Extremely convenient and affordable self-paced courses!
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Intermediate accounting is one of the courses aspiring CPAs most often still need, and one of the more important gaps to close carefully. It is the core upper-division sequence between principles of accounting and the advanced topics boards expect on your transcript. If you majored in business, finance, or something outside accounting, or if you transferred schools and never completed the full financial accounting sequence, this is a common shortfall. The challenge is finding an online intermediate accounting course that is flexible, affordable, and, above all, the kind of regionally accredited university credit state boards look for.
This guide covers what Intermediate Accounting I and II include, why they matter for the CPA path, what to look for before you enroll, and an accredited self-paced option you can start on your own schedule.
An intermediate accounting course for CPA education goes well beyond bookkeeping. It is where you learn how U.S. GAAP applies to the balance sheet, income statement, and related disclosures, the standards that shape financial reporting in practice. Most programs split the material into two courses so each half can cover a distinct set of topics without rushing the accounting cycle or the more complex liability and equity issues.
Together, Intermediate I and Intermediate II form the financial accounting backbone that state boards typically count as upper-division accounting credit. They are not CPE modules and not exam review. They are college-level courses meant to appear on a transcript as genuine semester hours.
Intermediate accounting I online usually expands the foundation from earlier accounting coursework with a strong emphasis on Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) pronouncements and the conceptual framework for financial reporting. You study how policy-setting bodies shape the standards you will apply, then move into accounting for assets across the balance sheet.
Typical coverage includes cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, inventory valuation, acquisition and disposal of property, plant, and equipment, depreciation methods, and intangible assets. You also work through the accounting cycle at a higher level of complexity, including journal entries, adjustments, and closing entries, and practice preparing the core financial statements in proper format: the balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, and statement of stockholders’ equity.
The goal of Intermediate I is proficiency with asset measurement and the statement-building process that underpins everything that follows.
Intermediate Accounting II for CPA credits continues that sequence with liabilities, owners’ equity, and cash flow reporting under FASB guidance. You analyze how organizations present financial position and results when harder balance-sheet and equity questions enter the picture.
Course topics typically include current and long-term liabilities; stock transactions such as issuance, reacquisition, and dividends; earnings per share; accounting and reporting for debt and equity securities; revenue recognition; interperiod tax allocation; leases (operating versus capital); accounting changes, estimates, and reporting entities; correction of errors; and preparation of the statement of cash flows.
Where Intermediate I builds the asset and cycle foundation, Intermediate II finishes the financial reporting picture.
Intermediate financial accounting online coursework pulls double duty on the road to licensure.
First, it counts toward your education requirements. Boards require a set number of accounting credits, and intermediate accounting is one of the specific upper-division subjects they expect to see. Being short Intermediate I, Intermediate II, or both can hold up eligibility even when your total hours look fine on paper.
Second, it builds the foundation for the exam. Financial accounting and reporting topics at the heart of the FAR section draw heavily on intermediate material, including measurement, presentation, and the conceptual framework. Taking a solid upper division intermediate accounting course does not replace exam review, but it gives you the underlying knowledge that makes FAR far more approachable when you get there.
If taxation is another subject you still need, treat intermediate accounting as a core education requirement first, then layer exam preparation on top once your transcript gaps are closed. You can see how that pattern works in our guide to a federal taxation course online.
Not every online option will satisfy your board, so screen carefully before you enroll.
Regional accreditation. This is the big one. Intermediate accounting is upper-level university credit, and boards generally want it from a regionally accredited institution. Non-credit tutorials and courses that carry only ACE-recommended credit often will not count the way a regionally accredited university course does.
University-level and upper-division. The course should be a genuine college accounting course, not an introductory overview or a CPE webinar, so that it maps to the specific accounting concentration or upper-division requirement you are filling. Confirm how your board labels intermediate accounting on its education checklist.
Self-paced flexibility and clear pricing. If you only need Intermediate I, Intermediate II, or both, you should not have to enroll in a full degree program or wait for a fixed semester. Self-paced intermediate accounting that starts on a monthly cycle and is priced per course is usually the most efficient way to close a single gap.
State board acceptance. Never assume a course is accepted everywhere. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, and credit acceptance depends on your board and your individual evaluation. Always confirm current rules with your state board before you enroll.
If you want courses that check those boxes, ACCT 321 Intermediate Financial Accounting I and ACCT 322 Intermediate Financial Accounting II from CPA Credits are built for exactly this situation.
Both are delivered through Upper Iowa University, which is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, so you earn real, upper-level university credit of the kind state boards look for. Each course is worth three semester hours, is fully online and self-paced, has no prerequisites to enroll, and starts on the first of each month, so you can begin almost immediately and finish on your own timeline. Each is priced at $695 per course rather than as part of a bundled degree program.
ACCT 321 covers FASB standards and the conceptual framework, the accounting cycle, financial statement construction, and assets from cash and receivables through inventory, PPE, and intangibles. ACCT 322 picks up with liabilities, owners’ equity, stock transactions, EPS, debt and equity securities, revenue recognition, leases, accounting changes and error corrections, and the statement of cash flows. Taken together, they give you a complete intermediate financial accounting online sequence from a single accredited source. Browse both alongside other upper-division options in the self-paced course catalog.
Best for: CPA candidates who need an accredited intermediate accounting course for CPA education requirements with maximum flexibility, whether they need Intermediate I, Intermediate II, or both.
Worth knowing: These are for-credit college courses that support education requirements. They are not CPE and not CPA exam review courses, so pair them with a review provider when you prepare for FAR.
This sequence is a common requirement for several groups: business, finance, and economics majors whose degrees included principles of accounting but not the full intermediate sequence; career changers assembling accounting credits piece by piece; transfer students short Intermediate I or Intermediate II after changing schools; candidates whose evaluations show a gap in upper-division financial accounting on the way to 150 hours; and anyone who completed only one half of the intermediate pair and still needs the other three credits.
If you are unsure whether online college accounting courses will count for your board, start with how your jurisdiction treats regionally accredited credit, then verify the specific courses against your evaluation. Our related resource on whether online accounting courses count toward the CPA walks through that question in more detail.
Confirm that intermediate accounting is a requirement you still need to fill, and whether you need Intermediate I, Intermediate II, or both. Check your state board’s rules on where the credit can come from, then enroll in the course (or courses) that fit. If you are not sure what else you are missing, the credit gap calculator maps your full requirement by state so you can plan the whole path rather than one course at a time. For a personalized review of your transcript, you can also request a complimentary transcript evaluation.
An online intermediate accounting course is a requirement worth handling early, both because your board expects upper-division financial accounting credit and because the material underpins FAR. Taken through a regionally accredited provider on a self-paced schedule, Intermediate I and II do not have to slow you down. ACCT 321 and ACCT 322 give you accredited university credit on a timeline you control, at $695 per course, with starts on the first of each month.
Explore ACCT 321 Intermediate Financial Accounting I and ACCT 322 Intermediate Financial Accounting II, or obtain a complimentary transcript evaluation to see your full path to CPA eligibility.
CPA education requirements vary by state and are changing quickly, and credit acceptance depends on your state board and your individual evaluation. Confirm current requirements and course acceptance with your state board before enrolling. ACCT 321 and ACCT 322 are college-credit courses for CPA education requirements; they are not CPE and not CPA exam review.
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