CPA Requirements for the State of Washington
Most individuals that pursue a graduate degree in accounting are considering sitting for the CPA exam. The CPA exam requires that students have:
- A recognized bachelor’s degree
- 36 quarter credits (24 semester) of accounting classes, 23 quarter credits (15 semester) of those credits must be upper division (300 level or higher)
- 36 quarter credits (24 semester) of business administration credits
- 225 quarter credits (150 semester)
- For the most up-to-date information, please visit the State Board of Accountancy website
These requirements are important to keep in mind, especially if your undergraduate degree is in something other than Accounting.
Economics & Other Business Majors
Students without a degree in business or a degree in business without an accounting focus may still apply for this program. Economics majors are often a great fit because their major credits are accepted by the CPA to count towards the required business credits. The Certificate in Accounting program is a great option to consider to be eligible for our programs.
Certificate in Accounting Program
- To meet the accounting prerequisite requirements for either program, students might consider the Certificate in Accounting Program offered through the University of Washington Professional and Continuing Education.
- The certificate program is offered in a condensed format in the summer as Accounting 505. It is also offered during the regular academic year in the evenings and on weekends as Accounting 506, 507 and 508.
- Note that the Accounting Certificate program is a completely separate application and fee for students; it does not guarantee admission to either MPAcc or MST, however it is a great way to meet the accounting prerequisite requirements for those in need.
- Prospective students committed to taking the certificate in accounting prior to the next start date are welcome to apply to either program by the February 15th deadline. Successful completion of the Accounting Certificate program prior to the start of the academic year is required.
To learn more about this option and how it could assist your pathway to the MPAcc or MST programs, please feel free to contact us.
Advisory & Consulting Career Path
MPAcc students only
Another career pathway open to our MPAcc students is Advisory or Consulting. Rather than auditing financial systems, Advisory is a form of auditing generally used more for auditing technology or business. Though many accounting procedures are used in Advisory, earning a CPA is often not necessary. For this reason, Advisory may be an excellent choice for non-Accounting majors, especially those with strong technical backgrounds. We would still need students to take the Accounting Certificate in order to prepared for the MPAcc classes, but the CPA requirements would not be needed.