The goal of the Accounting Associate curriculum is to prepare students for employment in accounting positions upon completion of the degree or certificates. Graduates may qualify as tax aides, assistants to controllers or staff accountants.

The curriculum offers a 63 credit hour A.A.S. degree program, and four accounting certificates: a 42 credit hour certificate in accounting with concentrated study in accounting principles, intermediate accounting, cost accounting, federal taxes and advanced accounting; a 16 credit hour certificate in bookkeeping that leads to the national professional bookkeepers certification; a 19 credit hour certificate in income tax preparation that leads to the IRS enrolled agent exam; and a 25-36 credit hour professional accounting-CPA preparation certificate that leads to the national uniform CPA exam.

For students working toward the CPA examination, the Board of Examiners accepts all accounting and business law courses taken at Oakton. For students planning to transfer, senior level institutions usually accept ACC 153 and ACC 154 only.

The CPA exam education requirements are changing on July 1, 2013.  Students who finish their coursework before that date can apply under the existing rules.  Students who finish their coursework after July 1, 2013 will need to follow the new rules.  See our CPA Exam page for more details about the education requirements of the Illinois Board of Examiners.

Additional information concerning the CPA examination may be obtained from: Illinois Board of Examiners, 100 Trade Centre Drive, Suite 402, Champaign, IL 61820-7233, 217.531.0950, www.ilboa.org, or from the Illinois CPA Society, 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL  60606, 312.993.0393, www.icpas.org.

For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions or contact Leslie Van Wolvelear, student advisor for the accounting program, at 847.376.7135 or lvanwolv@oakton.edu.