TSCPA sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Education Linda McMahon urging the department to update its language regarding accounting in the list of professional degrees.
TSCPA suggests the Department revise the definition of “professional degree” in 34 CFR 685.102 or 34 CFR 668.2(b) of “Reimagining and Improving Student Education” (Document ID ED2025OPE0944) to either include “accounting” in the definition or retain the current phrasing that professional degrees “may include but are not limited to” those currently listed in the notice.
Accounting is a recognized profession with rigorous education, licensure, ethics, and competency standards, and it plays a critical role in economic stability and public trust in Tennessee and nationwide.
“Recognizing accounting programs as professional degree programs aligns with both the demands of the profession and the public interest,” said TSCPA President/CEO Kara Fitzgerald, CPA, CGMA, CAE. “Students pursuing this pathway should have equitable access to graduate level financing consistent with other professional programs.”