Eligibility Requirements for the CPA Examination

PURPOSE: This rule determines the eligibility requirements an applicant shall meet in order to qualify to sit for the certified public accountant examination as a Missouri candidate. (1) The applicant must comply with section 326.277, RSMo. (2) The equivalent of a concentration in accounting shall be determined in the following manner: (A) For candidates whose applications for the initial examination are or were received prior to June 30, 2021, the concentration or major in accounting, or the equivalent of a concentration in accounting shall be sixty (60) semester hours of accounting and other related courses. At least thirty-three (33) semester hours shall be accounting courses with at least one (1) course in auditing and at least eighteen (18) semester hours of accounting courses taken at the upper division level. For the purposes of this rule “upper division level” courses shall mean courses taken beyond the elementary level. The remaining twenty-seven (27) semester hours shall be in accounting or other areas of business administration such as business law, statistics, economics, finance, marketing, management, information technology and business communications. These courses shall be taken at an accredited college or university recognized by the board. (B) For candidates whose applications for initial examination are received on or after June 30, 2021, the concentration in accounting shall include a total of at least forty-eight (48) semester hours, including a minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours of accounting and twenty-four (24) semester hours of business courses. These courses shall be taken at an accredited college or university recognized by the board. 1. Accounting courses should include some or all of the following: A. Accounting information systems; B. Accounting research and analysis; C. Attestation engagements; D. Data analytics, data interrogation techniques, and/or digital acumen in an accounting context, whether taken in the business school or in another college or university program, such as the engineering, computer science, or math programs; E. Ethics (accounting course); F. Financial accounting and reporting for business organizations; G. Financial accounting and reporting for government and not-for-profit entities; H. Financial statement analysis; I. Financial statement auditing; J. Formal independent study; K. Formal internships; L. Fraud examination; M. Internal controls and risk assessment; N. Managerial or cost accounting; O. Mergers and acquisitions; P. Tax and financial planning; Q. Taxation; R. Tax Research and analysis; or S. Other accounting-related content areas included in the Uniform CPA Examination Blueprints or as may be approved by the board. 2. Business courses should include some or all of the following: A. Business communications; B. Business law; C. Data analytics, data interrogation techniques, and/ or digital acumen, whether taken in the business school or in another college or university program, such as the engineering, computer science, or math programs; D. Economics; E. Ethics (business course); F. Finance; G. Formal independent study; H. Formal internships; I. Information systems or technology; J. Management; K. Marketing; L. Quantitative methods; M. Statistics; or N. Other business-related content areas included in the Uniform CPA Examination Blueprints or as may be approved by the board. 3. Of the forty-eight (48) semester hours, a maximum of nine (9) semester credit hours may be from formal, supervised internships or independent study in the areas of accounting and business in undergraduate and/or graduate level courses. (3) Any United States universities or colleges accredited by one (1) of the following six (6) regional accreditors are recognized by the board to satisfy the accreditation requirement of section 326.277.2, RSMo: (A) Higher Learning Commission; (B) Middle States Commission on Higher Education; (C) New England Commission on Higher Education; (D) Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; (E) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; or (F) WASC Senior College and University Commission. (4) The board may also recognize specialized accreditations which meet or exceed the accreditation standards of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of BusinessInternational (AACSB) or Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). (5) The board, or its designee, will complete a transcript review. In reviewing transcripts, the board may rely on the accreditation to assess the overall quality of the educational institutions. An applicant shall produce transcripts and any other course information as the board may request in order to determine education hours, including acceptable instructions, quality, and concentration in accounting. (6) Quarter credit hours may be converted to semester credit hours by multiplying quarter credit hours by two-thirds (2⁄3). For example, thirty-six (36) quarter hours are equal to twenty-four (24) semester credit hours. (7) The board may in its discretion allow any applicant to take the examination; however, approval to take the exam shall not create any presumption that the applicant is fit for licensure nor otherwise prohibit the board from exercising its discretion in considering an application for licensure as set forth in section 326.310, RSMo. (8) The provisions of this rule are declared severable. If any provision of this rule is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of this rule shall remain in full force and effect, unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid. AUTHORITY: section 326.262, RSMo 2016, and sections 326.277, 326.280.1., and 326.310, RSMo Supp. 2020.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 10-2.041. Original rule filed Sept. 13, 1978, effective Jan. 13, 1979. Amended: Filed Aug. 6, 1981, effective Dec. 11, 1981. Amended: Filed Sept. 6, 1983, effective Jan. 13, 1984. Amended: Filed Dec. 15, 1983, effective April 12, 1984. Amended: Filed April 9, 1993, effective Oct. 10, 1993. Amended: Filed Oct. 13, 1993, effective May 9, 1994. Amended: Filed March 17, 1994, effective Sept. 30, 1994. Amended: Filed June 10, 1998, effective Dec. 30, 1998. Emergency amendment filed Nov. 15, 2001, effective Nov. 25, 2001, expired May 23, 2002. Amended: Filed Nov. 15, 2001, effective June 30, 2002. Amended: Filed April 5, 2004, effective July 30, 2004. Moved to 20 CSR 2010-2.041, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed April 3, 2006, effective Nov. 30, 2006. Amended: Filed Feb. 23, 2010, effective Aug. 30, 2010. Amended: Filed Oct. 30, 2020, effective May 30, 2021. *Original authority: 326.262, RSMo 2001; 326.277, RSMo 2001, amended 2020; 326.280, RSMo 2001, amended 2002, 2017, 2020; and 326.310, RSMo 2001, amended 2017.