A graduate degree program that meets the requirements for Certified Public Accountant licensure.
Most states require 150 credit hours of education for Certified Public Accountant licensure.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, and the Federation of Schools of Accountancy all support the 150-hour education requirement for entry into the accounting profession. Increasingly complex business methods, growing sophistication in auditing approaches, new tax laws, and demand for highly technical services require an expanded knowledge base to become an effective, efficient accounting professional.
"In most cases, the additional academic work needed to acquire the technical competence and develop the skills required by today's CPA is best obtained at the graduate level. Graduate-level programs are an excellent way to more fully develop skills such as communication, presentation, and interpersonal relations, and to integrate them with the technical knowledge being acquired.
"In addition, it has been shown that students who get a graduate education have a substantially higher rate of success on the Uniform CPA Examination. Further, master's degree holders receive starting salaries that are approximately 10 to 20 percent higher than the starting salaries of those with only bachelor's degrees. Finally, there is evidence that promotions to manager and partner and to corporate managerial positions are increasingly going to individuals with master's degrees."
—American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
The Master of Professional Accounting (M.P.Acc.) offered by the Black School of Business fulfills the educational requirements needed for CPA licensure within graduate-level education.
The MPAcc degree is a 30-credit program that can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study.
Effective Fall 2019
As of fall 2019, the MPAcc program moved to a hybrid delivery format of 75 percent asynchronous online learning and 25 percent in-class instruction.
Pittsburgh-area residents: Did you know that you can earn a Penn State Behrend Master of Professional Accounting degree close to home? Learn more about the Pittsburgh MPAcc Program.
Browse our program brochure:
For additional information about academic requirements, contact:
Dr. Ash Deshmukh
Professor of Accounting and Management Information Systems
814-898-6438
[email protected]