Loyola's Sellinger School launches accounting certificate program geared toward CPA exam requirements
December 7, 2009
Loyola University Maryland's Sellinger School of Business and Management will offer an 11-week, graduate-level accounting certificate program beginning in May 2010. The program is designed for accounting majors graduating in May 2010 or earlier who must complete the 150-credit-hour requirement to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination in most states.
This full-time program, developed in consultation with key accounting employers, includes four graduate-level courses that earn 12 credit hours. In Maryland, these graduate-level credits count as 18 hours toward the 150-credit-hour requirement. Many accounting majors can complete their undergraduate requirements in about 120 credits, leaving them with 30 credits to earn before they can take the CPA exam or be licensed as a CPA. Often, they make up the difference with an assortment of courses that do not necessarily advance their knowledge of the accounting field. This certificate program allows students to earn additional credits in a timely way that allows them to become better prepared for both the CPA exam and success in the profession. Depending on their specific undergraduate course loads, some people who enroll in the 12-hour certificate program will be eligible to sit for the exam as soon as they complete it.
"CPA licensure is a critical step in an accountant's career, and Loyola is eager to provide its accounting graduates and other promising students with an option that allows them to earn the credits needed to take the exam in a way that meets their needs and those of their future employers," said Karyl B. Leggio, Ph.D., dean of the Sellinger School of Business and Management.
Topics addressed in the program's four courses will include advanced topics in accounting, advanced topics in auditing and professionalism, professional communications, and a fourth course selected each year for its timeliness and relevance to the accounting profession. The coursework is suitable for those interested in becoming either public accounting practitioners or accountants within a business or non-profit organization. The application deadline for May 2010 enrollment is Mar. 1, 2010. To learn more about the program, please visit www.loyola.edu/graduate/sellinger/programs or call the office of graduate business programs at 410-617-5067. The Sellinger School anticipates continuing the program on an annual basis, enrolling a new class each May. A portion of the certificate program's credits may be applied toward Loyola's Professional MBA program.
The new accounting certificate joins Loyola's Emerging Leaders MBA as part of the Sellinger School's efforts to develop options for recent undergraduates to advance their professional credentials. The Emerging Leaders MBA, a full-time, 12-month accelerated program, will enroll its first class in August 2010. For more information on this program, visit www.loyola.edu/elmba.
For more information or questions regarding this story, contact Courtney Jolley at cjolley@loyola.edu or 410-617-5025.