Illinois Licensure Requirements
All semester credit hours (SCH) stated below are at the undergraduate level. Any credits earned in excess of maximums stated count towards the 150-hour requirement.
150 Semester Credits Hours or 225 Quarter Credit Hours
Baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited school
Degree earned from an accredited school:
Graduate Degree in Accounting
This can be acheived through the MAS program
Accounting program must be accredited by AACSB or ACBSP
No requirements in Research & Analysis in Accounting, Business Communications or Business Ethics
Graduate Degree in Business
Accounting program must be accredited by AACSB or ACBSP. this ca be acheived through a graduate program within Gies.
Business program must be accredited by AACSB or ACBSP
Minimum of 30 semester hours in accounting
At least one course each in financial accounting, auditing, taxation and management accounting
2 semester hours in Research and Analysis in Accounting
No requirements in Business Communications or Business Ethics
A bachelor's degree in any field or a graduate degree in a discipline other than accounting or business
This can be achieved through undergrad program at U of I.
Minimum of 30 semester hours in accounting
At least one course in financial accounting, auditing, taxation and management accounting
2 semester hours in Research and Analysis in Accounting
Minimum of 24 semester hours in business other than accounting
2 semester hours in Business Communication
3 semester hours in Business Ethics
"Be okay with not knowing the best way for you to learn and study in the beginning of the process. The way I studied for my first test was very different than how I studied for my last. For some sections, watching the lectures don't help, or doing MCQ before doing the reading is the best way to learn for you. Being okay with my study style changing throughout my time studying was crucial."
- MAS '20
"Make sure to self review before you move on to a new topic. I always did multiple groups of 10 multiple choice questions for every section. Make sure to build your stamina for sitting in a 3-4 hour exam with limited breaks. Also, don't study with the intention of memorizing; if you don't understand something take the time to go back and practice until you do understand."
- MAS '20
Set a realistic study schedule with at least 2 weeks left for review. Don't be discouraged if you struggle to understand a topic 100% as you go through the material for the first time. The final review brings everything together and narrows down focus areas. I recommend the AICPA practice exam to familiarize yourself with question format and mock exams to nail down timing."
- MAS '21
Get your CPA studying done earlier in the day! It's easy to push off studying for the CPA since most of us have months to finish all 4 sections before start work full-time. Because of this, I noticed that if I did my schoolwork and then tried to study for the CPA, I was too tired and didn't have the motivation to get much done. Once I started doing my CPA studying early in the day, I was more productive since I was well-rested. After I do my CPA studying, I know that I need to complete my schoolwork since those assignments have hard deadlines, so I can't push that work off like I can push off the CPA. This small change has made a big difference in my productivity!"
- MAS '21
My biggest piece of advice is to create a plan both for the week and for every individual day you plan to study so that you have something to stick to. It can be overwhelming to tackle the amount of the material in each section of the CPA, so it helped me to set goals for what content I wanted to get through and when I wanted to do so. It was as easy as writing down every night what my tasks were for the following day and how I would accomplish them! And, remember not to get discouraged along the way if you aren't meeting study goals or are not grasping the material. Simply putting in the work to study and learn is enough to be successful... believe in yourself!
- MAS '21
Making myself do mini 'midterms' after I finish 2-3 units of my study material was very useful for me as it was a forced way to review older concepts as I was studying. I also recommend completing the AICPA sample exams when in the review stage for your exam. Finally, when taking practice "mock" exams, be sure to time yourself for each testlet. I was given the advice of spending no more than 45 minutes per multiple choice testlet and 50 minutes per task-based simulation testlet. Someone once told me that no one will ask you how many times it took to pass a section - it just matters that you pass eventually. Keep your determination strong and your spirits up!
