Program Details
Accounting, C.S.C.
Career Studies CertificateNorthern Virginia Community College
This curriculum will provide students with the accounting courses needed to meet the requirements of the Virginia Board for Accountancy to sit for the Certified Public Accountancy (C.P.A.) examination. To meet the educational requirements to sit for the Virginia CPA exam, a candidate must obtain from one or more accredited institutions or from the National College the following:
- at least 120 semester hours of education;
- baccalaureate or higher degree; and
- accounting concentration or equivalent*
Requirements include:
- a minimum of 24 semester hours of accounting courses, to include courses in auditing, financial accounting, management accounting, and taxation; and
- a minimum of 24 semester hours of business courses. As many as 6 hours of accounting courses (not included in the 24 hours of accounting courses) may be considered for the business course requirement.
*Principles or introductory accounting courses cannot be considered in determining whether a person has obtained the 48 minimum number of semester hours required for an accounting concentration or equivalent.
Program Overview & Guidance

Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Considerations for Selecting Degree | |
Program Requirement Notes | Program Requirement Notes Successful completion of ACC 211and ACC 212or equivalent as demonstrated through transcript evaluation. These accounting courses may also meet accounting requirements of various government and private sector positions. Students on Financial Aid should consider the AAS in Accounting Degree in order to get financial aid coverage of ACC 211and ACC 212. Students who do not have the required business courses may find the AAS in Accounting Degree a good alternative for covering all CPA requirements. |
Considerations When Selecting Courses |
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Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | |
Doing More With Your Degree | |
Program Successes & Highlights |
Program Credit Requirements

Please note that some courses may count towards more than one requirement such as meeting a general education requirement and a major specific requirement. The course will be listed under the first matching requirement. Please contact the institution with questions.
A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?

Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Associate Transfer Degree Completion | Students who have graduated with at least an associate or bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited United States institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled NOVA's SDV requirement. Any other course transfers are evaluated based on the student's transcript, https://www.nvcc.edu/cro/transfercredit/index.html |
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | Students who have graduated with at least an associate or bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited United States institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled NOVA's SDV requirement. Any other course transfers are evaluated based on the student's transcript. |
Credit for Prior Learning | NOVA strives to provide students with opportunities to receive credit for prior learning while still maintaining the integrity of our academic programs. Credit for prior learning (CPL) generally refers to the process of granting college credit for learning gained in nontraditional. ways; https://www.nvcc.edu/prior-learning/ |
Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information

College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
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Is This College Right For Me? | Our classes feature up-to-date technology and course content to prepare you for a competitive job market; We also offer courses that will transfer to colleges all over Virginia and the nation. In fact, NOVA has guaranteed admission agreements with more than 40 colleges and universities for students who meet specific requirements. |
Transfer Student Catalog Year | Catalog year is determined by first semester of program placement. |
First Year Student Catalog Year | Catalog year is determined by first semester of program placement. |
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions | https://www.nvcc.edu/gaa/ |
Where Can This Degree Transfer

If you are interested in transferring to a four-year degree view this degree on the Transfer Virginia site to explore degrees aligned with this program at Virginia's 4-year institutions.
Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mountain Gateway Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
Mountain Gateway Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
Germanna Community College | Associate of Arts & Sciences Degree in Business | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Science in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Management - Small Business Management Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Online |
Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management - Project Management Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management - Digital Marketing Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Hybrid |
Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
New River Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
New River Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Paul D. Camp Community College | Associate of Sciences in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
Rappahannock Community College | AAS Degree in Business Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Rappahannock Community College | AA&S Degree in Arts and Sciences - Business Administration Specialization | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Southside Virginia Community College | Associate of Arts and Sciences with a major in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid, Online |
Virginia Peninsula Community College | Associate of Science in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online |
Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Online |
Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Online |
Tidewater Community College | Associate of Science - Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | Online |
Virginia Highlands Community College | Associate in Applied Science Degree in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Virginia Highlands Community College | Associate in Applied Science Degree in Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Accounting | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Management | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Virginia Western Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Wytheville Community College | Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Wytheville Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Management and Leadership | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Careers Where This Degree Applies

O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
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13-2011.00 | Accountants and Auditors | Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
13-2022.00 | Appraisers of Personal and Business Property | Appraise and estimate the fair value of tangible personal or business property, such as jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, and equipment. May also appraise land. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
13-2031.00 | Budget Analysts | Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
25-1011.00 | Business Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
13-2041.00 | Credit Analysts | Analyze credit data and financial statements of individuals or firms to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money. Prepare reports with credit information for use in decisionmaking. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
13-2061.00 | Financial Examiners | Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
13-2054.00 | Financial Risk Specialists | Analyze and measure exposure to credit and market risk threatening the assets, earning capacity, or economic state of an organization. May make recommendations to limit risk. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
13-2081.00 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
13-2082.00 | Tax Preparers | Prepare tax returns for individuals or small businesses. | Business and Financial Operations Occupations |
Cost To Complete

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