The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway. It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.
The courses have been intentionally placed and should be prioritized in
the order
in which they appear. If you are unable to take all the courses in
a semester, you
should prioritize enrolling in the courses in the order below.
Some courses have
been noted as “Appropriate for Intersession” 
. Should you need (or want) to take
classes
in the summer and/or winter intersessions,
the program recommends these courses as appropriate for the condensed
schedule of
the intersessions.
Some pathways combine a “Certificate of Achievement” and an “Associate
Degree”. If
you are pursuing only the Certificate of Achievement, you are only
required to take
the courses marked “Program Requirement” 
.
All pathways include at least one “Gateway Course” 
which introduces you to the program and/or field of study and helps you
decide if you want to continue with this Academic and Career Path.
Most Associate degrees (though not Associate Degrees for Transfer)
require satisfying the SMC Global Citizenship requirement. If the Program
Requirements do not include a “Global Citizenship course” 
, be sure to select a General Education course that also satisfies Global Citizenship.
This program prepares holders of a Bachelor’s degree to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Board Exam. For information on the CPA exam, please see the California Board of Accountancy website (www.dca.ca.gov/cba/).
Upon completion of the program, students will:
- Upon completion of the program, students will understand accounting concepts that encompass all areas tested on the Certified Public Accounting exam. These concepts include GAAP, cost accounting, accounting for income taxes, accounting ethics, professional auditing responsibilities and analysis of complex and advanced accounting topics.
- Upon completion of the program, students will demonstrate a range of accounting skills. These skills include the application of US GAAP, cost accounting, accounting for income taxes, accounting ethics, professional auditing responsibilities, and analysis of complex and advanced accounting topics.
- Upon completion of the program, students will acquire practical skills and knowledge that they can apply to their professional careers and everyday lives.
Icon Key
-
Gateway Course
-
Program Requirement
-
General Education -
Appropriate for
Intersession
-
Available Online -
Global Citizenship
Select 24 units from the following:
24 Units
This course introduces the student to the sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporate forms of ownership. This course also familiarizes the student with recording, classifying and interpreting financial data for service and merchandising businesses. It includes a study of the journals, ledgers and financial statements used by these entities. Also covered are computerized accounting systems, internal control, ethics, cash, accounts and notes receivable, merchandise inventory, plant assets and intangible assets, liabilities, and equity accounts. Basic managerial accounting topics are also introduced.
- Skills Advisory: MATH 18 or
- Skills Advisory: MATH 20
This course continues the study of introductory financial accounting principles begun in Accounting 1 and also covers introductory managerial accounting. The financial accounting portion of the course (2 units) covers the corporate form of business organization, bond financing, installment notes and other long-term liabilities, investments in debt and equity securities, international operations and the Statement of Cash Flows, corporate financial statement preparation and analysis and other GAAP and IFRS considerations. The managerial portion of the course (3 units) covers accounting concepts relevant to internal users rather than third party users of financial statements. Managerial accounting study includes full absorption and variable costing, cost accounting for job order and for mass produced goods (process costing), just-in-time, activity-based and total quality management approaches to costing manufacturing operations. Also studied are segment reporting, performance measurement, cost-volume-profit analysis, flexible budgeting, capital expenditure budgeting, standard costing, responsibility accounting, and decision making processes. Ethical issues surrounding these topics are also addressed.
- Prerequisite: ACCTG 1
----
This course begins with the study of business combinations and covers in depth the preparation of consolidated financial statements. This course also covers accounting for estates and trusts.
- Prerequisite: ACCTG 2
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 10C
This course covers special accounting topics including accounting for foreign currency transactions, translation of foreign currency financial statements, accounting for partnerships, state and local governments, not-for-profit entities and accounting research.
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 10C
- Prerequisite: ACCTG 2
----
This course surveys professional ethics for the accounting profession in the context of ethical theory, the history of ethical thought, the nature of accounting, tax and auditing fiduciary responsibilities, the rules of accounting codes of conduct, financial statement representations and fraud, and the theoretical and practical application of ethical principles to business situations. Topics include ethical standards specific to the accounting profession, an examination of the balance between the competing interests of the accountant's roles as management consultant and reporter of financial information to third parties, and the interests of businesses, government and professional regulatory agencies and the public. Reading, writing, analysis and discussion are core elements of the class.
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 1 or
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 21
Basic pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and their applications to accounting are covered in this course, along with cash, receivables, inventory, time value of money, and financial statements overview.
- Prerequisite: ACCTG 2
This course includes study of the basic pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and their applications to accounting. In this course, the following are covered in detail: revenue recognition, investments, land, buildings, equipment, intangible assets, current liabilities and contingencies, and long term liabilities.
- Prerequisite: ACCTG 2
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 10A
This course includes study of the pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and other primary source GAAP and their applications to accounting for corporations. The following are covered in detail in this course: investments, earnings per share, financial statement analysis, revenue recognition, accounting for income taxes, pensions, leases, and full disclosure in financial reporting.
- Prerequisite: ACCTG 2
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 10A
This course covers the role and responsibility of certified public accountants in the audit of financial statements. Emphasis will be placed on verification of balance sheets and internal control of accounting systems and accounting cycles. Topics include AICPA and PCAOB auditing standards, professional ethics, legal liability, internal control, audit sampling and audit reports.
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 2
Internal Revenue Service tax laws and regulations and accounting procedures are studied in this course to enable the tax professional to apply the information to completing federal individual income taxes.
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 1 or
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 21
This course covers tax laws and the reporting requirements of the Internal Revenue Service as applied to corporations, partnerships, estates and trusts.
- Skills Advisory: ACCTG 2
This course provides students with an overview of the fundamental legal principles pertaining to business transactions and related topics. It also encompasses introductory subjects concerning the U.S. legal system such as the court structure, sources of law, legal reasoning and case analysis. To give students a broad perspective on the various laws and areas impacting business, the following topics are also explored: criminal law, torts, civil procedure, administrative processes, contract law, ethics, constitutional law, agency and the legal principles pertaining to business entities.