11/25/2025

AICPA, State CPA Societies Urge Department of Ed to Recognize Accounting Programs as Professional Degree Programs

DOE has proposed changes that would reclassify professional degree programs

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and state CPA societies strongly oppose any proposal that fails to recognize accounting as a professional degree program.

The organizations are calling on the U.S. Department of Education to explicitly include accounting programs in the regulatory definition of "professional degree programs." While higher education reforms were included in H.R. 1—commonly referred to as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"—the Department of Education only recently released proposed changes that would reclassify professional degree programs. Unfortunately, accounting is not currently listed among those programs.

"Recognizing accounting programs as professional degree programs is common sense," said Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, the president and CEO of the AICPA. "It reflects the impact accountants make on the lives of individuals, the health of communities and the integrity of financial systems, as well as the rigorous path taken to become a licensed Certified Public Accountant."

Please select this link to read the complete press release from AICPA.