(1) Education requirements to sit for the exam: To apply for the CPA examination you must have completed at least 120 semester hours (180 quarter hours) of college education; including, a baccalaureate or higher degree; and an accounting major or concentration as defined as at least:

(a) Twenty-four semester hours (36 quarter hours) or the equivalent in accounting subjects of which at least 15 semester hours must be at the upper level or graduate level (an upper level course is defined as a course that frequently carries completion of a lower level course(s) as a prerequisite); and

(b) Twenty-four semester hours (36 quarter hours) or the equivalent in business administration subjects at the undergraduate or graduate level.

(2) Education requirements to apply for a CPA license: To apply for the CPA license you must have completed at least 150 semester hours (225 quarter hours) of college education; including, a baccalaureate or higher degree; and an accounting major or concentration as defined as at least:

(b) Twenty-four semester hours (36 quarter hours) or the equivalent in business administration subjects at the undergraduate or graduate level.

(3) Education obtained outside the United States: If you obtained all or a portion of your education outside the United States you must have your education evaluated by a board approved foreign education credential evaluation service. The board will establish the criteria for board approval of foreign education credential evaluation services. The board does not provide education credential evaluation services.

(4) Semester versus quarter hours: As used in these rules, a "semester hour" means the conventional college semester hour. Your quarter hours will be converted to semester hours by multiplying them by two-thirds.

(5) Accreditation standards: For purposes of this rule, the board will recognize colleges and universities which are accredited in accordance with (a) through (c) of this subsection.

(a) The college or university must be accredited at the time your education was earned by a regionally or nationally accrediting agency recognized by the board.

(b) If an institution was not accredited at the time your education was earned but is so accredited at the time your application is filed with the board, the institution will be deemed to be accredited for the purpose of (a) of this subsection provided that it:

(i) Certifies that your total educational program would qualify the applicant for graduation with a baccalaureate degree during the time the institution has been accredited; and

(ii) Furnishes the board satisfactory proof, including college catalogue course numbers and descriptions, that the preaccrediting courses used to qualify you for a concentration in accounting are substantially equivalent to postaccrediting courses.

(c) If your degree was received at an accredited college or university as defined by (a) or (b) of this subsection, but the educational program which was used to qualify you for a concentration in accounting included courses taken at nonaccredited institutions, either before or after graduation, such courses will be deemed to have been taken at the accredited institution from which your degree was received, provided the accredited institution either:

(i) Has accepted such courses by including them in its official transcript; or

(ii) Certifies to the board that it will or would accept such courses for credit toward graduation.

(6) Alternative to accreditation: If you graduated from a degree-granting institution that was not accredited at the time your degree was received or at the time your application was filed, you will be deemed to be a graduate of an accredited college or university if a credentials evaluation service approved by the board certifies that your degree is equivalent to a degree from an accredited college or university as defined in subsection (5) of this section. The board does not provide education credential evaluation services.

PDFWAC 4-30-060

Education requirements.