, requirements don't vary much by state. 150 credits has become standard, and most states don't require AACSB or ACBSP accreditation. Texas is an anomaly because of its face-to-face requirements. The only thing people really need to watch out for is how their states treat alternative sources of college credit.

Exactly, otherwise nobody could go to school out of state, then come home and get licensed. With the 150 credit requirement, it's becoming more and more common to use those extra 30 credits towards a Master's in Accounting. I think that dfrecore's idea of at least starting the WGU MS Accounting degree to get the extra credits is probably sound.

[AMRH94]

The Uniform CPA Examination is a national test offered by AICPA. TESU's New Jersey track and Excelsior's New York track just means that their programs include the courses required for licensing within their states. However, requirements don't vary much by state. 150 credits has become standard, and most states don't require AACSB or ACBSP accreditation. Texas is an anomaly because of its face-to-face requirements. The only thing people really need to watch out for is how their states treat alternative sources of college credit.

Exactly, otherwise nobody could go to school out of state, then come home and get licensed. With the 150 credit requirement, it's becoming more and more common to use those extra 30 credits towards a Master's in Accounting. I think that dfrecore's idea of at least starting the WGU MS Accounting degree to get the extra credits is probably sound.

This is definitely an option. My concern is that I'd be unprepared for a MS Accounting program since I'm using the Study.com accounting courses to meet the requirements of my BSBA in Accounting, and the SDC courses have been a bit of a disappointment in both quality and content. Though if I have any intention of eventually sitting for the CPA exam a more rigorous accounting program is probably exactly what I need.

[davewill]

This is definitely an option. My concern is that I'd be unprepared for a MS Accounting program since I'm using the Study.com accounting courses to meet the requirements of my BSBA in Accounting, and the SDC courses have been a bit of a disappointment in both quality and content. Though if I have any intention of eventually sitting for the CPA exam a more rigorous accounting program is probably exactly what I need.

Most of the basic accounting courses are available at the community college level, so that's always an option if you really need to take them again. Also, I just searched for "Accounting MOOCs" and came up with some free and low cost choices if you just want to study and fill in gaps.

[sanantone]

The Uniform CPA Examination is a national test offered by AICPA. TESU's New Jersey track and Excelsior's New York track just means that their programs include the courses required for licensing within their states. However, requirements don't vary much by state. 150 credits has become standard, and most states don't require AACSB or ACBSP accreditation. Texas is an anomaly because of its face-to-face requirements. The only thing people really need to watch out for is how their states treat alternative sources of college credit.

Exactly, otherwise nobody could go to school out of state, then come home and get licensed. With the 150 credit requirement, it's becoming more and more common to use those extra 30 credits towards a Master's in Accounting. I think that dfrecore's idea of at least starting the WGU MS Accounting degree to get the extra credits is probably sound.

This is definitely an option. My concern is that I'd be unprepared for a MS Accounting program since I'm using the Study.com accounting courses to meet the requirements of my BSBA in Accounting, and the SDC courses have been a bit of a disappointment in both quality and content. Though if I have any intention of eventually sitting for the CPA exam a more rigorous accounting program is probably exactly what I need.

I don't know how WGU graduates typically do on the CPA exam, but you're mostly teaching yourself in competency-based programs. However, the standards you have to meet and the content you have to learn are higher than what one encounters in Study.com courses. 

LSU offers an undergraduate certificate in accounting that comes out to be $886 per 3-credit course, and the courses are self-paced. You can enroll in the CSU Global SSA courses for free and see if you like their materials better. When you're ready to take the final, the cost is $250.

Straighterline tends to cover material at a higher level than Study.com. Honestly, I think people should go through accounting textbooks and go through books of practice questions. The Study.com videos are awful.

[dfrecore]

This is definitely an option. My concern is that I'd be unprepared for a MS Accounting program since I'm using the Study.com accounting courses to meet the requirements of my BSBA in Accounting, and the SDC courses have been a bit of a disappointment in both quality and content. Though if I have any intention of eventually sitting for the CPA exam a more rigorous accounting program is probably exactly what I need.

Most of the basic accounting courses are available at the community college level, so that's always an option if you really need to take them again. Also, I just searched for "Accounting MOOCs" and came up with some free and low cost choices if you just want to study and fill in gaps.

A lot of CC's don't have much in the way of accounting beyond Accounting I & II, some may have Intermediate I & II.

So I'm thinking your best bet is to learn online as best you can, take any requirements you need to meet your state requirement, and then to join a study group to pass your CPA.

And no, Study.com is not enough in and of itself to get you the knowledge you need to pass the CPA.  I tend to think of them as a way to get a degree, especially for someone who already has a lot of knowledge in an area.  That's why I don't necessarily think an 18yo should get a degree in accounting using our methods - they need a lot more than this to get a good job and succeed in it.

[sanantone]

I would bet that a lot of TESU's accounting students have been working in accounting-related jobs for years i.e. bookkeeping, accounting technician, and tax preparation. That's probably why they had the highest CPA exam pass rate in 2011.

[dfrecore]

TESU does have a CPA track. Their pass rate for the New Jersey CPA exam is pretty high, but these students likely took their accounting courses at TESU.

https://www.tesu.edu/business/bsba/accountingcpa

Is this the CPA track for all states?  I'm guessing that if you're getting your accounting courses in one state, and taking your CPA in that same state, that your instructors are going to give you state-specific info that will help you in that state.

---

The Uniform CPA Examination is a national test offered by AICPA. TESU's New Jersey track and Excelsior's New York track just means that their programs include the courses required for licensing within their states. However, requirements don't vary much by state. 150 credits has become standard, and most states don't require AACSB or ACBSP accreditation. Texas is an anomaly because of its face-to-face requirements. The only thing people really need to watch out for is how their states treat alternative sources of college credit.

I didn't realize it was national, I thought it might be state-by-state, like the Bar exams.

[Jenniferinfl]

Just wanted to update this, I applied to both WGU and TESU. Unfortunately TESU is going to be a nonstarter because of Florida's CPA requirements. WGU barely works because Florida's CPA board just approved their credits in 2017.

It looked like WGU was only going to accept a couple of my CLEP credits, but, it turns out college board only sent two of my scores instead of all of my scores.

Honestly, if you want to be a CPA, a BS in Accounting is a far better choice than a BSBA with a concentration in Accounting.  Far better.  I'd suggest you go ahead and get the MS in Accounting as well, and then you should be very well prepared to sit for the CPA (with additional studying of course).  But you'll have SO much more accounting under your belt this way.

That was the conclusion I came to as well. Right now I'm hoping to get to do my masters at Stetson since they seem better connected, but, we'll see if they take me. Unfortunately WGU's straight 3.0 GPA doesn't make for a very competitive application. I was hoping to diversify a bit and get my masters somewhere other than WGU, but, it looks like the only real options are Purdue Global or Stetson both of which are a lot more expensive than WGU.

[Jenniferinfl]

Finally enrolled to start at WGU on April 1st. I have 66 credits to go- Hoping to manage it in one or two terms. There were probably 10 more courses I could have taken on straighterline or Study.com, but, didn't have $1100 to make that happen.