As someone who made a career change and went through the challenging process of becoming a licensed CPA, I’m intimately familiar with the 150-hour education requirement.
Instead of investing a significant amount of time and money in obtaining a master’s degree, I chose a different path. I took a diverse range of unconventional classes to fulfill the additional 30 semester-hour credits beyond my bachelor’s degree.
And I’m not the only one.
On a recent episode of The Accounting Podcast, I shared stories from our listeners about the creative ways they earned those extra credits. The 150-hour rule presents a barrier that can discourage potential CPAs. But these accountants powered through with some outside-the-box courses.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Beginning Walk/Jog;
- Chemistry;
- Vegetable Gardening;
- Pickleball;
- Bowling;
- Math for Elementary School Teachers;
- Conditioning/Weight Training for Women;
- White Water Kayaking;
- Alabama Dinosaurs;
- Environmental Geology;
- History of Rock and Roll;
- Understanding Jazz;
- Natural Disasters;
- Intro to the Computer;
- Intro to the Internet;
- Canoeing;
- Golf;
- Tennis;
- Scuba Diving;
- National Parks;
- Women’s Studies;
- Intro to Piano;
- Humor Studies;
- Aerobics;
- Men and Masculinity; and,
- Intro to Gerontology
What exactly is the applicability of these courses to preparing someone for accounting work?
I chose to take Introduction to Philosophy to meet my remaining requirements. And I’ll admit it had value. It played a pivotal role in helping me question policies like the 150-hour rule. Is an arbitrary number of hours the best way to foster ethical and knowledgeable accountants? Or does it just result in unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape?
CPAs who don’t require or want a master’s degree are willing to take any course to meet the 150-hour policy. However, the time and expenses involved create a significant barrier that discourages many qualified candidates from pursuing the CPA path. A study by the Center for Audit Quality found that “not wanting to pursue the 150 academic credit hours required for CPA licensure” is one of the “most significant reasons for not choosing accounting as a major.”
It’s time to reform the initial CPA licensure to prioritize relevant skills and practical experience over hours.
But for now, future CPAs must get creative with their class schedules to make the 150 hours work. The tales of pickleball, dinosaurs, and strolling across campus show that accountants will find a way, even if it’s hardly the straightest path.
What strange or unusual courses did you take to earn your 150 hours? How should our profession adapt to keep up with the times? I’d love to hear from you.
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