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Certificate

Accounting

Professional Certificate

About the Accounting Program

Ready to take your accounting career to the next level? The certificate in Accounting is designed for professionals currently in the field who want to enhance their expertise or those pursuing a new career in accounting.

UC San Diego Extended Studies Professional Certificate in Accounting offers a comprehensive grounding in accounting skills and an understanding of the environment in which today's accountant works. The program is designed for professionals currently in the field who want to enhance their expertise or those pursuing a new career in accounting. It provides a robust foundation in areas such as public accounting, corporate accounting, personal financial planning, and auditing. Additionally, the program is well-suited for professionals needing academic units to qualify for the CPA exam or licensure.*

Program courses are taught by subject matter experts and experienced faculty, offering a current and relevant curriculum to meet the CPA Evolution Exam 2024 requirements. A key strength of the program is its focus on real-world, practical learning, combined with personalized guidance from an advisor to support students throughout their accounting educational journey. With the flexibility of year-round online course offerings, students can continue to advance their knowledge and skills while balancing their existing professional commitments.

Read the "How to Become a CPA" blog post for more information.

Read Blog


Discover the Essentials of Our Accounting Program

In-Person, Online
In class options might be available for some courses.
12-36 Months
Varies by student and courses taken per quarter.
$6,845
Cost may vary by format selection and curriculum updates.

Certification and Licensure Requirements

For students who hold a bachelor's degree, the specific educational requirements to sit for the CPA exam needed for certification or licensure may be met by completing the Certificate and the required courses established by the governing organization.*

* For candidates outside California please check with your state accounting board for approval.

For information regarding other CPA credential requirements, contact the governing organizations or your state board of accountancy directly.

Governing Organizations:
* National Board of State Boards of Accountancy: https://nasba.org
California State Board of Accountancy (CBA), www.dca.ca.gov/cba, (916) 263-3680
AICPA: https://www.aicpa-cima.com/home
This Way to CPA: https://www.thiswaytocpa.com

Accounting Associations:
CAL CPA: https://www.calcpa.org
Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) www.imanet.org, (800) 638-4427
Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), www.theiia.org

Certificate Benefits

  • Subject matter taught by experts & faculty
  • Connect with peers & faculty
  • Real-world, practical learning
  • Courses offered year-round online
  • The certificate may be completed entirely online.
  • Earn units for the CPA Exam and license. *
  • Provides academic units which may be used to meet the California State Board of Accountancy’s educational requirements. Students will earn 36 quarter units (24 Semester units) by completing the 9 Accounting certificate courses applicable towards the Accounting Subjects requirement to qualify for the CPA Examination and Licensure.

Accounting

Classroom type:
Live Online
In-Person
Online
Hybrid
Download Course List

Required Courses

Complete all nine courses to receive the certificate.

Recommended Courses for meeting CPA Exam or licensing requirements

Check your state's governing board for their guidelines and policies.

Ethics Study

Educational Requirements For CPA Licensure - Check your state's governing board for their guidelines and policies.

Information Systems and Controls (ISC) - CPA Exam Discipline

Recommended Course for CPA Evolution Exam - Core + Discipline model

Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP) - CPA Exam Discipline

Recommended Course for CPA Evolution Exam - Core + Discipline model

Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR) CPA Exam Discipline

Recommended Course for CPA Evolution Exam - Core + Discipline model

Technology and Digital Acumen - CPA Exam

Core Requirement: Acct : Audit : Tax - CPA Evolution Exam

Contabilidad en Espanol

Accounting In Spanish

Pathway for eligibility to take the Uniform CPA Exam in California

  • Complete a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited university
  • Complete 36 quarter/24 semester units in Accounting Subjects by completing the Accounting Certificate
  • Complete 36 quarter/24 semester units in Business-Related Subjects

Requirements for CPA Licensure in California (See the 'CBA Tip Sheet' for more information)

  • Pass the Uniform CPA Exam
  • Meet the educational requirements (complete a minimum of 225 quarter/150 semester units)
  • Obtain the required accounting experience

Conditions for Admission

UC San Diego Extended Studies programs are designed to best serve college-prepared working professionals. Although programs are open to all adult learners, where program capacity is limited, applicants with this profile will receive preference for admission.

State Board Requirements

UC San Diego Extended Studies' courses in appropriate areas meet educational requirements to sit for the CPA exam and offer credit toward the continuing education requirement for relicensure. For further details, please contact the State Board of Accountancy: (916) 263-3680, or www.dca.ca.gov/cba.

Career Resources and Services

  • One-on-One Career Coaching Appointment - Graduates who are interested in a career coaching appointment can schedule an appointment to get advice on resume building, applications, negotiation, interviewing, leveraging LinkedIn etc. Graduates will meet virtually with a career advisor for up to one-hour. If you would like to schedule an appointment and you have completed the certificate within five years, contact unexbusa@ucsd.edu.
  • O*Net - Career resources offered by O*Net , an online portal for career exploration, job analysis and self-assessment tools.
  • The Career Channel  - Brought to you by UCTV and UC San Diego Extended Studies, the Career Channel  provides information, tools and experts to help those in career transition identify emerging areas of opportunity and develop plans for reskilling.
  • Explore Career Tools to Make your Next Career Move - Get help with your career research to find the priority sectors and priority jobs. The San Diego Workforce Partnership looked at all occupations in San Diego County to determine which pay best, have the most openings and are growing quickly. There are 72 priority jobs in San Diego County, ranging from stucco masons to biomedical engineers. Find out more at SDWP - My Next Move.
  • Professional Associations - Professional associations offer a terrific opportunity for career education, professional development and networking.

Visit The Virtual Career Hub Today To Unlock Your Benefits!

It's your one-stop shop for professional development and completely free.
Explore Careers

FAQs

Advisory Board

Cris Calsada, CPA

Chief Financial Officer
Regulus Therapeutics

Suzan Dennis, CPA

Dennis & Dennis, San Diego

Josh Maxwell, CPA

Tax Attorney
Hone Maxell, LLP

John O'dea, CPA

CPA Consultant

Mark Pong

Director of Finance
Del Mar Union School District

Teresa Reed, CPA

Immediate Past President
California Society of CPAs, San Diego Chapter

Jim Deiotte

Executive Director
Rady Executive Director of Grad Programs

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