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Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation

Give Your CPA Exam Prep a Boost

Give yourself the best chance at success on the CPA exam with a Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation from DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management. The program is available online or in hybrid format, so it works with your schedule. This certificate program builds on your previous accounting knowledge and dives deeper into the concepts that you’ll see on the CPA Exam. The curriculum integrates Becker Professional Education's CPA Exam Review. There are two tracks for earning this Graduate Certificate and both include Becker's proven CPA exam learning approach: Advanced Accounting and Professional Leadership.

Get to Know Our Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation

Our CPA Exam Preparation Graduate Certificate program explores advanced accounting competencies and specialties, such as international accounting, ethics and forensic accounting, taxation and accounting, and information systems. Our experienced faculty will cover financial statement reporting and disclosures, taxes, investments, working capital management, cost of capital and financial forecasting.

The Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation is designed as a standalone credential. If you’d like to take your education further, some credits are transferable to the Master's Degree in Accounting and Financial Management program. To support your personal and professional goals, you can focus your studies on either Advanced Accounting or Professional Leadership, both of which include Becker’s CPA exam learning approach.

For over 50 years, Becker has been a leader in CPA review, preparing over 1,000,000 candidates for the CPA Exam and helping them prepare to pursue CPA certification. And because Becker's powerful exam review is infused into Keller's CPA preparation courses, you can prepare for the CPA Exam and earn your graduate certificate simultaneously. Additionally, you can earn academic credits that may help satisfy the sitting and/or licensing requirements in your state. Students must check with their state board of accountancy for eligibility requirements.

Classes Start Every 8 Weeks

Earn your Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation in as little as 1 year + 8 months*—or even more quickly with qualifying transfer credits.

*Not including breaks. Assumes year-round, full-time enrollment.

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Availability

100% Online
Onsite + Online

What You'll Learn

The Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation covers the following:

  • accounting standards icon
    Accounting Standards
    Measure outcomes using existing measurement criteria such as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Other Common Basis of Accounting (OCBOA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or other non-authoritative measurement tools.
  • decision making and ethics icon
    Decision Making and Ethics
    Conduct quantitative and qualitative business analyses, evaluate outcomes and make recommendations for effective legal and ethical business decisions.
  • communication in accounting icon
    Communication in Accounting
    Communicate accounting issues and solutions clearly to peers and stakeholders.

Prepare for the CPA Exam

Keller’s Master’s in Accounting degree program integrates elements of Becker Professional Education’s industry-leading CPA Exam prep into its curriculum.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of our Graduate Certificate program in CPA Exam Prep may consider careers such as:

  • Accountant

  • Auditor

  • Controller

  • Financial Analyst

  • Financial Manager

  • Tax Preparer

  • Treasurer or Finance Officer

Learn more about Careers in Accounting

  • Employment in this occupation may require years of relevant experience.

Program Courses

The courses in Keller's Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation span topics related to decision making and ethics, professional communication and accounting standards. Coursework covers the areas of financial statement reporting and disclosures, taxes, investments, working capital management, cost of capital and financial forecasting from a business perspective.

In addition, DeVry University and Keller enable you to support your professional goals by helping you focus your studies on either Advanced Accounting or Professional Leadership.

Accounting

ACCT559 Advanced Financial Accounting and Reporting Issues
ACCT564 International Accounting and Multinational Enterprises
ACCT571 Accounting Information Systems
ACCT574 Forensic Accounting: Ethics and the Legal Environment

CPA Exam Preparation

ACCT591 CPA Exam Preparation: Auditing and Attestation
ACCT592 CPA Exam Preparation: Business Environment and Concepts
ACCT593 CPA Exam Preparation: Financial Accounting and Reporting
ACCT594 CPA Exam Preparation: Regulation

Choose One of These Tracks:

Advanced Accounting

ACCT560 Advanced Studies in Federal Taxes and Management Decisions
ACCT562 Auditing: An Operational and Internal Perspective Including Fraud Examination
ACCT573 Accounting Fraud Criminology and Ethics

Professional Leadership

FIN564 Management of Financial Institutions
HRM587 Managing Organizational Change
PROJ586 Project Management Systems

CPA Certificate Requirements

To qualify to become a CPA, you must pass the Uniform CPA Examination. Each state also has individual education and experience requirements you must obtain prior to taking the exam and becoming a licensed CPA.

Education

Most states require you to hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance or accounting. They also require you to have completed 150 credit hours of education, which may mean seeking further education depending on your degree program.

Work Experience

Most states also ask that you have a minimum of two years of experience working in public accounting.

FAQs: Graduate Certificate in CPA Exam Preparation

What is a CPA certification?

CPA certification is a recognition from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It shows that you passed the Uniform CPA Exam and met the education and experience requirements to take it. You must get your certification before you can become a licensed CPA.

How do I get my CPA certification?

To get your CPA certification, you must pass the Uniform CPA exam. The exam is broken into four sections, with each focusing on a different subject area: Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), Regulation (REG), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) and Auditing and Attestation (AUD).

All four sections must be taken and passed within an 18-month time frame to be considered valid. You will lose credit for any section passed outside the 18-month window and will have to retake that section to complete your certification.

How long does a CPA certification last?

Each state has specific requirements CPAs must meet to maintain their certification. However, Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is required in all states to ensure you’re up-to-date on skills and competencies. According to the AICPA, you must complete 120 hours of CPE for every three-year reporting period to maintain certification.

What can I do with a CPA certification?

CPA certification qualifies you to apply to become a licensed CPA. As a licensed CPA, you can prepare for many potential career options, including public or corporate accounting. Many CPAs even hold executive-level positions.

CPAs can specialize in a number of areas, including tax preparation, forensic or managerial accounting, bookkeeping or information technology.

Is a CPA a certificate, license or degree?

You may have a CPA certification, but you may only be a practicing CPA when you obtain a CPA license. You can only be licensed once you’ve:

  • Passed the Uniform CPA exam and
  • Met the criteria for education and work experience specified by your state.

CPA is not a degree, but certification and licensing in most states require you to have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting or finance.

Can I get a CPA certificate without a degree?

While you can take the Uniform CPA exam without specific educational prerequisites, most states require you to have a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field to become a licensed CPA. Some programs, like those offered through DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management, include CPA Exam prep as part of the curriculum.

Academic Catalog

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Program Overview

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Academic Catalog

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Program Overview

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Related Programs

At DeVry University we offer a variety of Graduate Certificates and Master’s Degrees. Graduate programs related to the CPA Exam Prep Certificate include:

Graduate Certificate in Accounting
Master's Degree in Accounting
Master's Degree in Accounting & Financial Management
MBA in Accounting
MBA in Finance

Programs vary by location. For specific program details for Pennsylvania, refer to:
Pennsylvania catalog.

Credits and degrees earned from this institution do not automatically qualify the holder to participate in professional licensing exams to practice certain professions. Persons interested in practicing a regulated profession must contact the appropriate state regulatory agency for their field of interest.
Coursework may qualify for credit towards the State Board of Accountancy requirements. However, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the state board of accountancy for the jurisdiction in which they are applying to determine whether they have completed the appropriate credit hours and coursework to qualify to take the CPA exam.
Employees of DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management are not in a position to determine an individual’s eligibility to take the CPA exam or satisfy licensing
New York students should contact the NYSED Office of Professions regarding professional licensure.

All students enrolled in site-based programs will be required to take some coursework online and, for some programs and locations, a substantial portion of the program may be required to be completed online.

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Classes Start Every 8 Weeks
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In New York, DeVry University operates as DeVry College of New York. DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org. Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation. DeVry is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Arlington Campus: 1400 Crystal Dr., ste. 120, Arlington, VA 22202. DeVry University is authorized for operation as a postsecondary educational institution by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Nashville Campus: 301 S. Perimeter Park Dr, Ste 100 Nashville, TN 37211. Unresolved complaints may be reported to the Illinois Board of Higher Education through the online complaint system http://complaints.ibhe.org/ or by mail to 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Ste. 333, Springfield, IL 62701-1377. Program availability varies by location. In site-based programs, students will be required to take a substantial amount of coursework online to complete their program.