Accounting - Graduate Information

To view the Graduate Course Descriptions for Accounting, click here.

Master of Professional Accountancy

  • Students with appropriate references, background course work, grade point averages, and graduate entrance exam scores may be admitted upon completion of a 4-year baccalaureate degree program. Students complete a 15 hour core in business that emphasizes ethics, law, international finance, and the accountant's role in business and responsibility to society. Beyond the core, students obtain an 15 hour specialization in either assurance services or taxation.
  • Students develop their critical thinking, research, documentation, and presentation skills to deal with problems that have multiple solutions. Through case based learning, students learn to "think outside the box, "developing the ability to identify problems, research and document alternatives, make recommendations, and justify their recommendation.
  • Students receiving the master's degree are well prepared to sit begin careers in public accounting, or to continue graduate study.
  • Students may complete the program within 12 months

Prerequisites

I. a 4-year baccalaureate degree,

II. 30 semester hours of business coursework including, but not limited to:

principles of accounting,
business law,
economics,
finance,
management,
marketing,
and

III. 18 semester hours of upper division accounting, specifically:

6 semester hours of intermediate financial accounting,
accounting information systems,
auditing,
cost/managerial accounting,
individual income taxation

A full-time student meeting all prerequisites may complete the program in one calendar year.

Degree Requirements Prior to Fall 2008

Degree Requirements Fall 2008

Admission Requirements

Admission is based on the applicant's undergraduate academic record, scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), personal recommendations, and other factors such as work experience. International students whose native language is not English must submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam.

Minimum Scores for Full Admission:

Overall GPA: 3.2/4.0
Accounting GPA: 3.2/4.0
GMAT: > 50th percentile (currently: > 540)
TOEFL: 550

Although unusual, the admission committee may grant provisional admission to an applicant who does not meet the requirements for full admission. Students admitted on a provisional basis must obtain a minimum 3.0 GPR by completion of 9 credit hours of graduate work or face dismissal from the program.

The Application & Admission Process

Full-time students who are admitted meeting all prerequisites, may complete the MPAcc program in one calendar year. MPAcc courses are offered once per year in lock step fashion. Course prerequisites are undergraduate equivalents, therefore it is possible to begin the program at the start of any session.

Application deadlines are set by the Graduate School with earlier deadlines applying to international applicants. See the graduate catalog for the deadlines for a particular session.

Applicants will not be evaluated for admission until they have completed at least 30 semester hours of prerequisites including 9 semester hours of upper division accounting. Students accepted with less than 18 hours of upper division accounting usually must complete these hours first.

Admission decisions are not made until all application materials are received. A complete application consists of:

the application,
a $50.00 non refundable application fee*
2 official transcripts of all college-level work,
2 letters of recommendation,
entrance exam scores**
a resume, and
an application for financial assistance (optional).***

Applicants will be notified by the Graduate School upon acceptance. The Graduate School's on-line application check allows an applicant to monitor application status.

Obtaining an Application

An applicant may complete and submit the application on-line from the Graduate School's web site. Recommendation forms and the application for financial assistance may be downloaded from that site. Applicants who need a printed application may request one on-line or by calling (864) 656-3195.
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* Subject to change. Check the Graduate School's web site for current fees.

** Applicants should plan to take the GMAT and TOFEL exams early. These exams may be repeated with the admission decision being based on the best scores. Exams must be taken by October for an applicant to be considered for fellowship or assistantship awards in the next academic year which begins July 1.

*** Applicants who wish to compete for fellowship and assistantship awards must complete an application for financial assistance, submitting it with their other application materials.