CPA Syllabus

A person can achieve the Certified Public Accountant designation by clearing the 4 sections of the Uniform CPA Exam

  • Audit

    Covers SAS (Statements of Auditing Standards)

    Professional Responsibilities & Ethics

    Planning & Supervision

    Internal Controls

    Corroborative Audit Evidence

    Audit Sampling

    Audit Reports

    Other Auditing & Attestation Topics

  • Financial Accounting & Reporting

    Covers USGAAP and IFRS

    Conceptual framework, Financial Reporting & Misc. Topics

    Current Assets and Liabilities

    Investments, PP&E and Intangibles

    Bonds, Leases and Pensions

    Deferred Taxes, Equity, EPS & Cash Flows

    Consolidation, Foreign Currency, Partnerships & NPO

    Governmental Accounting

  • Regulation

    Covers US Federal Taxation

    Taxation of Individuals

    Property Transactions & Depreciation

    Taxation of C-Corporations

    Taxation of Other Entities

    Supplementary Taxation Topics

    Statutory Reg. & Business Structures

    Business Law

  • Business Environment & Concepts

    Covers Business Environment & Concepts

    Corporate Governance, Internal Controls & ERM

    Cost Measurement

    Financial Management

    Financial Planning & Risk Management

    Performance Measures

    Economic Concepts & Strategy

    Information Technology

CPA Exam Pattern

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  • AUD
  • FAR
  • REG
  • BEC

72 MCQs

Multiple Choice Questions

8 TBS

Task Based
Simulation

4 Hours

Time

5

Testlets

Question Content Breakdown

Score Breakdown

Comprehensive Guide to the AUD Section

  • Exam Content
  • Structure & Format
  • Study Tips

CPA Exam AUD Section Content

The Auditing & Attestation (AUD) section of the CPA Exam covers the entire auditing process, including auditing procedures, generally accepted auditing standards, standards related to attest engagements and the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. It's important to remember that the AUD exam tests on how well a CPA candidate applies their audit and attestation knowledge when solving problems and performing specific tasks laid out in the AICPA Blueprints, not how well they are able to memorize auditing concepts.

15-25% Ethics, Professional Responsibilities and General Principles 20-30% Assessing Risk and Developing a Planned Response
  •  Nature and Scope of Audit and Non-Audit Engagements
  •  Ethics, Independence and Professional Conduct
  •  Terms of Engagement for Audit and Non-Audit Engagements
  •  Requirements for Engagements Documentation
  •  Communication with Management and Those Charged with Governance
  •  Communication with Component Auditors and Parties Other Than Management and Those Charge with Governance
  •  A Firm’s System of Quality Control, Including Quality Control at the Engagement Level
  •  Planning an Engagement
  •  Understanding an Entity and Its Environment
  •  Understanding an Entity’s Internal Control
  •  Assessing Risks Due to Fraud
  •  Identifying and Assessing the Risk of Material Misstatement and Planning Further Procedures Responsive to Identified Risks
  •  Materiality
  •  Planning for and using the Work of Others, Including Group Audits, the Internal Audit Function and the Work of a Specialist
  •  Specific Areas of Audit Risk
15-25% Forming Conclusions and Reporting 30-40% Performing Further Procedures and Obtaining Evidence
  •  Reports On Auditing Engagements
  •  Reports On Attestation Engagements
  •  Accounting and Review Service Engagements
  •  Reporting On Compliance
  •  Other Reporting Considerations
  •  Understanding Sufficient Appropriate Audit Evidence
  •  Sampling Techniques
  •  Performing Specific Procedures to Obtain Evidence
  •  Specific Matters that Require Individual Attention
  •  Misstatements and Internal Control Deficiencies
  •  Written Representations
  •  Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts

66 MCQs

Multiple Choice Questions

8 TBS

Task Based Simulation

4 Hours

Time

5

Testlets

Question Content Breakdown

Score Breakdown

Comprehensive Guide to the FAR Section

  • Exam Content
  • Structure & Format
  • Study Tips

CPA Exam FAR Section Content

The Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) section of the CPA Exam is arguably the most difficult, longest and by far the most comprehensive section of the exam. As laid out in the AICPA Blueprints, FAR requires that CPA candidates have a strong knowledge of US GAAP, including concepts and standards for financial statements, typical items in financial statements, specific types of transactions and events, accounting and reporting for governmental entities, and accounting and reporting for nongovernmental and not-for-profit organizations.

25-35% Conceptual Framework, Standard-Setting
and Financial Reporting
20-30% Select Transactions
  •  Conceptual framework and standard-setting
  •  General-purpose financial statements: for-profit business entities
  •  General-purpose financial statements: nongovernmental, not-for-profit entities
  •  Public company reporting topics
  •  Financial statements of employee benefit plans
  •  Special purpose frameworks
  •  Accounting changes and error corrections
  •  Business combinations
  •  Contingencies and commitments
  •  Derivatives and hedge accounting
  •  Foreign currency transactions and translation
  •  Leases
  •  Nonreciprocal transfers
  •  Research and development costs
  •  Software costs
  •  Subsequent events
  •  Fair value measurements
  •  Differences between IFRS and U.S. GAAP
30-40% Select Financial Statement Accounts 5-15% State and Local Governments
  •  Cash and cash equivalents
  •  Trade receivables
  •  Inventory
  •  Property, plant and equipment
  •  Investments
  •  Intangible assets
  •  Payables and accrued liabilities
  •  Long-term debt
  •  Equity
  •  Revenue recognition
  •  Compensation and benefits
  •  Income taxes
  •  State and local government concepts
  •  Format and content of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)
  •  Deriving government-wide financial statements and reconciliation requirements
  •  Typical items and specific types of transactions and events in governmental entity financial statements

76 MCQs

Multiple Choice Questions

8 TBS

Task Based Simulation

4 Hours

Time

5

Testlets

Question Content Breakdown

Score Breakdown

Comprehensive Guide to the REG Section

  • Exam Content
  • Structure & Format
  • Study Tips

CPA Exam REG Section Content

The Regulation (REG) section of the CPA Exam tests a CPA candidate’s knowledge and skill level on federal taxation, business law, business ethics and professional and legal responsibilities. As laid out in the AICPA Blueprints, more than 60% of the REG exam focuses on federal taxation.

55-85% Federal Taxation 10-20% Ethics, Professional Responsibilities, and Federal Tax Procedures
  •  Federal taxation of individuals
  •  Federal taxation of entities
  •  Federal taxation of property transactions
  •  Ethics and responsibilities in tax practice
  •  Licensing and disciplinary systems
  •  Federal tax procedures
  •  Legal duties and responsibilities
10-20% Business Law
  •  Contracts
  •  Agency
  •  Business structure
  •  Debtor-creditor relationships
  •  Government regulation of business

62 MCQs

Multiple Choice Questions

4 TBS + 3 WCTS

Task Based Simulation / Written Communication Test

4 Hours

Time

5

Testlets

Question Content Breakdown

Score Breakdown

Comprehensive Guide to the BEC Section

  • Exam Content
  • Structure & Format
  • Study Tips

CPA Exam BEC Section Content

The Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) section of the CPA Exam tests CPA candidates’ understanding of business concepts and the significance of a CPA’s professional duties and responsibilities within the larger context of the business environment. Areas covered on the BEC Exam are corporate governance, economic concepts and analysis, financial management, information systems and communications, strategic planning and operations management. One unique aspect of the BEC exam is that it requires the candidate to prepare and submit three Written Communication responses.
Many CPA candidates consider BEC to be the easiest section of the CPA Exam. However, BEC pass rates have historically been only slightly higher than those for other sections, and the exam still requires a serious study effort.

17-27% Corporate Governance 15-25% Information Technology (IT)
  •  Internal control and enterprise risk management frameworks
  •  Other regulatory frameworks and provisions
  •  IT governance
  •  Role of IT in business
  •  Information security/availability
  •  Processing integrity (input/processing/output controls)
  •  Systems development and maintenance
17-27% Economic Concepts and Analysis 15-25% Operations Management
  •  Economic and business cycles
  •  Market influences on business
  •  Financial risk management
  •  Cost measurement concepts, methods and techniques
  •  Variance analysis
  •  Process management
  •  Planning techniques
11-21% Financial Management
  •  Capital structure
  •  Working capital
  •  Financial valuation methods and decision models