With the 150-Hour rule in place and the impact of regulatory requirements on aspiring licensees in full effect, the MACPA and the Michigan State Board of Accountancy continue to work cooperatively to address questions and concerns.

The Board requires the business communication course – a minimum of three semester hours – to incorporate skills on:

• Effective business writing, including business letters, memos and reports,
• Improving presentation skills so that information is effectively delivered, and
• Improving listening skills so that the correct message is received.

Typically these objectives should be met in one course. Though the primary focus of the course should be business communications, the course may be taken outside of the college or university’s business administration department.

This business communication course definition, however, has some licensure applicants perplexed because courses that simply satisfy basic English or expository writing requirements do not meet licensing guidelines.

Adding to the confusion, several Michigan colleges and universities have not “qualified” their business communications courses by sending a syllabus and course description to the Board for review even though the Board’s system allows and encourages them to do so.

“The MACPA has and will continue to serve as a resource to the Michigan Board of Accountancy and colleges and universities to increase communication,” said MACPA President and CEO Peggy Dzierzawski. “We want to make sure students have all the information they need to meet exam requirements and make a smooth transition to licensure status.”

If a student’s college or university has not qualified a business communications course, the student should contact the Board prior to enrollment in a class to determine whether it meets the licensing requirement.

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