Professional Certifications
The School of Accountancy prepares accounting graduates to apply and sit for the qualifying examinations of four of the most highly recognized professional accounting certifications: the CPA (Certified Public Accountant), the CMA (Certified Management Accountant), the CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner), and the CFF (Certified in Financial Forensics credential). In addition, students in the Forensic Interviews and Interrogation course may earn their ACFI (Associate Certified Forensic Interviewer) credential during this course.
Although individual states regulate educational and experiential requirements for licensing public accountants, the AICPA (American Institute of Public Accountants) prepares the mandatory, comprehensive, four-part Uniform CPA Examination. In Georgia, students may first take the CPA Exam after having completed the 120 hours of education required for the BBA in Accounting degree; however, most students defer taking the CPA exam until they are completing their Master of Accountancy degree, which includes the additional accounting hours required for CPA license.
Although students entering any area of professional accounting may choose to hold the CPA designation, only those accounting professionals who express an opinion on an entity’s audited financial statements are required to be licensed as CPAs.
The School of Accountancy anticipates that graduates may seek the following professional state licenses or certifications:
CPA.
The School of Accountancy has determined that the required classes and educational activities of the MAcc or WebMAcc program will qualify a graduate of this program to take the exam for a Certified Public Account license in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Georgia Southern makes every effort to ensure information about educational requirements for licensure or certification is current; however, state requirements may change. Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete professional examinations, background checks, years of professional experience, residence requirements, jurisprudence exams, training, etc. If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Georgia, it is strongly recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state to seek information regarding licensure or certification before beginning an academic program. For more information and a list of applicable state boards, visit the Georgia Southern State Authorization and Professional Licensure Webpage.
The CMA designation, granted by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), is meant for accountants and financial professionals in business. Requirements to become a CMA include being a member if the IMA; passing all four parts of the CMA Examination; having a four-year degree from an accredited college or university; and having a minimum of two years of professional experience. Students may take the CMA Exam during their undergraduate education in accounting or another field. The CMA credential is valuable in accounting and finance careers.
For requirements for the CMA, click here.
The School of Accountancy has determined that the required classes and educational activities of the BBA in accounting, along with requirements of two years of work experience, will qualify a graduate of this program to take the exam for the CMA imanet.org/?ssopc=1.
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) administers the CFE Examination and grants the CFE credential. Students who complete the Fraud Examination courses are prepared to obtain the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential. Students may sit for the CFE Exam prior to completing their undergraduate degree. Professionals who are involved with any aspect of detecting, investigating, and preventing fraud and white-collar crime within organizations find this credential to be invaluable.
For requirements for the CFE, click acfe.com/become-cfe-qualifications.aspx.
The School of Accountancy has determined that the required classes and educational activities of the BBA in accounting, along with requirements of two years of work experience, will qualify a graduate of this program to take the exam for a CFE imanet.org/?ssopc=1.
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) established the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) credential exclusively for CPAs who demonstrate expertise in forensic accounting through their knowledge, skills, and experience. Students who complete the Forensic Accounting courses in our Master of Accountancy program are prepared to obtain the CFF credential. Students who desire careers with public accounting firms, law firms, forensic accounting firms, and litigation support consulting firms often pursue this credential.
The School of Accountancy has determined that the required classes and educational activities of the BBA in accounting, along with requirements of two years of work experience, will qualify a graduate of this program to take the exam for a CFF aicpa.org/membership/join/credentials.html?tab-1=2.
The Ethical Leadership Certification Program, administered by NASBA Center for Public Trust uses an online tool to teach students how to identify ethical issues, learn how to respond to ethical dilemmas, and enhance their ethical decision-making abilities. The program requires that students complete 6 modules and score at least 80 percent on each test administered at the end of the modules.
For requirements for the CEL, click thecpt.org/ethical-leadership-certification-program/.
The International Association of Interviewers (IAI) administers and grants the professional certification known as the ACFI. Eligibility requirements were established for individuals with no professional interviewing or interrogation experience. Students enrolled in Forensic Interviews and Interrogation (ACCT/LSTD 4633) can become Associate Members of the IAI. Students can obtain this certification during this course, which includes a 16 module educational program.
Potential employers in fields specializing in accounting, law enforcement, loss prevention, human resources, litigation, and many other areas – find that this credential highlights our students in the hiring process.
The School of Accountancy anticipates that after graduation and gaining professional interviewing experience in their chosen career employment positions, graduates will seek the CFI professional certification. There are no state licensing requirements.
Federal law requires colleges and universities to make certain disclosures to prospective students of these programs. These disclosures include information on the University’s authority to operate outside of Georgia, complaint processes, adverse actions, refunds, and program closure. For required disclosures about online programs offered by the University, visit the Georgia Southern State Authorization and Professional Licensure Webpage.
Transfer Students
The Parker College of Business would like to welcome you to our website! We’re excited about your interest in Business. The following is important information for prospective students to the university and information for those who have been recently accepted to our institution.
The first step in the admission process to Georgia Southern University is to apply!
Learn more about transferring to Georgia Southern University here.
Please mail all official transcripts from your previous institution(s) to the Office of Admissions at the following address:
Office of Admissions
Georgia Southern University
P.O. Box 8024,
Statesboro, GA 30460
The Office of Admissions will initially evaluate your transcript(s) to determine which courses may count in your selected degree program at Georgia Southern University. Further evaluation of your credit will take place by an advisor in the Student Services Center after you have been successfully admitted to the university and are registered for orientation (see information below for Accepted Students).
Please note that it is highly possible that a number of your transfer credit hours will not be accepted by our university and neither by our college. For more information about specific courses that will transfer, please see the Transfer Course Equivalencies website.
The College of Business Administration is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Students transferring Upper Division courses (courses at the 3000-level and above) must have attended a school accredited under the same association. For a listing of AACSB accredited institutions, please visit: www.aacsb.edu
Should you have any questions regarding admissions or credit evaluation, please contact the Office of Admissions at 912-478-5391. The Student Services Center cannot evaluate your transcripts before you apply to the university. The official credit evaluation process can only begin once you have been accepted and are registered for orientation.
If you have been recently accepted to Georgia Southern University, the next step in your admission process is to register for SOAR (Southern’s Orientation, Advisement, and Registration). Once you have registered for SOAR, the College of Business Student Services Center will contact you through e-mail, regarding early advisement. Early advisement is a great way to get a “head-start” on your course selection and can be completed either through 1) e-mail or 2) face-to-face with an advisor in the Student Services Center. You will be contacted after you register for SOAR, at which time the Student Services Center will begin your transfer credit evaluation. Here are some key things you should know about early advisement and transfer credit evaluation.
Once you have registered for SOAR (Southern’s Orientation, Advisement, and Registration), our Student Services Center will contact you regarding “early-advisement”. The Student Services Center believes that being “early-advised” will help answer many of your questions and concerns regarding our majors; therefore, we strongly encourage you to be advised before attending your scheduled SOAR session. This will help you determine the courses you should enroll in during your first semester. While early advisement is a simple, convenient way to determine what courses are required for your chosen degree program, you are required to attend SOAR. You are expected to attend all information sessions, as well as, registration during SOAR.
You will initially begin in our Pre-Business program before selecting your anticipated major(s). The Pre-Business program at Georgia Southern consists of the following 3 requirements that you must complete before enrolling in Upper Division courses (3000-level and higher) required for your selected major(s):
- Student must earn (or has earned) a total of 45 or more semester hours
- Student must earn (or has earned) an overall Georgia Southern GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Student must earn (or has earned) a grade of “C” or better in ACCT 2101 “Financial Accounting”
Once you have registered for SOAR, our Student Services Center will begin your credit evaluation process. An advisor in the Student Services Center will evaluate your transfer credit to determine which courses can be used in your chosen degree program. Please note that it is highly possible that a number of your transfer credit hours will not be accepted by our university and neither by our college. (For more information about specific courses that will transfer, please see the Transfer Course Equivalencies). Many transfer courses are not equivalent to courses offered at Georgia Southern University. If this is the case for you, an advisor will contact you regarding the Petition for Academic Exception form that requests permission to count the course(s) as an equivalent or substitute for a Georgia Southern course. In this special case, you will need to obtain a copy of the course description and/or the course syllabus from your transfer institution to be included with your petition.