A candidate applying for a certificate to practice as a certified public accountant must have earned a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited educational institution and have satisfied one of the following for purposes of meeting the coursework requirement under s. 442.04 (5) (b) 3., Stats.:

1. (1) Earned a master’s degree in accounting from an institution, as defined in s. 442.04 (5) (a), Stats., with an accounting program or department accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

2. (2) Earned a bachelor’s or higher degree from a business program or college of business accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, or the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, and completed at least 24 semester hours in accounting from an accredited educational institution at the undergraduate level or 15 semester hours at the graduate level, or an equivalent combination, that cover each of the following subject areas:

   1. (a) Financial accounting.
   2. (b) Cost or managerial accounting.
   3. (c) Taxation.
   4. (d) Auditing.

3. (3) Earned a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited educational institution and completed all of the following:

   1. (a) At least 24 semester hours in accounting from an accredited educational institution at the undergraduate level or 15 semester hours at the graduate level, or an equivalent combination, that cover each of the following subject areas:

      1. 1. Financial accounting.
      2. 2. Cost or managerial accounting.
      3. 3. Taxation.
      4. 4. Auditing.

   2. (b) At least 24 semester hours in business and economics courses other than accounting courses from an accredited educational institution at the undergraduate level or 15 semester hours at the graduate level, or an equivalent combination, that cover each of the following subject areas:

      1. 1. Economics.
      2. 2. Finance.
      3. 3. Statistics or data analytics.

      4. 4. Business law.

         Note: The courses covering the subjects of financial accounting, cost or managerial accounting, taxation, and auditing under s. Accy 2.202 (2) or (3), would generally be courses taken beyond the introduction accounting course required of every business major.

4. (4) Completed coursework that the board determines is reasonably equivalent to the course content and semester hours requirements specified in sub. (3) (a) and (b).

History

History: 2015 Wis. Act 217: renum. (intro.), (1) from Accy 7.035 (intro.), (2) and am., cr. (1) (a) to (f), (2) Register May 2016 No. 725, eff. 6-1-16; EmR1618: emerg. am. (intro.), cr. (3), eff. 9-26-16; EmR1713: emerg. r. and recr., eff. 6-23-17; 2017 Wis. Act 88: r. and recr. Register December 2017 No. 744, eff. 6-1-17; CR 17-064: r. and recr., Register March 2018 No. 747 eff. 4-1-18; CR 20-041: r. (5) Register October 2021 No. 790, eff. 11-1-21; 2025 Wis. Act 166: am. (intro.), r. (2) (e), (3) (a) 5., (b) 5. Register April 2026 No. 844, eff. 4-4-26.