Public Accounting: 150-Credit Hour Requirement

Students aspiring to be CPAs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and most other states are required to have 150 credit hours of qualifying education. The SBA and the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance have designed several options to meet this requirement. Options include earning a master’s degree (5-year option) or meeting the requirement at the undergraduate level (4-year option). Qualified students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher are encouraged to complete one extra 3-credit course each semester starting in the second semester of their freshman year. Public accounting firms require accounting students to indicate their 150-credit plan on their résumés. Internships for credit count toward meeting this requirement. For questions concerning the 150-credit hour requirement and the options available, contact the department head of Accounting, Economics, and Finance.