Accounting
Graduate Certificate
Quick Facts
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The Online Graduate Accounting Certificate allows students and professionals to select 9 to 18 units of fully online, graduate-level accounting coursework tailored to their educational needs, with courses starting six times each year. All courses are taken through the School of Accountancy at the Eller College of Management, both of which are AACSB accredited, adding to the value of this program. Additionally, graduate-level accounting units earned can be applied towards the Online Master of Science in Accounting.
This certificate provides advanced accounting courses and enables eligible students to obtain additional coursework needed to become a CPA, including optional courses that meet the unique CPA requirements in certain states.
To be eligible for the Online Graduate Accounting Certificate, students must possess a four-year bachelor's degree with at least a 2.75 GPA and must have completed an introductory financial accounting course.
Depending on the specific graduate courses selected in the program, the following prerequisite courses may be necessary. They can be completed in the summer as part of your program.
- ACCT 400A, Intermediate Financial Accounting I
- ACCT 400B, Intermediate Financial Accounting II
- ACCT 420, Introduction to Federal Taxation
For additional information, contact the master's program coordinator at GradAcctPrograms@arizona.edu.
*Residents of some U.S. Territories may not be eligible. Please see our Eligibility & State Authorization page for more information.
The curriculum for this program includes:
Cover advanced financial accounting topics included on FAR section of the CPA exam including consolidated financial statements, mergers and acquisitions, and foreign currency.
Enhance awareness of ethical dilemmas that arise in the accounting profession and meet ethics course requirement of certain state boards of accountancy such as California.
Cover topics included on REG section of the CPA exam including US contract law, creditors' rights, agency and employment law, business organizations, and securities regulation.
Cover topics included on the REG section of the CPA exam including taxation of C-corporations, S-corporations, Partnerships, Estates, and Gifts.
Critique the underlying concepts and theories of existing accounting rules and hypothesize how changes in the regulatory and business environment will reshape accounting standards.
Cover the theory of auditing and internal controls over financial reporting to assist with AUD section of the CPA exam.
Build skills related to understanding accounting disclosures and financial statements, including profitability measurement, credit analysis, footnote analysis, forecasting, and valuation.
Cover governmental and not-for-profit accounting topics included on FAR section of the CPA exam.
Cover topics related to healthcare accounting including financial statements, budgets, revenue streams, expansion decisions, and revenue generators versus cost centers.
