[Scale]

I have a B.A. in Political Science, now I am two classes away from getting my MBA. If I spend $5,000 and take two more graduate classes, I will have the MBA (w/concentration in Accounting). But if I spend $300 and take the two classes at community college, I will get the knowledge without the MBA (w/concentration in Accounting).

First Topic:

Is the concentration in Accounting being attached to my MBA worth $5,000? Is having an MBA with a CPA license good enough to be marketable? Or must I have the MBA (w/concentration in Accounting) and a CPA license to be marketable since I do not have an Accounting Degree?

Second Topic:

The CPA exam tests on Auditing, Individual Tax, Corporate Tax, Financial Accounting and Reporting. In preparing for the CPA exam, is a CPA Exam prep course enough to prepare me for the CPA exam? Or must I take classes in Auditing, Tax, and Financial Accounting and reporting first; and then take a CPA prep-course to prepare for the CPA exam?

Final Topic:

After I pass the CPA exam, I must work under a CPA for a year to get licensed. What is the quickest area of Accounting to work in, to satisfy that 1 year requirement for licensure? What type of jobs should I focus on just get that CPA license— given the fact that I have a Political Science degree, an MBA, and no Accounting Degree.

[aaronmo]

MBA and CPA together should be more than ample. However…you're assuming you can pass…let's say you don't; I think an MBA with accounting is significantly more valuable than without. If it were me, I'd get the accounting focus.

The second question depends largely on you. It can be done, it's easier with more background. Keep in mind, you need accounting credits to sit the exam and for the license. Check state laws.

A year in audit is the same as a year in tax. Which is heavier…10 pounds of bricks or 10 pounds of jello?

As someone with a liberal arts degree, your poli-sci degree is worthless, other than that you have a degree. I would say at least you can write/think, but poli-sci is typically pretty marginal there too. Without something that says accounting, you're likely going to need to pass at least a few exams first. At least that's how it was for me. You need something that says you're in accounting.

[Lidis]

Hello Scale,
I believe a MBA with a concentration in accounting is a good combination and make you more marketable. And to sit for the CPA, the CPA board at the state that you plan to sit in will outline the requirements that you must meet.
Congratulations in your achievement and welcome to the forum.
Lidis

[Scale]

Thanx arronmo! I didn't realize that my Political Science degree was worthless until it was too late. I am hoping to pass that CPA exam. I've taken: Intro to accounting, F. Accounting, M. Accounting, Income Tax, and intermediate accounting. I haven't taken the 2nd intermediate accounting class, cost accounting, corporate taxation, auditing, or advanced accounting yet. Those prep-courses cost 2-3 grand, so I'm wondering if the prep-course is just enough. Anywho, thanx for the advice. I guess I'll just spend the extra 5 grand.

[Scale]

Hey Lidis, thank you for responding! I plan to sit for the CPA exam in Pennsylvania. I need 24 credits in Business and accounting subjects to sit for the CPA exam in Pennsylvania, which I've gotten through the MBA. And I need 12 units in accounting subjects for licensure, which I only need 4 more units for. I'm just wondering if ROGER CPA is enough, or if I need to take: Intermediate accounting 2, corporate taxation, Cost accounting, Auditing, and Advanced Accounting; before I take that exam. I guess I will find out soon. Thank you kindly for your response.

[jenpen]

My recommendation (from someone who took this path) is to contact your state board and make sure you’ll have the classes you need. I contacted mine before I started my MBA to make sure it would all work in my favor. I made sure the accounting classes I took would qualify. The accounting concentration only needed like 2 or 3 courses, so I took all of my electives in accounting to get the courses I needed. My state required 30 accounting hours and like 5 specific courses, including auditing and tax among others. For my diploma, the concentration doesn’t show up anywhere, so if someone walks into my office and checks out my diplomas I have no accounting degree. I went with the MBA vs an accounting masters because I wanted to be more diverse and not holing myself into accounting in case I hated it.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[aaronmo]

I would take Intermediate 2 before trying for the exam…that's the biggest piece of the CPA FAR exam. That's the class that typically separates the accountants from the MBAs if that makes sense. Take that class and you'll know if this is what you actually want. Audit would certainly help with audit and Cost would help a lot with BEC. I think REG can be done without tax. A course in business law would help.

I took the exam in PA btw…and had a slightly similar background (weaker in some ways, at least in terms of getting a job, but stronger in others). Do the MBA/Acctng program (it'll make getting some jobs easier…corporate and govt. for example). Take the exams.

[Scale]

THANX ALOT ARRONMO!! That is the type of advice that I REALLY need. Which classes would help on certain sections of the CPA exam. Because some of these colleges offer classes like, Payroll Accounting, Applied Accounting, Commercial Accounting Software, Accounting for Government and Non-Profit organizations, and computerized quickbooks Accounting. And I want to know which classes will help with the exam, and which classes will not help with the exam so I don't waste my time and money. Thank you again. Very helpful information.

[Scale]

Hi Jennifer, thank you for responding. I never thought to ask whether the board had “specific” classes that I needed to have. The website just says i need a certain amount of “units in accounting.” You have an MBA (w/concentration in Accounting)? and it doesn't even say “concentration in Accounting” on your actual degree? WOW! I need to check with my school to make sure my diploma says “concentration in Accounting” on it. Thanks for the advice!!

[jenpen]

Like someone else said, I wouldn’t worry too much about covering the exam with your classes. As long as you have the basics, the study softwares will really do a lot of the work for you. I needed managerial, auditing, tax, and financial for my state.

Basically, FAR is financial accounting with government and NFP, AUD is obviously auditing, REG is tax and business law, and BEC is Econ, IT, and managerial accounting.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[aaronmo]

Govt/NFPO would help with the exam, but what's on the exam isn't so detailed that you can't pick it up with just the prep. I liked govt/NFPO and found that it helped me understand a lot of how certain things work better. It's a worthwhile class IMO, but it's not 100% YOU NEED IT FOR EXAM.

Payroll accounting is called job training. That's fluff. The other stuff you mentioned sounded like accounting lite course work designed for finance and marketing majors. I'm not even sure if PA would accept those as accounting classes, but I don't remember their guidelines well.

If you haven't used Quick Books at work…that's a class to strongly consider. It is job skill, but it's a really critical one, and it's one that most people have before their first accounting job.

[Author]

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