The demand for accountants in Tennessee should increase by more than 22 percent from 2008 through 2018, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. Accountants in Tennessee who will file paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchanges Commission must obtain a certified public accountant license. To qualify for this licensing through the Tennessee Board of Accountancy, accountants must pass the Uniform CPA Examination.
Eligibility
The Tennessee Board of Accountancy requires prospective CPAs to meet general eligibility requirements before taking the Uniform CPA Examination. Applicants must complete a baccalaureate degree program in accounting, consisting of 150 semester credits. Of these credits, 24 must relate to accounting and an additional 24 must relate to general business topics such as economics, finance or management. As of 2009, 19 private and public colleges and universities in Tennessee offered accounting bachelor's degree programs, reports the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges." These schools were Belmont University, Carson-Newman College, Christian Brothers University, Cumberland University, East Tennessee State University, Freed-Hardeman University, King College, Lipscomb University, Middle Tennessee State University, Milligan College, Rhodes College, Southern Adventist University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, Tennessee Wesleyan College, Trevecca Nazarene University, Union University, the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Exam Format
The Uniform CPA Examination consists of four parts. Prospective Tennessee CPAs schedule and take each part on different days rather than completing all at once. The first part, Auditing and Attestation, lasts for up to four hours and includes 90 multiple-choice and seven short-answer essay questions. Prospective CPAs have up to three hours to complete the Business Environments and Concepts Examination, which consists of 72 multiple-choice and three essay questions. In the third part, Financial Accounting and Reporting, candidates spend up to four hours answering 90 multiple-choice and seven short-answer essay questions. The final part, Regulation, is a three-hour examination with 72 multiple-choice and six short-answer essay questions.
Exam Schedule and Locations
Once Tennessee CPA candidates pass the first section of the Uniform CPA Examination, they must successfully complete the remaining three sections within 18 months. In Tennessee, the examination is taken using a computer at Prometric Testing Centers. The centers schedule the examination on multiple days every two months. As of January 2011, Prometric had seven testing centers in Tennessee, including two in Nashville and one each in Clarksville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Cordova and Memphis.
Other Features
The Tennessee Board of Accountancy requires prospective Tennessee CPAs to pay examination fees. As of January 2011, the cost of the initial application to take the Uniform CPA Examination was $155. The cost of the Auditing and Attestation and the Financial Accounting and Reporting tests were $207.15 each. The Business Environment and Concepts, and Regulations sections cost $185.10 each. Due to the possibility of fluctuations in price, the board recommends that candidates schedule their tests no more than six months before the date they intend to take the exams. In Tennessee, the passing score for each section of the examination is 75.
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