Meet ACCT 451: CSU Chico Students' Competitive Edge

As many of you are probably already aware, California passed legislation requiring CPA candidates to have at least 150 hours of credit to be eligible to become certified.  Since only 120 units are required to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree, colleges have had to find a way to cope with the change.  Many are telling students to either get a Masters or to take “filler” classes.

The accounting faculty at Chico State, however, wasn't satisfied with that solution.  Instead, they devoted countless hours to designing a Professional Accounting Certificate (PAC) program.  Department Chair, Dr. Tim Kizirian, explained, “Chico’s desire is to address the 150 hour rule in a quality manner. We want our students to be competitive in the marketplace.  We don’t want our students to take 30 ‘extra’ units of ‘Frisbee class.’” In order to make the PAC a reality, old classes have been restructured and new ones have been created.

Meet ACCT 451: “Simulation Laboratory Accounting.” It is one of the courses created for the PAC.  A brilliant idea by our own Dr. Kizirian, ACCT 451 students will actually earn university credit toward the PAC for CPA exam preparation.  By completing all four modules of a CPA review course of the student’s own choice, students will earn 6 units of credit towards the PAC.  Dr. Kizirian is the “professor” who monitors student progress in ACCT 451.  He will log in to the student’s CPA review course homework and test manager systems to monitor progress in the CPA review course study modules.

This class is what is really going to give Chico State students an edge. Not only will students graduate with a solid 30 additional units of accounting-related coursework, they will be prepared for parts of the CPA exam.  The first day in the office, Chico accounting graduates will face a steep learning curve like any other new recruit.  But Chico grads won’t have to simultaneously tackle the grueling task of studying for all four parts of the CPA exam.  A huge part of what can seem an insurmountable task will already be done.

They’re still going to be stressed and freaked out by those first few years in the profession. But Chico students are going to be far ahead of the curve.  Thanks to the faculty, the 150-hour rule is another chance for Chico State students to shine.  ACCT 451 and the PAC will prepare them for post-graduation realities. Chico students will be able to inform recruiters they are already progressing towards CPA licensure. This is just more evidence that Chico students can out-perform the competition.