This program provides an opportunity for non-degree status students to earn the academic credit necessary to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination in Virginia. 

This undergraduate certificate may be pursued on a part-time basis. Maintaining full-time status is not guaranteed. Students have four years to complete the certificate.

This certificate program qualifies for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

Admissions

The requirement for enrollment is a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.

Policies

Certificate Completion

Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits of accounting courses. At least 16 required credits must be taken at Mason after acceptance to the certificate program. Students have four years to complete certificate requirements. Students who are given permission to re-enroll following an absence from Mason may not count the four-year time limit as beginning on the date of re-enrollment.

Successful completion of the certificate program requires a grade of C or better in accounting courses and a GPA of at least 2.00 in all courses. Students are only permitted three attempts to pass each course with a C or better, following a third unsuccessful attempt the student will no longer be able pursue the certificate program.

Virginia Uniform CPA Examination

All students who wish to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination in Virginia are required to have completed 150 college-level credits, including at least 30 credits of accounting with courses in financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and management accounting; and at least 24 credits of non-accounting business courses.

Banner Code: BC-CERB-ACCT

Certificate Requirements

Total credits: 30

This certificate may be pursued on a full-or part-time basis.

Required Courses

ACCT 203Survey of Accounting3
ACCT 303Accounting for Decision Making3
ACCT 311Managerial and Cost Accounting3
ACCT 331Intermediate Accounting I3
ACCT 332Intermediate Accounting II3
ACCT 351Taxation and Managerial Decision Making3
ACCT 361Accounting Analytics3
ACCT 461Assurance and Audit Services (Mason Core)3
Total Credits24

Electives

Select six credits from the following:6
International Accounting
Financial Statement Analysis
Advanced Managerial Accounting
Advanced Financial Accounting
Advanced Federal Taxation
Honors Seminar in Accounting
Advanced Accounting Analytics
Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting
Seminar in Accounting
Internship in Accounting
Independent Study
Financial Management
Commercial Law
Total Credits6

Notes

Students with a previous degree in business or accounting are advised to take Costello College of Business courses above the 303 level to complete the 16 Mason credits needed after acceptance to the certificate program.

Students who have not previously studied business are advised to take the following recommended courses:

BULE 303Legal Environment of Business3
BULE 402Commercial Law3
BUS 210Business Analytics I (Mason Core)3
BUS 310Business Analytics II3
FNAN 341Introduction to Firm Valuation3
MIS 303Introduction to Business Information Systems (Mason Core)3