20:75:04:02.  General continuing professional education program criteria.  To qualify as acceptable continuing professional education, a program must be a learning activity that contributes directly to the professional competence of a CPA or PA in the practice of accountancy.  A CPA and PA performing professional services must have a broad range of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Acceptable continuing professional education encompasses programs contributing to the development and maintenance of both technical and nontechnical professional skills.  A program that promotes professional competence in the practice of accountancy is defined as one that refers to the process, methods, or principles of accounting or directly relates to the CPA's and PA's employment and is above the level of the CPA's and PA's current knowledge.  Acceptable subjects include accounting, assurance/auditing, consulting services, specialized knowledge and applications, management, taxation, and ethics.  Other subjects, including personal development, may be acceptable if they maintain or improve the CPA's and PA's competence. A CPA or PA may use a learning plan to evaluate learning and competency development. The learning plan may be reviewed periodically and modified as competency needs change.

          Source: 29 SDR 16, effective August 14, 2002; 31 SDR 97, adopted December 17, 2004, effective July 1, 2005.

          General Authority: SDCL 36-20B-12(3).

          Law Implemented: SDCL 36-20B-27.

          Cross-Reference: Restriction on continuing professional education credits for college employees, § 20:75:04:06.