(a) For purposes of this section, acceptable accrediting agency shall mean an organization accepted by the department as a reliable authority for the purpose of accreditation of accountancy programs, having accreditation standards that are substantially equivalent to the requirements for programs registered pursuant to section 52.13 of this Title, and applying its criteria for granting accreditation in a fair, consistent, and nondiscriminatory manner.

1. (1) To meet the professional educational requirements for licensure, the applicant shall present satisfactory evidence of completion of a baccalaureate or higher degree program in accountancy that is registered by the department pursuant to section 52.13 of this Title, or a baccalaureate or higher degree program in accountancy that is accredited by an acceptable accrediting agency, or a baccalaureate or higher degree program, or its foreign equivalent, that is deemed to be the substantial equivalent of a registered or accredited program, as determined by the department.
2. (2) An applicant who applies to the department for licensure on or after August 1, 2009 shall be required to have satisfactorily completed a curriculum of at least 150 semester hours in a program described in paragraph (1) of this subdivision, except that an applicant who applies for licensure on or after August 1, 2009 and was licensed in another state prior to August 1, 2009 may meet the education requirements by having satisfactorily completed a curriculum of at least 120 semester hours in a program described in paragraph (1) of this subdivision.
3. (3) An applicant who applies to the department for licensure prior to August 1, 2009 shall be required to have satisfactorily completed a curriculum of at least 120 semester hours in a program prescribed in paragraph (1) of this subdivision prior to August 1, 2009 and have submitted the required application forms for licensure to the department prior to August 1, 2009.

(b)