Professional AccountantCertificate of Achievement

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Community of interest
Business, Cosmetology, Arts & Design
Award
Certificate of Achievement
Program code
41986.00CA
Department
Accounting
CIP code
52.0301: Accounting.
TOP code
0502.00 - Accounting*
The Certificate of Achievement in Professional Accountant offers a selection of courses including first year college accounting as well as more advanced and specialized courses in Accounting software. Courses in this certificate provide skills which lead to a number of goals, including skills to assist in career development, advancement for those who are already employed, and skills needed by CPA's today.
Program detailsAward, code, department, CIP/TOP

Program Snapshot

Community of interest
BCAD Business, Cosmetology, Arts & Design
Award
Certificate of Achievement
Program code
41986.00CA
Department
Accounting
CIP code
52.0301: Accounting.
TOP code
0502.00 - Accounting*

Next Steps

Map Class Schedule

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

Program Schedule ReportMeet with a counselor
Professional Accountant
Certificate of Achievement — expand to learn about this award

A career-aligned credential built around a specific field of study or area of emphasis. Faster to complete than a degree, and the coursework typically stacks into a related AS or AA later if you choose to continue.

See the 2025-26 Catalog for official program details

Semester-by-Semester Map

Term 1

Class Schedules

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Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

4 units
ACCT 2
Financial Accounting
4 units
course details

This is the study of accounting as an information system, examining why it is important and how it is used by investors, creditors, and others to make decisions. The course covers the accounting information system, including recording and reporting of business transactions with a focus on the accounting cycle, the application of generally accepted accounting principles, the financial statements, and statement analysis. Includes issues relating to asset, liability, and equity valuation, revenue and expense recognition, cash flow, internal controls, and ethics. (C-ID ACCT 110).

Term 2

Class Schedules

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

4 units
ACCT 4
Managerial Accounting
4 units
course details

This course provides students an in depth study of how managers use accounting information in decision-making, planning, directing operations and controlling. It focuses on cost terms and concepts, cost behavior, cost structure and cost-volume-profit analysis. Includes issues relating to cost systems, cost control, profit planning, and performance analysis in manufacturing and service environments. (C-ID ACCT 120).

Prerequisite: ACCT 2

Term 3

Class Schedules

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

9 units
ACCT 30
Accounting Capstone
4 units
course details

This course is intended to be taken in one of the final two semesters of the accounting program to consolidate training of students who are entering the accounting workforce. The course involves substantial accounting simulations where students apply the accounting cycle, prepare supporting work-papers, create budgets and variance analysis, and synthesize their accounting skills. This course will assist students in preparing for the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers' certification exam.

Prerequisite: ACCT 4 (or concurrent enrollment), ACCT 110 (or concurrent enrollment), ACCT 100 (or concurrent enrollment)

ACCT 100
QuickBooks Pro-Computerized Accounting
2 units
course details

This course provides a transition from a manual accounting system to a typical computerized system. The objective is to collect, summarize and communicate information to decision makers and users via QuickBooks Pro accounting software. Microsoft Excel will be utilized for data summation. Typical documents produced consist of purchase orders, checks, invoices, deposit slips, job cost reports, financial statements, bank reconciliations, payroll tax returns and 1099 forms.

Prerequisite: ACCT 2 or ACCT 20

ACCT 110
Accounting for Payroll
3 units
course details

This course introduces students to the payroll function and the necessary record keeping needed to comply with California and federal laws and regulations. Both manual and computer applications are included.

Career Connections

2-Year Degree Paths

Entry points students may pursue after associate-level study, technical preparation, or licensure pathways.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset point cleanly to an immediate 2-year outcome for this program.

4-Year Degree Paths

Roles that more often open up after transfer and a bachelor's degree.

Example roles: 2

  • Financial Analysts
  • Accountants and Auditors

Graduate School Paths

Advanced roles commonly associated with graduate, professional, or post-baccalaureate study.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset are grouped into the graduate-school pathway for this program.

Local Job Market

Financial AnalystsSOC 13-205173 nearby openings

Search keyword used: financial analyst · Search window: last 90 days, 100-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $109,105/yr

Top employers in sample

  • CX 2
  • Delta Dental 2
  • Inventure 2
  • Terracon 2
  • University of Nevada Reno 2

Where the postings are

  • Sacramento, Sacramento County 7
  • Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County 3
  • Reno, Washoe County 3
  • Santa Rosa, Sonoma County 2
  • Sonoma, Sonoma County 2

Sample current postings

  1. Financial Analyst IVSutter Health · Sacramento, Sacramento County · today
  2. Financial Analyst (Limited Term)Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. · Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County · today
  3. Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)Delta Dental · Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County · today
  4. Finance ManagerOrion Placement · Roseland, Sonoma County · today
  5. Senior Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) AnalystDelta Dental · Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County · 1 day ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Accountants and AuditorsSOC 13-20114 nearby openings

Search keyword used: accountant · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $80,741/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Adecco US, Inc. 1
  • Amain.com 1
  • Golden State Farm Credit 1
  • USHA 1

Where the postings are

  • Butte Creek, Butte County 1
  • Chapmantown, Butte County 1
  • Chico, Butte County 1
  • Paradise, Butte County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Entry Level Account Rep - SalesUSHA · Paradise, Butte County · today
  2. Accountant IGolden State Farm Credit · Chico, Butte County · 12 days ago
  3. Staff AccountantAdecco US, Inc. · Butte Creek, Butte County · 3 weeks ago
  4. Senior AccountantAmain.com · Chapmantown, Butte County · 4 weeks ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Posting counts come from Adzuna's index of US job boards, covering the last up to 90 days within up to 100 miles of ZIP 95965. Coverage and salary visibility vary by employer. Empty searches expand the radius and posting window before the section gives up.

Source Notes

Course sequencing is generated from the Acadia Program Mapper cache. Career groupings use local CIP-to-SOC mappings and BLS occupation data when available. Confirm education plans with Counseling and Advising.

Live wage data was not available from the BLS helper for the mapped occupations, so some pay fields may be blank.

Last generated 2026-06-12T23:23+00:00