Certificate OF ACCOUNTING Program

The Certificate of Accounting Program is for those with non-accounting undergraduate degrees who are interested in an accounting career. 

Certified Public Accounting firms are projected to grow 10 percent to 20 percent through 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To take advantage of the opportunities this growth will create, individuals must be prepared to become CPAs.

The University of Louisville's Certificate of Accounting Program is specifically designed to:

• develop the basic skills needed to pass the CPA exam, which is first and foremost in becoming a CPA
• teach advanced accounting skills to those with non-accounting undergraduate degrees
• offer a 21 credit hour curriculum taught by academically and professionally qualified faculty.

Prerequesities and Curriculum for the Certificate of Accounting are listed in the link below to the UofL Undergraduate Catalog:

Accounting certificate prerequisites

Certificate of Accounting Program FAQs

2009-2010 Gainful Employment Disclosure Statement

Career Preparation

The Certificate of Accounting Program (CAP) prepares students for careers in public accounting, and for careers in accounting in businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities.  The Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code is 52.0301.  The occupations listed below are likely the most common opportunities for CAP graduates.  The occupations are listed together with their Department of Labor Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code, which may be used to obtain further information.  The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) code is 13-2011.01.

1. Accountants, 13-2011.01
2. Auditors, 13-2011.02
3. Budget Analysts, 13-2031.00
4. Tax Preparers, 13-2082.00
5. Financial Examiners, 13-2061.00
6. Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts, 13-2099.04
7. Tax Examiners, Collectors, and Revenue Agents, 13-2081.00
8. Credit Analysts, 13-2041.00

Additional information on these careers may be obtained from http://www.onetonline.org/, a service provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Program Completion

CAP consists of seven 3 credit hour courses.  Students may be required to complete prerequisite courses prior to beginning CAP.  Once the program is started, students are expected to complete the Certificate in four semesters of academic work.  Students may complete the program in less than four semesters by taking three or four courses per semester, and by enrolling in summer classes.  Seventeen students completed CAP during the 2009-2010 academic year.  Of those students 89 percent completed CAP in four or fewer semesters. 

Cost of the CAP

The cost of CAP is $12,900, which includes tuition for seven 3 credit hour courses and all additional fees levied by the College of Business and University of Louisville.*  

Tuition/Fees Books/Supplies (estimated) Total Cost for the required 21 credit hours without Room/Board Room/Board (per semester)

$12,900 $882 $13,782 $3,563

*Tuition, fees, book/supplies and room/board may change. 

 

Placement of CAP Graduates

The Ulmer Career Management Center serves only College of Business students, including students in CAP.  The Ulmer Center is also available to alumni following graduation.  Placement data is not currently available for CAP graduates, and will be provided in the future. SACS has not established a "requirement" for job placement rates.

Student Loan Information

Students in CAP may be eligible for financial aid, including student loans.  The median loan debt incurred by students completing CAP in the 2009-2010 academic year was $0. 

Additional Information

For additional information about CAP, please contact the School of Accountancy (502-852-5847).  Dr. William D. Stout, Director of the School of Accountancy may be contacted by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
School of Accountancy
College of Business
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY  40292