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 (ACC 257, Ethics and Tax Practices, or 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.]
F = Fall only course S = Spring only course U = Summer only course
Required:
Number | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACC 101 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 4 |
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 Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 102 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
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. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 201 | Intermediate Accounting I | 3 |
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. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 202 | Intermediate Accounting II S | 3 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the spring term. Prerequisite: ACC 201 with a grade of C or better. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 203 | Cost Accounting | 3 |
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. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 250 | Individual Tax Accounting | 3 |
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. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 251 | Business Tax Accounting | 3 |
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. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 254 | Auditing F | 3 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the fall term. Prerequisite: ACC 102 with a grade of C or better. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
Electives: Select 5 credit hours from the following:
Number | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACC 253 | Advanced Accounting I U | 3 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the summer term. Prerequisite: ACC 202 with a grade of C or better. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 257 | Ethics and Tax Practices S | 3 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the spring term. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 260 | Financial Research U | 1 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the summer term. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 261 | Tax Research U | 1 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the summer term. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 265 | Fraud Examination U | 3 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the summer term. Prerequisite: ACC 102 with a grade of C or better. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 280 | CPA Review Course - Bec F | 1 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the fall term. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 281 | CPA Review Course - Aud F | 1 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the fall term. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 282 | CPA Review Course - Far S | 1 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the spring term. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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ACC 283 | CPA Review Course - Reg S | 1 |
Description:
This course is only offered in the spring term. Class Schedule: Spring 2023 | Summer 2023 |
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
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.