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Substitutions, Waivers and Transfer Credit

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Withdrawals and Cancellations

Curriculum and Completion Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

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Paul Emery
Program Director

Ryan Crisp
Online Program Coordinator

Student Success Story

"From the first class, it was about the support I got from the teachers and the open discussion forums with the students." —Kyle Cameron, Online Certificate Program in Accounting graduate

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Accounting

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EDP 152074

With accounting, you're part of a field with significant potential—28 percent job growth by 2018—according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And as new Certified Public Accountant (CPA) educational requirements and updated International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) come to the fore, the need for additional expertise to implement global standards is crucial. To meet these evolving requirements, UC Berkeley Extension's Certificate Program in Accounting provides you with a current, thorough understanding of accounting principles, reporting practices and regulatory requirements. Benefit from a curriculum that is overseen by an advisory board of business and education leaders and approved by the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business. Our online and classroom courses, taught by working professionals with many years of practical business experience, ensure that you're prepared to succeed in accounting. Join our email list to stay informed about this certificate.

Courses

The table contains the required courses for the Certificate Program in Accounting, as well as the terms they are typically available for enrollment.

8 Required Courses, 24 Semester Units (360 Hours of Instruction)

Required Courses	Course Number	UNITS/ CEU	CLASSROOM	ONLINE
Intermediate Accounting I	X421.1	3	Fall Spring Summer	Fall Spring Summer
Intermediate Accounting II	X421.2	3	Fall Spring Summer	Fall Spring Summer
Advanced Accounting	X421.3	3	Fall Spring Summer	Fall Spring Summer
Accounting Ethics	X420.6	3	Fall Spring	Fall Spring
Cost Accounting	X419	3	Fall Spring Summer	Fall Spring
Financial Statement Analysis	X419.2	2	Fall Spring Summer	Fall Spring Summer
Auditing and Attestation	X422.2	4	Fall Spring	Fall Spring
Taxation for Corporations and Other Flow-Through Entities	X419.5	3	Fall Spring	Fall Spring Summer

Course availability is subject to change. Courses offered in both online and classroom environments are interchangeable, and you may choose either format.

To enroll, click on a course title above and choose a section.

You may enroll in individual courses without registering for the Certificate Program in Accounting.

Online or Classroom Format

This professional certificate is available in both classroom and online formats. You can take courses online, in class or a combination of both. Choose the format that works for your schedule. Find out more about online learning at Extension.

Who Will Benefit

This certificate is ideal if you wish to enter the accounting field. Or if you are an accounting professional who wants to accelerate your career, you can boost your marketability with updated skills and a credential from a widely respected institution. By completing the certificate, you're completing coursework toward the educational requirements to take the CPA and CMA exams.

Prerequisites for Admission

Completion of Introduction to Financial Accounting XB102A and Introduction to Managerial Accounting XB102B and a bachelor's degree are recommended.

Curriculum Requirements

The curriculum comprises 8 required courses for a total of 24 semester units (360 hours of instruction). Candidates must pay a nonrefundable certificate registration fee.

All coursework must be completed within five years of registering for the certificate. However, requirements may be updated based on new developments in the field of study; we recommend completing the curriculum in a timely fashion. For more information, please see the completion requirements and the substitutions, waivers and transfer credit policies.

How to Register for This Professional Certificate

By registering, you declare your intention to complete the curriculum. To register for the Certificate Program in Accounting, submit the online registration form with your credit card information or complete the mail-in registration form. The registration fee is nonrefundable.

Estimated Cost

Each course is priced individually, and you pay the course fee at the time of enrollment. The certificate has an estimated cost of $6,925 (not including course materials or registration fee). Course fees are subject to change.

Professional Organizations

CPA and CMA Exam Preparation

The Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination is the same no matter where you take it. However, every state and jurisdiction has its own set of education and experience requirements that individuals must meet to be eligible to take the exam. UC Berkeley Extension is recognized by the California State Board of Accountancy as a qualified provider of coursework for those wishing to sit for the CPA exam. The Board's current educational requirements include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; if the degree is in a nonaccounting major, you must also complete a combination of 24 semester units of accounting, auditing and taxation courses and 24 semester units of other business-related courses.

Extension also offers CPA Examination Preparation, a four-course series that matches the exam's four modules. Members of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA) are eligible for a 15 percent discount on all courses in Extension's CPA Exam Preparation program. CalCPA membership is free for full-time students; CPA candidates who are pursuing licensure receive a free one-year membership.

To sit for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) Examination, you must meet the educational requirements established by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). UC Berkeley Extension offers beginning and intermediate courses for those who have little or no background in accounting and specialized courses for those who need to gain depth in specific areas.

You should check directly with the CPA and CMA boards to confirm requirements to sit for the exams.

License Renewal

CPAs must renew their licenses every two years. A license renewal requires, within each two-year period, completion of 80 hours of qualifying continuing professional education that contributes directly to professional competence. CMAs who have successfully completed all parts of a certification program must maintain their professional competence through a regular program of continuing professional education. To remain in good standing with the IMA, 30 hours of continuing education must be completed each year subsequent to passing the examination.

Full information about CPA and CMA licensing and renewal requirements is available at the following websites:

Contact Information

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions. To contact the department office, email business@unex.berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-4231.

For details about online courses, email online@unex.berkeley.edu or (510) 642-7343.

Additional Information

M.B.A. Programs

Some of our courses may fulfill prerequisites for M.B.A. programs. Please note that acceptance of transfer credit is always at the discretion of the accepting institution; contact the schools to which you are applying for information about transfer of credits earned at UC Berkeley Extension.

Advisory Board

John Finegan
Senior Consultant
Financial Leadership Group

Maricela Frausto
Audit Senior Manager
KPMG LLP

Tom Hoster
Financial Consultant
Former CFO

Susan Klein
CPE Director, California Society of CPAs
Cal CPA Education Foundation

Harry Lorsbach
Adjunct Professor, UC Berkeley Extension
Internal Auditor, Berkeley National Labs

Maria Nondorf
Executive Director
Center for Financial Reporting and Management
Haas School of Business
UC Berkeley

Suzann Sylvester
Corporate Controller
Broadway Mechanical-Contractors Inc.

Quentin Wright
Financial Consultant
Connor Group

Jerry Yu
Senior Tax Manager
Mohler, Nixon & Williams

Professional Certificates