Applied Accounting

Meets California Board of Accountancy educational requirements in Accounting Subjects

This program is a Division of Continuing Education offering not affiliated with the Paul Merage School of Business nor does it award Merage degree credits.

• Average Cost
  ^$9,750^*
  *excludes books and other fees
• Certificate Program
• Format
  Online
  
  Duration
  12-24 months
  
   Course Schedule
  
  Stay Informed

Advisory Committee

• John Apuzzo, CPA, CGMA, CBV, ABV, MST, MIT, TEP, Senior Manager, RSM US LLP
• Ryan Bourque, CPA, MB.T, CKA, Managing Partner, Bourque & Associates, Inc.
• Tom Busby, CPA, Professor, School of Business, Concordia University, Irvine
• Doug Gordan, CPA, President, DLG Consulting
• Raffaele Mari, CPA, CFP®, CGMA, PFS, Lecturer, Economics, University of California, Irvine
• Kami Refa, CPA, Partner, Moss Adams, LLP
• Ken Rugeti, CPA, CFF, ABV, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting

Career Advancement Network (CAN)

We are proud to provide our certificate students and alumni with newly enhanced career services that include one-on-one coaching, technology tools, webinars and workshops, networking events, mentorship/internship opportunities, and a rich collection of free online career resources. Learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much does the program cost?
• Each course costs $805 USD due at the time of enrollment (pricing subject to change). There is also a one-time candidacy declaration fee of $125 USD, to be paid prior to your third class. The entire program costs $9,750 USD. Please keep in mind that this cost does not include textbooks, which some of our instructors do require. Textbook information for specific courses can be found on our website on the enrollment page. You may order books from a third party vendor such as Amazon.com. If you are an international student, be sure to order your textbooks well in advance of the start date of your online course to allow time for international shipping. Prices are subject to change without notice
• How long will it take me to complete the entire program?
• This program consists of 10 courses and is intended to help students meet the California Board of Accountancy educational requirements in Accounting Subjects, as well as those looking to enter and get familiar with the accounting field. Typically our students take 1-2 courses per quarter and spend about 10-12 hours per week on coursework (per course). The quarterly start and end dates are available on the Academic Calendar.
• Do I have to apply and be accepted before I start?
• No. Since UCI Division of Continuing Education (DCE) is the continuing education unit of the university, there are no academic requirements needed to apply for the certificate program, however, the coursework is at a post-baccalaureate level.
• What is the “declaration of candidacy”? When do I have to complete it?
• The declaration of candidacy can be thought of as declaring your major for the certificate program. This lets our student services know that you intend to complete the entire program, and puts you on track for the certificate when you have completed all requirements. We strongly recommend that you complete the declaration of candidacy and pay the applicable fee prior to enrolling into your third class.
• What order should I take these courses in?
• The course schedule can be found above. The listed sequence of courses you will find on our website acts more as a recommendation for students with no experience in accounting. Students should begin with MGMT X420.02 Financial Accounting and Management Accounting, followed by MGMT X420.01 Accounting in Business to ensure they have a solid foundational knowledge of the subject. Then, you can take courses in any order, except for MGMT X420.04 and MGMT X420.05 Intermediate Accounting Theory and Practice courses, which should be taken in order (I then II). We encourage students to take MGMT X420.10 Advanced Accounting toward the end of the program.
• Can I complete the entire program online?
• Yes, this is a fully online program.
• I’ve never taken an online class. How does it work?
• All of our classes run asynchronously, meaning classes are not in “real time” and you can access the content 24 hours a day. Still, each course has a specific start and end date and students must complete assignments by the deadlines listed in the course syllabus in order to earn credit. The courses are structured week-to-week, from Monday to Sunday, and you are expected to log in multiple times during the week to keep up with class discussions and assignments.
• I am an international student / I am located overseas – am I able to enroll?
• Yes. As an open-enrollment program, international students are welcome in the program. As listed on our website, all certificate programs at UCI DCE (classroom and online formats) require professional-level English language proficiency in listening and note-taking, reading comprehension and vocabulary, written expression, and oral presentation. We find that students cannot truly benefit from the online program without a strong command of verbal and written English skills. More specifically, non-native English speakers interested in our certificate program should score a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (100 for the Internet-based test). You are not required to have a student visa while taking online courses from your home county.
• Does this program meets the eligibility requirements for an international student to be on an F-1 Visa?
• Because this program is fully online, it is not F-1 eligible. Please visit International Programs for a listing of programs that are F-1 eligible.
• Does my previous coursework fulfill the educational requirements for the CPA exam?
• To better understand the education requirements for the CPA exam, we encourage you to review the CBA Handbook and worksheet. This breaks down and defines the requirements per their regulations. The worksheet will be very helpful for you organize your courses and determine what requirement may be outstanding. Our certificate program and associated courses are intended to help individuals meet the Accounting Subjects requirements. Because the CBA is the governing body for the exam, they would be most appropriate to help look at your courses.
• How many semester units is the program?
• Our 10-course program (45 quarter units) equates to 30 semester units, which is what the CPA exam requirements are listed as.
• Is the Ethics course required to sit for the CPA or to complete the Applied Accounting certificate program?
• The Ethics course is not required to sit for the CPA exam, however for the California CPA licensure, you will need 10 units of Ethics Study. Our Ethics course can help you meet this requirement, but is not a required course for the Applied Accounting certificate program.
• Can you help me understand the different education requirements for the CPA exam? Does the Applied Accounting certificate program help me meet them?
• To better understand the Accounting vs. Business Subjects course/unit requirement, I encourage you to review the CBA Handbook. This breaks down and defines the requirements per their regulations. Our Applied Accounting certificate courses are intended to meet the Accounting Subjects requirement. You’ll see in the handbook that the Business subjects are much more varied and have a further reach in their curriculum, including Business Administration, Economics, Marketing, and so forth.
• Do you offer job placement at the end of the program?
• No. While UCI DCE does not offer placement services, our certificate certainly puts you in a good position to find employment. Additionally, the networking to be done in the class can also be invaluable. Our advisors, instructors, and a good number of our students, are current professionals in the educational consulting field, and are an excellent resource for hiring trends and opportunities.
• Is UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education an accredited institution?
• Yes. We are affiliated with the University of California system of schools, and are accredited through WASC. DCE programs are all approved by the respective school within UCI. For more information, please see UCI Accreditation.
• I can’t find the answer to my question.
• If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Finance Programs at FinancePrograms@ce.uci.edu.

English Proficiency Requirement
All certificate programs at UCI Division of Continuing Education (classroom and online formats) require professional-level English language proficiency in listening and note-taking, reading comprehension and vocabulary, written expression, and oral presentation.