Education

(1) An applicant will be deemed to have met the educational requirement for the purpose of being eligible to receive a certificate pursuant to T.C.A. § 62-1-106(c)(1) if the applicant has earned a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited educational institution and obtained the minimum number of hours required by T.C.A. § 62-1-106(c) which includes: EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS CHAPTER 0020-02 (a) At least thirty (30) semester or forty-five (45) quarter hours of accounting education including the elementary level. The following subject matter content areas qualify as accounting education: 1. Principles or introductory accounting 2. Financial accounting and reporting for business organizations 3. Financial statement auditing 4. Taxation 5. Accounting information systems 6. Financial accounting and reporting for government and not-for-profit entities 7. Attestation engagements 8. Managerial or cost accounting 9. Mergers and acquisitions 10. Tax and financial planning 11. Fraud examination 12. Internal controls and risk assessment 13. Financial statement analysis 14. Accounting research analysis 15. Tax research and analysis 16. 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 17. Ethics (accounting course) 18. Other accounting-related content areas included in the Uniform CPA Examination Blueprints or as may be approved by the Board. (b) For courses that do not qualify as Board-approved subject matter areas as listed above in 0020-02-.02(1)(a) and require further Board review, approval will be granted if the course qualifies toward an accounting degree and provides a foundation in accounting subject matter content. The Board will consider the following factors in determining whether a course will qualify. The course should: 1. Develop the skills required to apply the knowledge attained (including skills in communications, critical thinking, research and analysis); 2. Include and emphasize ethical behavior, professional skepticism and judgment, and professional responsibility; and EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS CHAPTER 0020-02 3. Provide quality instruction in subjects that clearly contribute to the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to meet the public’s expectations of a CPA. (c) Not more than nine (9) semester or equivalent quarter hours may be internship programs. Of these nine (9) semester hours or equivalent quarter hours, a maximum of six (6) semester hours or equivalent quarter hours may be applied to the thirty (30) semester or forty-five (45) quarter hours in accounting; and, (d) At least twenty-four (24) semester or thirty-six (36) quarter hours in general business education in one (1) or more of the following: 1. Algebra, Calculus, Statistics, Probability 2. Business Communication 3. Business Law 4. Economics 5. Ethics (business course) 6. Finance 7. Management 8. Technology/Information Systems 9. Marketing 10. 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. 11. Other business-related content areas included in the Uniform CPA Examination Blueprints or as may be approved by the Board. (2) For purposes of this rule, accounting hours, other than elementary courses, above the minimum requirement may be substituted for general business education. (3) For purposes of this rule, candidates must have at least twenty-four (24) semester or thirty- six (36) quarter hours of accounting courses at the upper division level, junior level courses or higher. Lower division level courses, including those completed at junior college, that transfer to a four-year degree-granting institution as upper division level may be counted as upper division level provided the transferred credits are listed on an official transcript from the four-year degree-granting institution. (4) An applicant for CPA examination shall be deemed to have met the educational requirement solely for the purpose of being admitted to take the CPA examination pursuant to T.C.A. § 62-1-106(c)(2) if the applicant has earned a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited educational institution and obtained at least eighteen (18) semester or twenty- seven (27) quarter hours of accounting education at the upper division level, junior level courses or higher. Semester or quarter hours from internship programs may not be applied to the eighteen (18) semester or twenty-seven (27) quarter hours in accounting required by this paragraph. EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS CHAPTER 0020-02 (a) An application to sit for examination may be filed, processed and approved prior to the completion of a baccalaureate or higher degree so long as the applicant submits materials with the application that demonstrate that, at the time of the first examination, the applicant will have a baccalaureate or higher degree with the hours of accounting education required by paragraph (4). (b) A certificate of enrollment and certified transcript from the educational institution demonstrating that the applicant will have the required degree prior to the first examination shall be sufficient documentation to demonstrate that the applicant will have a baccalaureate or higher degree with the hours of accounting education required by paragraph (4) at the time of the first examination; provided, however, that the Board or its designee may accept such other reasonable documentation as an applicant may provide properly demonstrating that the applicant will have met the requirements of this paragraph prior to examination. (c) No credit will be given to an applicant for an examination if that applicant fails to successfully obtain a baccalaureate or higher degree with the hours of accounting education required by paragraph (4) prior to the time the applicant took the examination.