Professional Accounting-CPA Preparation Certificate
Prepare yourself for the Certified Public Accountant exam
Program Facts 
- Credit hours: 30
- Stackable to degree: No
- Potential job outcomes: Accountant, auditor
Prepare to qualify for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam by completing this 30-credit-hour certificate program, designed exclusively for individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree and wish to transition to a career in the field of accounting. Complete the program on campus or online, giving you additional flexibility.
Take classes in financial and managerial accounting, individual and business tax accounting, auditing, financial and tax research, cost accounting, fraud examination and more. Courses are taught by knowledgeable faculty who are accounting experts. Continue your learning outside the classroom by participating in Harper College’s active Accounting Club.
Note that all Harper CPA Preparation Certificate courses meet the Illinois Board of Examiners CPA exam requirements.
Certificate program requirements
This 30 credit-hour certificate is designed to provide individuals with the necessary accounting courses to qualify for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. The program is intended for individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree and wish to transition to a career in the field of accounting.
To qualify for the CPA exam, a candidate must have a bachelor’s degree and a total of 150 semester hours of credit, including 24 hours in business and a minimum of 30 hours in accounting. The 24 hours in business must include two hours in business communication (ENG 130, Business Writing) and three hours in business ethics (PHI 150, Business Ethics). Additionally, it is strongly recommended that the 24 business hours include at least three hours in business law. At Harper, ACC 211 (Business Law I) and ACC 213 (Legal Environment of Business ) are available. The Illinois Board of Examiners provides more detailed information on educational requirements at www.illinois-cpa-exam.com. Harper will accept up to 15 credit hours in equivalent courses from regionally accredited institutions.
Requirements for the Illinois CPA Certificate:
To sit for the CPA examination in Illinois effective July 1, 2013, the candidate must have a total of 150 hours of acceptable college-level education including at least a bachelor's degree. Thirty semester hours must be in accounting. An additional 24 hours in business courses are required, including two hours in business communications and three hours in business ethics. (Business Law is also included in the business requirements).
At Harper College, acceptable accounting courses include: ACC 101, ACC 102, ACC 201, ACC 202, ACC 203, ACC 211, ACC 251, ACC 253, ACC 254, ACC 260, ACC 261.
A wide variety of business courses are offered including ACC 211, ACC 213, CIS 101, ECO 210, ECO 211, ECO 212, FIN 215, MGT 111, MGT 218, MGT 270, MTH 124, MTH 225, PHI 150.
[Requirements for the Illinois CMA Certificate:
The Certified Management Accountant (CMA) is a national program with no state affiliates. The candidate must have senior standing at an accredited college or university, or must hold a baccalaureate degree, in any field, or have passed the U.S. CPA examination. Anyone who has passed the U.S. CPA examination is given credit for part two of the CMA examination.]
Required:
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 101 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 4 |
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Description: Presents accounting as an information system that produces summary financial statements primarily for users external to a business. Emphasizes the reporting of the effect of transactions and other economic events on the financial condition and operating results of a business. Topics include: basic accounting concepts, financial statements, accrual and cash basis, the accounting cycle, monetary assets, inventories, fixed assets, current and long-term liabilities, and owner’s equity. The course assumes a corporate form of organization. NOTE: High school algebra is recommended. IAI BUS 903 |
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| ACC 102 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
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Description: Presents accounting as a system of producing information for internal management use in a business. Emphasis is on the identification, accumulation and interpretation of information for planning, controlling and evaluating the performance of the separate components of a business. Topics include: theory and application of product costing, operational control, cost allocation, performance evaluation for manufacturing and service organizations, standard costing, job order and process costing, budgeting, JIT inventory control, decentralized operations, differential analysis, capital investment analysis and financial statement analysis. IAI BUS 904 Prerequisite: ACC 101 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 201 | Intermediate Accounting I | 3 |
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Description: Presents accounting and reporting process, accounting theory, inventories, tangibles and intangible fixed assets. This is a problem solving course that continues accounting principles begun in ACC 101 and ACC 102. Prerequisite: ACC 102 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 202 | Intermediate Accounting II | 3 |
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Description: Presents course materials in the following sequences: Accounting for corporations, including capital stock, retained earnings, bonds payable, income statement and balance sheet analysis, pensions and leases, fund flow analysis, consignments, and installment sales. Prerequisite: ACC 201 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 250 | Individual Tax Accounting | 3 |
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Description: Offers a practical study of current Federal and Illinois income taxes as they relate to individual income tax procedures. Topics studied include income inclusions and exclusions, capital gains and losses, business and personal deductions, and accounting methods. Prerequisite: ACC 101 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 251 | Business Tax Accounting | 3 |
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Description: Presents the basic concepts of corporation income taxation, partnerships, estates and trusts. The course includes a study of the taxation on the transfer of wealth, both during lifetime and testamentary. Prerequisite: ACC 101 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 254 | Auditing | 3 |
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Description: Examines the auditory theory and procedures involving the topical areas of audit reporting, auditing standards and evidence, statistical sampling and electronic data processing. The legal and ethical dimensions of auditing will also be studied with emphasis on how government affects financial reporting through court decisions, federal securities laws, the S.E.C. and the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act. Prerequisite: ACC 102 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 260 | Financial Research | 1 |
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Description: Presents basic techniques of conducting financial accounting research using professional accounting databases. Students will develop skills necessary to research and interpret financial accounting standard guidelines using accounting related cases. Students will communicate their research results in a professional business format. Recommended prerequisite: ACC 201 or equivalent experience. |
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| ACC 261 | Tax Research | 1 |
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Description: Presents basic techniques of conducting federal tax research using authoritative databases. Students will develop skills necessary to research and interpret tax case guidelines using tax cases. Students will communicate their research results in a professional business format. Recommended prerequisite: ACC 250 or equivalent experience. |
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Electives: Select two courses from the following:
| Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 203 | Introductory Cost Accounting | 3 |
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Description: Includes an examination of the nature of costs and the use of relevant accounting data for purposes of improved decision making. Topics covered are product costs (process, job order, and standard), overhead variance, by-product costs, joint-product cost, and direct and variable costing. Prerequisite: ACC 102 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 253 | Advanced Accounting I | 3 |
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Description: Studies municipal accounts, business combinations and the preparation of consolidated financial statements. Topics will include branches, consolidated statements, elimination of inter-company transactions, general funds and non-profit service organizations. Prerequisite: ACC 202 with a grade of C or better. |
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| ACC 265 | Fraud Examination | 3 |
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Description: Presents the fundamentals of fraud examination and forensic accounting for the workplace. Students will discover how and why fraud occurs in organizations, develop skills to detect fraud, and be able to identify and classify various types of fraud. This course will emphasize the importance of corporate social responsibility in an organization and the need for reporting systems that focus on integrity and accountability. Prerequisite: ACC 102 with a grade of C or better. |
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Related programs
Students interested in accounting may also be interested in:
- Accounting Associate AAS Degree
- Accounting Assistant Certificate
- Accounting Bookkeeper/Clerk Certificate
- Advanced Accounting Bookkeeper/Clerk Certificate
- Professional Accounting - CPA Preparation Certificate
- Tax Accounting Assistant Certificate
Resources
- Harper College provides Gainful Employment information to comply with the U.S. Department of Education
- Harper Career Paths: Accounting
Next steps
For more information about studying accounting at Harper, contact Admission Outreach at 847.925.6700, or submit a request information form. You can also apply online.