As he neared the end of his undergraduate degree at the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis, accounting student Luke Dennison, BS’23, GCA’23, MSA’24, calculated his next steps. Luke wants to become a certified public accountant (CPA), and he needs to pass the CPA exam and earn 150 college credits to become certified.
After four years at Kelley Indianapolis, Luke was familiar with the accounting program and faculty, whom he enjoyed. When he learned Kelley students can take select graduate courses at undergraduate rates, Luke saw how it could help him reach his goals.
“When I considered my plans to pursue the CPA license after my undergraduate degree, I realized I wouldn’t have the 150 credit hours needed for certification, so I needed to pick up additional classes,” Luke said. “I didn’t want to start another undergraduate degree or add an unrelated minor. I want to be prepared for this career and what it takes to get there. If an accounting graduate certificate can get me there, why not go for it?”
Luke enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Accounting (GCA) at Kelley Indianapolis to earn 12 credit hours at the graduate level. The GCA offers a wider array of accounting electives than undergrad, including courses like Advanced Tax, Advanced Business Law, and Information Technology Auditing; classes open only to undergraduates enrolled in the GCA.
Students also have the flexibility to finish the last six credit hours in evenings and during the summer after graduation while they study for the CPA exam. This is what Luke chose to do after graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 2023.
“Through the GCA, I’ve gained a lot of technical knowledge on topics like entity taxation and advanced topics in financial accounting. I’ve enjoyed learning things that I would not have picked up in undergraduate studies,” Luke said. “You also get to interact more with faculty at the graduate level and have deeper conversations than you would in an undergrad section. I really enjoy the experiences with Kelley Indianapolis faculty. They’re experts at what they do. You have access to incredibly qualified and amazing people who can open doors to future opportunities.”
Luke is completing his fourth internship at local public accounting firm DOZ. As he adds advanced accounting knowledge to his skill set, he’s noticed he’s able to understand the wider picture of accounting and auditing, versus focusing on the procedures alone. This deeper understanding of advanced accounting principles gives Luke more self-assurance in his work.
“Now that I better understand my job and the importance therein, I have much more confidence. I know what I’m doing, and I’m a much more effective employee and auditor,” Luke said. “It’s easy to have topics thrown at you in a classroom that you may never use, but I’m proof that this information is useful and can drastically help you improve your work.”
Luke says the GCA classes were excellent preparation for the CPA exam, which plans to finish over the summer. He says the three sections he’s completed tied directly back to what he learned during the GCA.
“In the audit section, for example, I was literally using my CPA exam prep materials to study for my GCA audit exams. Conversely, I used the topics we were covering in my advanced auditing class on CPA exam day,” Luke said. “The overlap is remarkable. While Kelley Indianapolis isn’t directly preparing you for the exam, they’re giving you the tools to be successful.”
After earning the GCA, students can carry credits into a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree, leaving just 18 credit hours to complete a full master’s degree. Luke is following this path and will earn the MSA this summer. He’s encouraged other accounting majors to consider the graduate accounting options at Kelley Indianapolis.
“If you want to earn the CPA, you need to get the classes; there’s really no alternative than the options at Kelley Indianapolis,” Luke said. “They’re going to help you achieve your goals, and along the way, you earn a graduate degree from an excellent institution. It’s a no-brainer because it’s going to get you where you want to go.”
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