Texas 150 Hour Requirement

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  • #185154
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hello, I was just reading the requirements on the TSBPA website (https://www.tsbpa.state.tx.us/exam-qualification/education-150-hours.html) and the last sentence states “NOTE: After obtaining a baccalaureate degree all additional coursework used to meet the 150-semester-hour requirement must be upper level.” Is this a more recent rule? Previously, I was under the impression that if you fulfill the upper level accounting and business courses, you could take anything to get to the 150. It seems like a lot of school websites out there do not point this out to students who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

    Unfortunately, I enrolled in two courses this Spring semester, which have now probably become worthless as they are not “upper level” and were not taken at one of the four TSBPA approved community colleges. Does anyone have any experience with trying to get to the 150 without going to grad school in Texas? Has anyone had any luck in obtaining leniency for fulfilling the 150? I will make sure to take upper level courses in the future but I’m feeling hopeless that I just wasted time taking two courses, even though I could argue that they helped me professionally (financial statement analysis and psychology of personality).

    Thank you for any input.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 18 total)
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  • #643075
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    This sounds like a new rule. They continue to slowly increase the coursework hoops. They might as well go ahead and just make the master's degree a requirement.

    Though I can't say for certain, since this scenario wouldn't have applied to me. I did it the other way….switched majors three times, so I had plenty more than 150 hours by the time I finished my undergraduate degree.

    Financial Statement Analysis is a freshman or sophomore level course? Surprised they even offer it at a community college. Jeez. At SMU, it's a 6000 level course, I believe.

    I would just call the state board and ask. Worst case scenario, they tell you no and then you enroll in the cheapest, most ludicrous upper level online course you can find that will satisfy the requirement. Plus, as you said, you did find the classes you took in the spring helpful…..so it's not a total loss.

    #643076
    scast33
    Participant

    Hi blue24,

    I am on the same boat! I need 20 extra credits. I wrote the board and they replied: …

    “It’s only necessary to take upper division courses if you have need them to meet the requirements (i.e. business related courses or advanced accounting courses). Yes, Austin CC, Lonestar, Houston CC and Mountainview CC. You can do an online program just as long as the online classes are not part of the 30 hrs of advanced accounting courses”…

    I was thinking to take some grad courses although they are ridiculously expensive!. I didn't inquire yet for CC courses but I am considering it as my first choice.

    #643077
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi scast33,

    I talked to a lady on the phone yesterday with TSBPA and she said that once a person has a bachelor's, they have to either go to grad school or take upper level courses from one of the four approved CC's – Austin CC, Lonestar, Houston CC, or Mountain View. I was taking my two courses at San Antonio College, because I was under the same impression as you – that only if you needed to fulfill the upper level accounting or business courses you needed to do this at one of these four CC's. My plan was to complete the majority of these remaining credits at SAC and then take the ethics course and two upper level accounting courses at Mountain View online. From what the lady at TSBPA told me though, the courses at SAC will not count.

    #643078
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am taking the CPA in Dallas and WAS in the same boat. There are only 4 community colleges in Texas that offer state approved hours. I went to those to get my 20 extra hours at a cost of $20/hour. Plus these courses are taught by professors who know why you are there, they are usually a breeze and a waste of time, but got to check the box. Took my about 9 months doing this and working to gain my extra hours. If you live in the DFW area, the community college is Mountain View College.

    As a side note, I didn't learn a thing from these classes that translate to the CPA tests. Just go, check the box and learn your stuff from Becker.

    #643079
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Bstewie, do you know if Mountain View offers those courses online?

    #643080
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Neg. State requires a certain amount be in person/online. Only a few courses are offered online, but there is no way getting around it, if you want your extra 20 hours, gotta go to some of the classes at MVC.

    I think the there is a state CC that gives hours in H-Town and one in El Paso. I don't know where the other one is. But MVC offers a few classes online, but not much. Maybe enough to grab like 3 hours here or there. If you want to get done a quick and painless as possible, I would go to the classes at MVC. Half the time they cancel the classes because there is one or two professors teaching like 15 different courses.

    #643081
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    The board states we must “Complete 30 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents of upper level accounting courses from a board-recognized college or university, of which 15 semester hours or quarter-hour equivalents must be in traditional face-to-face courses.” I have 24 of the 30 which were all taken traditionally in a classroom setting. It seems like I could take two upper level accounting courses online at MVC, the ethics course, and then take 7 upper level electives (I have 121 credits right now). I think my only concern would be finding 7 classes the board deems upper level. I know there are several accounting classes I have not taken that are approved, but I'm not sure what other disciplines have upper level classes at a CC being that upper level typically means a junior or senior level class.

    I live in San Antonio and work full-time so attending one of these four schools in person is not an option. I also cannot afford grad school so I'm really in a bind here on what to do. I suppose I could inquire my 4-year university if taking a few upper level classes as a non-degree seeking student would be an option.

    #643082
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    The courses at MVC are in a program, so all the classes you have the option to chose from are board approve classes. If you have taken a Tax class in undergrad that is titled “Tax 101” but you take a “Personal Tax” class at MVC they will count it and not overlap. Even though they are prob the same class.

    Ethics has to be in person, so your screwed there. Look, the board gives you some wiggle room. Just call them up, explain your situation and maybe they can help you out.

    I live in Dallas and before I found out about these CC I contacted the major universities around here. Some would let me take a few classes without a GMAT to fill the state hours. But I will be paying like $5K per course. Cost benefit analysis.

    Also, I worked full time as well, but went to these classes at night. Maybe the CC in ATX will work for you. Just gotta skip out of work a little early.

    #643083
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    BStewie, thank you for all your responses. If I may ask one more thing… Do you have a bachelor's degree in accounting? The reason I ask is that the MVC website states “Candidates for this certificate must possess a Bachelor's degree in a discipline other than Accounting and must be approved by the Mountain View College Accounting Department before being granted approval to earn this certificate.” Most of the courses there require you to be enrolled in the certificate program but if you already have a bachelor's in accounting it seems like they could deny entrance to the program.

    #643084
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Yeah, I have a BBA from Tech. MVC segregates people who have a degree and people who don't. The program requires you to have a degree, just like the state requires you to have a degree.

    The accounting department at MVC is one guy name Michael Tylsaka. He is a cool guy. I have an accounting degree and the majority of people in the program had one to. There were a few other people who had masters, other bachelor degrees. But the simple rule, the state requires you to have a degree therefore MVC requires you to have a degree.

    #643085
    scast33
    Participant

    Blue24,

    There are some online ethics courses approved by the board. University of Texas at Dallas offers it for $2,000 I know is a lot but I will take it as an investment.

    I live in Louisiana and I am planning to move to Texas next year. However, I just found my first accounting job over here with a very low pay rate!. But I took it just for the experience. My goal is to finish the 20 credits by the end of this year and get ready to take my first CPA test next year.

    #643086
    jonescobbs
    Participant

    I took almost all my accounting classes at Austin Community College – about 40 hours worth. WIth a Psych degree and an MBA, I had taken virtually no accounting classes prior to enrolling at ACC. As of two years ago, ACC did offer the Ethics class online. Unlike the previous poster, I actually found most of my classes helpful and not a waste of time….for MOST of my classes. There were a few clunkers in there.

    #643087
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    jonescobbs, thanks for your response. I've contacted the state board to find out what my options are. Already having taken most of those classes, I'm not sure what I could take that falls into their definition of “upper level.” When I spoke to a rep, they said that it means junior or senior level; however, a community college does not typically offer courses at this level, other than the accounting ones stipulated by the TSBPA as approved.

    #643088
    misse2000
    Participant

    Hi I'm looking to head to MVC to get my 6 hours that are required for the exam. I've been reaching out to their accounting dept but they're not too quick with responding. So maybe someone on here may know.If I just needed to get 6 hours for my exam and decided to go with MVC, do they require you to be apart of the CPA Program just to get those hours? I'm needing my business ethics course, business communications, and a upper level accounting course.

    Will they allow you to simply enroll into these course and knock them out of the way or do you have to enroll into the program just for those 3 courses?

    Also, do they still check for prerequisites if you currently have your bachelors from an accredited univeristy?

    Thanks.

    #643089
    Mayo
    Participant

    @blue, it's not a new rule. The 150 hour rule is in place in order to make sure the candidate is taking grad coursework; effectively making it more difficult to take the exam.

    “Unfortunately, I enrolled in two courses this Spring semester, which have now probably become worthless as they are not “upper level” and were not taken at one of the four TSBPA approved community colleges”

    Change those classes to upper level courses ASAP. Otherwise, it's just a waste of time. Are you sure Financial Statement Analysis isn't upper level?

    “When I spoke to a rep, they said that it means junior or senior level; however, a community college does not typically offer courses at this level, other than the accounting ones stipulated by the TSBPA as approved.”

    Right..I'd enroll in a 4 year university in order to get those credits.

    Mayo, BBA, Macc

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 18 total)
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