Certificate in Foundations of Accounting and Auditing

Our accelerated CFAA program delivers a high-caliber curriculum that reflects the most current knowledge in the field and a range of practical applications for tackling the growing challenges for the industry.  The curriculum for spring admissions includes:

Semester 1:
ACG-6105 – Accelerated Financial Accounting I (4 Credits) 
(*) BUL-6830 – Business Law II (3 Credits)

Semester 2: 
ACG-6115 – Accelerated Financial Accounting II (4 Credits) 
ACG-6346 – Management Accounting (3 Credits)

Semester 3: 
ACG-6655 – Auditing and Accounting Information Systems (4 Credits) 
TAX-6005 Income Taxes (3 Credits) 

(*) Assumes Completion of Business Law or equivalent.

The top-ranked College of Business Administration’s Master of Accounting prepares you to expand your career options in the field of accounting and to pursue a diverse range of industry designations—for example, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Beyond the traditional audit, tax, and consulting areas, this accelerated, ten-month graduate accounting program affords you the opportunity to grow your knowledge in emerging new practice areas, like

• reviewing business performance
• investigating fraud
• analyzing international financial reports 

In just ten months, our Master of Accounting delivers a curriculum that satisfies the 30 credit hours required beyond the bachelor’s degree required for CPA licensure in Florida.

The FIU School of Accounting’s accelerated Certificate in Foundations of Accounting and Auditing boasts many unique features and exclusive benefits, including:

• Fast-track schedule: Your time to completion is just 12 months.
• Convenient schedule: You can begin in either the fall or spring term. Classes are held two nights a week.
• Convenient location: classes are held at FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus in west Miami-Dade County, Florida.
• Exposure to diverse professionals: Since this is a cohort-based, lock-step program, you will build strong relationships with your classmates that will enrich your personal and professional life long after you graduate. 
• Enhanced administrative support and meals are provided.
• Access to extensive library, software and database resources
• Career planning services and tools to help you gain the knowledge and professional skills to be even more competitive in today’s challenging job market

In addition, students completing the first four classes in the CFAA (14 credits) with at least a 3.25 GPA will be granted a waiver from the GMAT requirement in order to enter the MACC or EMST Programs.

• Objective  1: Analyze risks, rewards, threats, and opportunities in order to make informed decisions in the business environments.
• Objective  2: Assess the current regulatory environment and the impact of changes in the environment.
• Objective  3: Communicate financial and non-financial information, findings and recommendations in a clear and objective manner.
• Objective  4: Apply ethical standards of conduct to situations involving diverse accounting practices.
• Objective  5: Work well within teams and towards team-oriented solutions in a diverse environment.

The FIU College of Business Administration’s School of Accounting’s ten-month Master of Accounting program requires 30 credit-hours of course work (two courses per eight-week session).

Class locations offer flexible and convenient options to accounting professionals interested in earning a graduate accounting degree:

Fall

• Pembroke Pines, FL (Saturdays)
• Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL (Two nights per week)

Spring

• Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, Florida (Saturdays)

Q. Where should I send my application materials?              

A. Please send your application materials to: 
Chapman School of Business Admission Office
Florida International University 
Modesto A. Maidique Campus, CBC 201
1050 SW 112 Avenue
Miami, FL 33199 
Attn: Accounting Program 

Q. Do all application materials have to be submitted by the deadline? 
A. Yes, all materials have to be turned in by the deadline.  Only those applicants who have submitted complete packets will be considered for acceptance.

Q. Where do I apply to the CFAA? 
A. The online application is available under Application Process. 

Q. Do I include my certified transcripts with the application? 
A. Florida International University requires that official transcripts be sent in directly by the college(s) or university (ies) you attend(ed).You cannot send in copies of these transcripts yourself. If you are an alumnus (ae) of the university, there is no need to have transcripts sent.  If you attended a university outside the U.S. and the transcripts are not in English, they must be translated by a certified translator.  The translation and an official copy of the transcripts must be submitted.

Q. When do I pay for courses?
A. You pay for courses each semester, according to the number of courses you take during any given term. See Certificate in Foundations of Accounting and Auditing Tuition.

Q. What kind of undergraduate degree must I have to qualify for this program? 
A. We require that you have an undergraduate degree in business or equivalent degree from an accredited university. Please contact gradadv@fiu.edu or call 305-348-3501, for answer to any questions about these requirements.

Q. Can I start the program in any semester? 
A. You may start in the fall or spring terms. 

Q. Where, when, and at what time are classes held? 
A. Classes are held at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus in Miami, Florida (spring or fall weeknights).  Weeknight classes are held twice a week from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. or 10:00p.m., depending on the class.

Q. Are the courses held in a certain sequence? 
A. The Certificate in Foundations of Accounting and Auditing curriculum provides the desired sequence. This sequence may be changed at the discretion of the program’s administrators.  However, certain prerequisites will be built into any sequence. Course content is dependent on changing demands from the job market and always is subject to change. 

Q. How many students are there in the classes? 
A. On average, we may have 30 to 40 students in each class. 

Q. Can I pursue two graduate degrees at the same time? 
A. No. Unfortunately, you cannot pursue two degrees at the same time. Please contact the FIU Graduate Admissions Office at 305-348-7442 for further information.

Q. Can I apply for financial aid?
A. Yes, you can apply for financial aid. You can apply online at Scholarships and Financial Aid page on this site for other options.  It is advisable that you begin the process as soon as possible. 

For more information about financial aid, visit Florida International University’s Financial Aid Office.

The Chapman Graduate School of Business admits students to the CFAA program in the fall and spring terms.  Our CFAA program has been tailored for students who have completed an undergraduate business degree, or equivalent, from a regionally- accredited college or university. 

To qualify for admission, you must meet the Florida International University’s general requirements for admission to a graduate program:

• Be in good standing with all previously-attended colleges and universities.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Have a grade point average of 2.75 or better based on your undergraduate upper-division coursework. Applicants with less than a 2.75 will not be considered.
• Submit official transcripts from all previously-attended universities (undergraduate and graduate) in an envelope sealed by the degree-granting institution(s).
• Provide official proof of degree—a copy of the original diploma is required if the degree is not posted on the official transcript.
• Submit a current resume of professional experience.  Resumes may be sent to gradadv@fiu.edu.
• For international transcripts needing translation, applicants must request two sets of transcripts: one for the translation agency and another one for us.
• If applicant is a student whose native language is not English, he or she also must have achieved a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL or 213 on the computer-based TOEFL< or an equivalent score on a comparable examination.  The official score must be sent directly by Educational Testing Service (ETS).  FIU’s university code is: 5206.

When applying for admission to our accelerated Certificate in Foundations of Accounting and Auditing program, be sure to submit your application materials to the Chapman Graduate School of Business Admissions Office, even though you are applying online using Florida International University’s graduate online application form. Doing so will expedite your application process.

Application Deadlines

Fall Classes
June 1 Last day for U.S. applicants to submit a graduate application and supporting credentials. 

Spring Classes 
October 1 Last day for U.S. applicants to submit a graduate application and supporting credentials.

Application Process
When you apply for the FIU School of Accounting’s Certificate in Foundations of Accounting and Auditing program, be sure you send all application materials to the address below:

Chapman Graduate School of Business Admissions Office
Florida International University 
Modesto A. Maidique Campus, CBC 200 
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199 
Attn: Accounting Programs

To apply to the Certificate in Foundations of Accounting and Auditing program, you must:

1. For admission to the CFAA Program, applicants should visit http://gradschool.fiu.edu/admissions.html to complete the application.

Please select Certificate from the degree level drop-down menu and Foundations of Accounting and Auditing from the degree major drop-down menu listing all FIU graduate programs in the online admission form.

Applicants must submit official documents (transcripts/test score) to:

Chapman Graduate School of Business Admissions Office
Florida International University 
University Park, CBC 200 
11200 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL 33199 
Attn: Accounting Programs

2. Please be sure to submit the graduate application for admission, along with nonrefundable application fee of $30.00 in US dollars.

3. Submit official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and/or universities.  Transcripts must be sent directly to the Chapman Graduate School Admissions by all formerly attended institutions in a sealed university envelope.

If official transcripts are not in English, a second copy of the transcript must be requested from the previously attended institutions for translation by an official translation agency.  The official translation as well as the requested official copy of the transcript must be submitted in a sealed university envelope. 

4. Submit official proof of degree: a copy of the original diploma is required if the degree is not posted on the official transcript.

5. Submit official TOEFL score.  If applicant is an international student whose native language is not English, he or she also must have achieved a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based TOEFL or 213 on the computer-based TOEFL or an equivalent score on a comparable examination.  The official score must be sent directly by Education Testing Services (ETS.) (See Admission Requirements) FIU’s university code is: 5206.

6. Submit a current resume of professional experience. Resumes may be sent to gradadv@fiu.edu

7. Submit letters of recommendation (optional).

Only those applicants who have submitted complete application packets will be considered. Meeting the minimum requirements is not a guarantee of admission. Apply Now.

Tuition for the accelerated twelve month Certificate of Foundations in Accounting and Auditing program at Florida International University is approximately $12,000 for Florida residents and $14,000 for non-Florida resident. Rates are subject to change.

We recommend that you begin thinking about your financial aid needs and options during the initial admissions process to the Chapman Graduate School of Business.

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