Can a non-accounting major become a CPA? The short answer is YES; you don’t have to study accountancy to become a Certified Public Accountant.
While there are definitely some things that you AND students pursuing their accounting degree will need to fulfill, as long as you earn your Bachelor’s degree, you’re on the right track toward becoming a CPA candidate.
Education requirements are slightly different for those pursuing their CPA license; CPA candidates must achieve at least 150 credit hours throughout their academic career in higher education. Typically, non-accounting majors must fulfill 120 hours — however, this can vary from program to program and is usually dictated by school — so CPA candidates-to-be must compensate for those missing credit hours by supplementing their degree with additional semester hours. Students can take additional public accounting courses, classes focused on econ and/or business administration, or general accounting classes to fulfill the additional coursework requirements necessary to become eligible to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam.
Outside of completing additional educational requirements, non-accounting majors must also fulfill work experience requirements; these requirements typically vary from state to state, so check in with your local State Board to ensure you’re getting all the accounting experience you need to be able to pursue your licensure.
Last, but certainly not least, you’ll need to study with a reputable CPA Review course to ensure you’re well-versed in all the topics you might see on the CPA Exam.
We sat with Professor Jack Castonguay to learn what he has to say about pursuing your CPA as a non-accounting major.
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