I am writing to compliment the outstanding article written by Professor O’Rourke of Rutgers University in the last issue of New Jersey CPA Magazine.   It  explored many of the options students have to achieve the 150 credit hour requirement to qualify as a CPA.  I am sure that space did not permit her to address some other options students may have to attain this goal. These also  include:

CLEP exams– The College Level Exam Program (CLEP) tests are accepted for college credit by over 2,900 colleges according to their website. Moravian University, where I teach, will grant credit for  several approved exams.  The student must complete the exam prior to their graduation date in order to have the credit reflected on their transcript. Taking and passing CLEP exams for required general education or  otherwise elective courses provides the student with breathing room to do a double major or even a minor in another subject. One of my students earned 18 credits by doing this. The exams cost a fraction of a  traditional college course and can be taken on demand.  

Experiential Learning–Many colleges and universities offer “co-op” and internship programs.  Students will register for a co-op or internship course and receive credit for their work experience.  The amount of hours they work and the type of work they do will be evaluated by the school to determine how much credit will be offered.  In many cases students will  work in the summer and the incremental tuition will be offset by the salary paid by the employer. Our school will also try to cluster accounting courses in the Spring so students have a block of time available for  an internship during the peak work season.  The AICPA will be addressing this aspect of a CPA’s education very shortly with its pipeline project. 

I would also like to address two other aspects of Professor O’Rourke’s article:

Double Major— Some universities will charge by the semester and some will charge by the credit hour.  For instance, Moravian will allow a student to take an additional class each year without increasing tuition.  I encourage students to take advantage of this not only to get closer to the 150 credit hours but to also develop a second major or a minor.  I will steer a student interested in forensics to a second major or minor in sociology/criminal justice.  Of course, computer science is an excellent second area of study for any accounting student;  As pointed out, a second major or a minor broadens the skill set of the potential CPA

CPA Firms requiring 150 credit hours before hiring– I actively work with the Moravian University Center for Civic and Career Engagement to find permanent placement for our graduates.  Accounting firms in our region do not have an explicit requirement students have the 150 credits completed before they begin working.  However, this has become another criterion  used to judge job candidates.  Not only do firms assess a student’s ability to pass the CPA exam, they also judge the students’ perceived commitment to completing the 150 credits. The closer the student is to the 150 credits the less of a concern this becomes to the potential employer. 

Again, I want to thank Professor O’Rourke for addressing many of the issues encountered in this complicated problem. 

(The above article was sent as a Letter to the Editor of the NJ CPA Magazine to supplement an excellent article written by Professor Sarah O’Rourke of the Rutgers Business School. The purpose of this short article was to supplement some of the comments made by Professor O’Rourke in her article. )

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