AboutCynthia Wolfe Expertise Let me help you with questions about online programs and what is expected of an online student or instructor. I am an instructor as well as a student in an online program. If you are looking for a program or have questions about online learning in general, I can guide you. If you are a teacher looking for new ideas or methods, I can help. I have resources and ideas to share. I am a member of the National Business Education Association (NBEA), a professional organization devoted to the recognition that business education competencies are essential for all individuals in today's fast-changing society. Read about my experiences as an online student at my blog thinkPhD.
Expert: Cynthia Wolfe Date: 7/10/2008 Subject: Online MBA
Question Hi Cynthia,
I have enrolled myself in Ashworth University online MBA program and curious to know if this MBA degree will be acceptable for CPA exam in California.
I have 3 years B. Com degree from India and over 20 years of work experience but my degree is not treated as equvilient to US or Canadian bachelor degree.
Your foreign transcripts (p.15) must be evaluated. There are also specific course requirements. The American credits are contingent on this statement:
"The Board accepts only courses from degree-granting colleges and universities, or other institutions of learning that are recognized by a U.S. regional institutional accrediting agency or a national accrediting agency. The Board also accepts extension programs and
correspondence courses from these accredited colleges and universities (CPA Licensing Applicant Handbook, p. 15)."
You need to compare Ashworth's accreditation and your credit hours with the requirements in the Handbook. You will be required to send transcripts. If you have only had a few MBA courses in accounting and the India-based courses do not count, then you have not fulfilled the credit hour requirements for licensure, which are high. Here is a statement from the Handbook, "The core-course requirement consists of 48 semester units of accounting and business-related subjects, including a minimum of 24 semester units in accounting subjects" (p.16).
You can apply to California and then they will review coursework, but it looks to me as though you will not have enough credit hours based on what you have told me and my comparison to the requirements.
