[umair_shuja]

Hi All,

I am working in one of the Big4 firm as an IT Auditor for almost 5 years now with couple of certifications (CISA, CISM). I am exploring the option to do CPA as you need accountancy background even in IT audit department to be at the top (like Director or Head of Internal Audit if I go into industry) As it will get difficult for me to do it later so I was planning to do now instead.

I earned 192 credit hours towards my Bachelor’s degree (It was in Engineering btw) however none of the courses were related to business or accountancy? I want to know couple of things:

Is there any state which has 120/150 credit hours requirement irrespective of accountancy courses obligation?

Although I am confident that I can do it however can anyone with the technology background who is a CPA or currently doing it can share their views?

[leglock]

all i can tell you is that one of my live becker instructors was an engineer who, like you, wanted to get his cpa because it was beneficial for his career. he had absolutely no problem passing the test and even received that award for scoring as highly as he did. I think all his scores were over 92. He did this before all of the new requirements were implemented with respect to 150 hrs etc.

[stag]

The problem you will run into is that out of the 150 credits, there are going to be certain requirement for particular courses and numbers of credits must be in either accounting and/or business. My background was also engineering, but I have to take 22 classes in accounting/business in order to satisfy the state's requirement for CPA.

FAR - Aug 2013 Passed
REG - DEC 2013 Passed
BEC - FEB 2014 Passed
AUD - MAY 2014 Passed

BSEE = who needs accounting degree to pass CPA exams?

[Anonymous]

I haven't heard of any states that don't have the accounting requirement, but there are some relatively cheap/easy online options for getting your accounting credits. I used LSU for my accounting classes – is.lsu,edu . They're cheap and basically easy if you learn well by yourself, hard otherwise – no long lectures to sit through, but the flip side is that your only instruction is from the textbook. However, at hte time I took them, it was $364 for a 3-credit class, so I was all over it! I think they're about $550 for 3 credits now.

[Skynet]

If I was an Engineer and a CPA, I could build the Iron Man Suit for half the cost of Tony Stark's.

[umair_shuja]

So what are the options to get those required academic hours?

I was thinking may be I should apply and see whether they accept me or not. Is there a maximum time limit between registration and taking the first exam?

[stag]

I don't know what state you are applying to, different ones have different rules. In CT, you have to have 66 credits in accounting and business to sit for the exam, and the first exam must be taken within 6 months of approval of your application.

FAR - Aug 2013 Passed
REG - DEC 2013 Passed
BEC - FEB 2014 Passed
AUD - MAY 2014 Passed

BSEE = who needs accounting degree to pass CPA exams?

[overapplied]

You should contact your state society and ask them what their requirements are course wise. Here there is a fee for applying so you would be out that initial sum. (When your state society could probably just answer the question for free with a phone call).

I had a different path to this but have an engineering degree, and a business degree (prior to picking up an accounting certificate for the rest of the hours).

I had to have an additional 21 credits in accounting (My home state requires 27 credits in accounting, additional 12 credit hours in other business topics for a total of 39 hours).

Here is a handy chart you can look all the different state requirements up at:

https://www.thiswaytocpa.com/exam-licensure/state-requirements/

AUD - 75 - 07/06/2012
FAR - 72, 74, 82 - 05/30/2013
BEC - 84 - 01/16/2013
REG - 60ish, 84 - 08/16/2013

CISA - Passed

[stoleway]

Unfortunately, most states requires you to have some amount of business or accounting courses to be able sit for the exam. Maine is currently the only state which requires you to take a minimum amount of accounting or business classes (15hrs in total).

This might be the best option for you if you don't want to register for 30 or 24 hrs of accounting or business courses as required by most states.

Find time and call the Maine public board of accountancy to get some clarification on this. You can visit the website below for further information.

https://www.accountingedu.org/maine-cpa.html

https://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/maine/

You can also reach out to the Maine Board of Accountancy and explain your situation (I will take this step before I sign up for any classes).

Jenny Dalbeck

207.624.8603

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[overapplied]

Also once you get your license in a state you are licensed to practice just in that state. You would need to transfer it to other areas. Different states have different policies for this kind of transfer.

E.g., I know someone who moved to Florida and ended up having to take graduate level classes before they could become licensed there.

AUD - 75 - 07/06/2012
FAR - 72, 74, 82 - 05/30/2013
BEC - 84 - 01/16/2013
REG - 60ish, 84 - 08/16/2013

CISA - Passed

[Author]

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