CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate
In this for-credit program, you’ll learn from top accounting faculty in the US and build technical knowledge and skills in financial accounting, taxation, and accounting data analytics as you prepare for the Uniform CPA Examination®.
Class starts in May.
Enroll by April 3, 2025.
8-24 months
Minimum time to complete. May vary depending on course load and start date.
$8,188 - $10,200
Approximate depending on choice of electives.
100% online
Faculty teach live classes and offer weekly office hours.
Prepare for the CPA Exam with accounting experts, earn a graduate certificate, and apply credits toward a master’s degree.
Prep for the CPA Exam
Develop the specialized knowledge and skills to become licensed as a U.S. Certified Public Accountant and gain the hours needed to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination® (CPA Exam).
Top faculty
The University of Illinois’ accounting faculty are consistently ranked #3 among their US peers (BYU Accounting Faculty Research Rankings). Faculty teach live class sessions and offer weekly office hours, and teaching staff are available to provide support as needed.
Curated, stackable content
The CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate stacks directly into the full Master of Business Administration (iMBA), Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA), and Master of Science in Management (iMSM) from the University of Illinois. Upon completion of the certificate program, you may apply 12 credit hours toward one of these degrees.
Program description
Overview
Expand your technical knowledge and skills in financial accounting, taxation, and accounting data analytics in the CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate program. In as little as eight months, you’ll not only build the expertise needed to excel as a Certified Public Accountant—you’ll get ready to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam.
You’ll learn from a global network of experts, including world-class faculty and a well-connected body of University of Illinois accounting alumni who can provide professional insights and advice. You’ll complement your tech knowhow by building in-demand business capabilities like critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving.
Gaining knowledge is only half the battle in the modern business world; application is equally important. So, you'll focus on real-world projects and work samples that demonstrate your advanced skills and help you stand out to current and potential employers.
To ensure our program’s curriculum reflects the latest requirements, our accounting faculty regularly reviews the contents of the CPA Exam.
The courses in this certificate program can be applied toward the education requirements for the Uniform CPA Examination®, and are fully stackable toward the full Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA), Master of Business Administration (iMBA), and Master of Science in Management (iMSM) degree programs at University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business.
Required background
The CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate is most relevant to learners with a strong background in accounting and who have likely earned an undergraduate degree in Accounting. Learners without a strong background in accounting, should contact an admissions specialist before applying to this certificate.
The Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate is a program to consider for those with less than intermediate-level accounting experience.
Upcoming Events
Skills you will gain
- Uniform CPA Exam preparation
- Uniform CPA Exam educational reqs
- accounting
- taxation
- data preparation
- investment accounting
- mergers and acquisitions accounting
Complete at least 1 core course and 4 hours of elective credit.
Course 1 of 11
Auditing (Core Course)
Overview
Core course option. This course provides an intensive conceptual and applied introduction to auditing in society. It focuses on concepts and applications related to financial-statement auditors’ professional responsibilities, as well as major facets of the audit process, including risk assessment and audit reporting. (2 or 4 credit hours)
Course 2 of 11
Advanced Financial Reporting (Core Course)
Overview
Core course option. This course covers accounting for business combinations (ASC 805), the preparation of consolidated financial statements (ASC 810), and other related topics including, but not limited to: step-by-step acquisition, deconsolidation, segments reporting, and the goodwill impairment test. (4 credit hours)
Course 3 of 11
Taxation of Business Entities (Core Course)
Overview
Core course option. This course provides an introduction to the U.S. federal income taxation of corporations and their shareholders and an introduction to the U.S. federal income taxation of pass-through business entities, including Subchapter S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies. (4 credit hours)
Course 4 of 11
Professional Responsibilities and Ethics for Accountants (Core Course)
Overview
Core course option. This course covers key principles of accountants’ professional responsibility in their jobs, organizations, and careers, and adopts both theoretical and practical perspectives of the role of ethics and morals within the accounting discipline. (3 credit hours)
Course 5 of 11
Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation (Core Course)
Overview
Core course option. This course examines the tools and techniques of financial statement analysis and company valuation from the perspective of investors and creditors; emphasizes theoretical and empirical properties of financial ratios as well as valuation methods used in practice. (4 credit hours)
Course 6 of 11
Machine Learning for Accounting (Elective)
Overview
Elective option. This course introduces machine learning algorithms and their applications in accounting problems. It covers classification, regression, clustering, text analysis, time series analysis. (2 credit hours)
Course 7 of 11
Accounting Analytics Applications (Elective)
Overview
Elective option. This course develops students’ knowledge regarding the role, methods, and implications of business and data analytics in accounting via real-world applications of fundamental and advanced analytics principles. (1 credit hour)
Course 8 of 11
Corporate & Commercial Law (Elective)
Overview
Elective option. This course focuses on contracts and employment law. You will learn about several important legal concepts that affect businesses, as well as business organizations, business financing, and governmental regulation. (4 credit hours)
Course 9 of 11
Data Toolkit: Business Data Modeling & Predictive Analytics (Elective)
Overview
Elective option. This course is focused on developing a business analytic mindset. You will then be exposed to various tools to perform tasks including extracting, transforming and loading (ETL) data to conduct exploratory data analytics (EDA). (4 credit hours)
Course 10 of 11
Data Analytics Applications in Business (Elective)
Overview
Elective option. This course develops students' knowledge regarding the role, methods, and implications of business and data analytics in business. Application opportunities span multiple areas of business. (2 credit hours)
Course 11 of 11
Infonomics (Elective)
Overview
Elective option. This course provides a non-technical perspective on and methods for monetizing, managing, and measuring information as if it were any other kind of corporate asset. (4 credit hours)
The certificate stacks directly into the full Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA) from the University of Illinois.
Take the next step in your education to boost your career. This Graduate Certificate is a building block that offers you a pathway to a degree while also providing job-relevant skills today.
Certificate
CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate
CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate Certificate allows you to earn credit directly towards the:
Instructors
Ron Guymon
Senior Lecturer of Accountancy and RC Evans Data Analytics Fellow
Linden Lu
Instructor of Accountancy
Jessen Hobson
Professor of Accountancy and Director of Deloitte Foundation Center for Business Analytics and PwC Faculty Fellow
Brian Hamm
Clinical Assistant Professor of Accountancy
Unnati Narang
Assistant Professor of Business Administration and RC Evans Data Analytics Fellow
Nerissa Brown
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Professor of Accountancy and Josef and Margot Lakonishok Faculty Fellow and PwC Faculty Fellow
Michael Donohoe
Head of the Department of Accountancy and Professor of Accountancy and PwC Faculty Fellow and RC Evans Data Analytics Fellow
Michael Kustanovich
Clinical Assistant Professor of Accountancy
Mark Peecher
Deloitte Professor of Accountancy and Executive Associate Dean of Faculty and Research
Frequently asked questions
Coursera does not grant academic credit; the decision to grant, accept, or recognize academic credit, and the process for awarding such credit, is at the sole discretion of the academic institutions offering the Graduate Certificate program and/or other institutions that have determined that completion of the program may be worthy of academic credit. Completion of a Graduate Certificate program does not guarantee admission into the full Master’s program referenced herein, or any other degree program.