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Accounting Student Information

Join one of our two student organizations:

Accounting Club

Beta Alpha Psi - Honorary Accounting Fraternity

Accounting Program Handbook 

Certified Public Accountant Requirements

Illinois CPA Requirements

Missouri CPA Requirements

Candidates who apply to sit for the CPA exam in Missouri must meet all of the following requirements to sit for the CPA exam:

  • An accounting concentration or equivalent (60 semester hours of business and related courses).
  • At least 33 of the 60 hours in accounting, one course must be Auditing. A student graduating with a BS in Accounting from UMSL generally needs to have 12 additional hours of accounting courses. Therefore, a person who meets the minimum requirements for a BS in Accounting would need to take four additional accounting courses to satisfy the state requirement.
  • The remaining 27 hours must be in accounting or other areas of business administration such as business law, statistics, economics, finance, marketing, management, MIS, and business communications. A person who meets the minimum requirements for a BS in Accounting satisfies this requirement.
  • At least 150 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by an accredited college or university. A person who meets the minimum requirements for a BS in Accounting will graduate with 120 hours of college education. Options for obtaining the additional 30 hours are outlined on the next page.

Recommended Options for Obtaining the Hours to Sit for the CPA Examination in Missouri for Students with a BS in Accounting from University of Missouri-St. Louis

  • Earn a Master of Accounting (M.Acc.) degree at University of Missouri-St. Louis. This 30-hour program is integrated with the BS in Accounting and can be completed in one year. The M.Acc. requires 15 hours of accounting (one course may be a 3000-level course not taken in the undergraduate program), managerial communication, and 12 hours of electives (three courses must be 4000-level or 5000 level courses). Summary: 30 hours beyond the BSA.
  • Earn an MBA degree. The minimum number of hours at University of Missouri-St. Louis (for a person with good grades and an undergraduate business degree from an AACSB accredited school) is 39. To satisfy the CPA exam requirements, a student with a BS in Accounting from UMSL would need to include at least four accounting courses in the 39 hours required. Like the MIS program, the MBA program is aimed at part-time students. It probably would require a minimum of 3-4 semesters. Summary: 39 hours beyond the BSA.
  • Take 30 hours of additional undergraduate courses, possibly leading to a minor, a second bachelor's degree or a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting. Available undergraduate accounting courses beyond the BS in Accounting include ACCTNG 3451, ACCTNG 4401 , ACCTNG 4402 , ACCTNG 4435 and ACCTNG 4441.