(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:
(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
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.
(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.
