Accounting Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

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Program: Certificate
Department of Accounting and Finance
Richard T. Doermer School of Business

Neff Hall 350 ~ 260-481-6471

Doermer School of Business Undergraduate Student Success Center

Neff Hall 366 ~ 260-481-6472

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting (P.B.A.) is offered through the Department of Accounting and Finance. Typically, students who pursue the P.B.A. are seeking an academic program of recognized quality that will help them prepare for careers in accounting. In combination with a bachelor’s degree earned at an appropriately accredited institution, the P.B.A. meets the current minimum accounting educational requirements to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accounting Examination in Indiana if students select the correct electives. Additional non-accounting business credits may be required.

Admission Admission to the P.B.A. program is limited to holders of bachelor’s degrees awarded by institutions that were accredited at the baccalaureate level by the Higher Learning Commission (or comparable regional association) at the time the degree was granted.

To enroll in the program, you must first be formally admitted to Purdue University Fort Wayne. You must provide the Purdue Fort Wayne admissions office with official transcripts documenting completion of your bachelor’s degree.

You must meet the prerequisites for each course and earn a grade of C- or better in each course. You must complete at least 12 of the required 24-30 credits at Purdue Fort Wayne to be eligible to receive the certificate.

Accounting Prerequisites Credits: 6

Accounting Requirements Credits: 18

BUS 31100 - Intermediate Accounting I Cr. 3.
BUS 31200 - Intermediate Accounting II Cr. 3.
BUS 31700 - Computer-Based Accounting Systems Cr. 3.
BUS 32500 - Cost Accounting Cr. 3.
BUS 32800 - Introduction to Taxation Cr. 3.
BUS 42400 - Auditing & Assurance Services Cr. 3.

Accounting Electives Credits: 6

Choose two of the following:
BUS 31800 - Fraud Examination I Cr. 3.
BUS 33100 - Taxation of Business Entities Cr. 3.
BUS 42200 - Advanced Financial Accounting Cr. 3.
BUS 43700 - Advanced Management Accounting Cr. 3.
BUS 44100 - Special Topics in Assurance Services Cr. 3.
BUS 33100 and BUS 42200 are highly recommended for students preparing for the CPA exam. BUS 20300 and BUS 30301 are also highly recommended for the CPA exam but are not part of this certificate.

Special Academic Regulations for P.B.A. Students

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate students are held to the same performance standards specified for students in undergraduate business programs.

Credits from your undergraduate degree MAY be used for some of these requirements.

Current requirements to sit for the CPA Exam in Indiana require that you have completed a total of 150 credit hours; 24 credit hours of accounting courses including: financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and managerial accounting; and at least 24 credit hours of business and/or economics courses that are not accounting courses.

The Doermer School of Business does not play any role in determining if you meet the requirements to sit for the CPA Exam. The state board of accountancy makes that determination. So, if you have any questions about your total number of hours completed or whether specific courses will meet the requirements, you must contact them. The NASBA website, www.nasba.org can be very helpful. At their website, click on Exams, then CPA Exam, then choose Indiana. This site will give you all the current requirements for the State of Indiana as well as contact information.

Total Credits: 24-30

Student Responsibility

You are responsible for satisfying the graduation requirements specified for your selected program. Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies and procedures governing your academic career. All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the appropriate chair or dean.