Master of Accountancy (MAcc) Program: Master of Accountancy (MAcc) Program: Trends and Some Thoughts on the Future Trends and Some Thoughts on the Future

BY: Terry J. Ward, Ph.D., BY: Terry J. Ward, Ph.D., CPACPA Program DirectorProgram Director

Review of Current Program: Review of Current Program: Admissions RequirementsAdmissions Requirements

Admissions RequirementsAdmissions Requirements• Undergraduate business degree from AACSB Undergraduate business degree from AACSB

accredited School of Businessaccredited School of Business– 3.00 overall average3.00 overall average

• Other applicantsOther applicants– 400 minimum GMAT and400 minimum GMAT and– 950 composite score calculated as: 200 X Undergraduate 950 composite score calculated as: 200 X Undergraduate

GPA plus GMAT scoreGPA plus GMAT score– Rare exceptions and basically no conditional admissionsRare exceptions and basically no conditional admissions

Review of Current Program: Review of Current Program: PrerequisitesPrerequisites

Prerequisite Courses to be Completed Prior to Enrolling in Core Courses

SemHrs

Principles of Accounting I and II 6Intermediate Accounting I and II 6Cost Accounting 3Introduction to Federal Income Tax 3External Auditing I or Internal Auditing 3Legal Environment of Management 3Survey of Economic Theory 3Quantitative Methods Survey 3Survey of Information Systems Issues 3Survey of Managerial Finance 3

Review of Current Program: Review of Current Program: General MAcc ProgramGeneral MAcc Program

Courses to be Completed at Graduate Level SemHrs

Advanced Accounting Theory 3Capstone: Advanced Financial Reporting 3

6000-level Approved Accounting Elective 36000-level Approved Accounting Elective 36000-level Approved Accounting Elective 35000/6000-Approved Accounting or INFS Elective 35000/6000-Approved Accounting or INFS Elective 36000-level Global Business Elective 36000-level Approved Elective 36000-level Approved Elective 3

Review of Current Program: Review of Current Program: Tax Specialization ProgramTax Specialization Program

Courses to Be Completed at Graduate Level Sem Hrs

Advanced Accounting Theory 3Advanced Financial Reporting 3

Federal Income Tax Research and Planning 3Taxation of Pass-Through Entities 3Taxation of Business Entities 3Special Topics in Taxation 35000/6000-Approved Accounting or INFS Elective 35000/6000-Approved Accounting or INFS Elective 36000-level Global Elective 3

6000-level Approved Elective 3

MAcc Trends: Students MAcc Trends: Students Entering Program by YearEntering Program by Year

Year Number Enrolling

UndergraduateGrade Point AVG

GMAT Score

2002 1 3.35 530

2004 2 3.51 420

2005 5 3.37 482

2006 12 3.26 492

2007 17 3.21 484

2008 20 3.31 484

MAcc Trends: Students MAcc Trends: Students Entering Program by YearEntering Program by Year

Year Number Enrolling

UndergraduateGrade Point AVG

GMAT Score

2009 27 3.33 466

2010 39 3.34 457

2011 16 3.61 500

2012 51 3.35 501

2013 90 3.31 522

Regression: Factors Impacting Performance Regression: Factors Impacting Performance in MAcc Programin MAcc Program

Gender not significantly differentGender not significantly different Type of undergraduate degree not Type of undergraduate degree not

significantly differentsignificantly different Undergraduate GPA most significant Undergraduate GPA most significant

predictor of successpredictor of success• Have interaction effect thoughHave interaction effect though

– Good predictor if student has degree from AACSB Good predictor if student has degree from AACSB College of BusinessCollege of Business

– Not a good predictor for students with undergraduate Not a good predictor for students with undergraduate degree from international universitydegree from international university

Empirical Results ContinuedEmpirical Results Continued

GMAT score significant predictor of success GMAT score significant predictor of success in MAcc programin MAcc program• However, another interaction effect existsHowever, another interaction effect exists

– GMAT scores not relevant for students with GMAT scores not relevant for students with undergraduate degrees from AACSB schoolsundergraduate degrees from AACSB schools

– GMAT most important measure if student has an GMAT most important measure if student has an undergraduate degree from an international undergraduate degree from an international universityuniversity

Factors Impacting Program in the FutureFactors Impacting Program in the Future

New DeanNew Dean New ChairNew Chair Increased competition from other Increased competition from other

universitiesuniversities Hiring and keeping good facultyHiring and keeping good faculty Keeping curriculum current and creativeKeeping curriculum current and creative

How MAcc Program can How MAcc Program can Continue to be Successful Continue to be Successful

Identify NichesIdentify Niches Continue emphasize on development of Continue emphasize on development of

communication, critical thinking and communication, critical thinking and problem solving skillsproblem solving skills

Continue developing each student’s use of Continue developing each student’s use of technology and research skillstechnology and research skills

Identify goals of department and thenIdentify goals of department and then• FacultyFaculty

– Hire and reward faculty that are creative and willing to discuss Hire and reward faculty that are creative and willing to discuss changechange

– Tenure and reward faculty that care (not necessarily those easy Tenure and reward faculty that care (not necessarily those easy on students)on students)

– Expect research consistent with the goals of the departmentExpect research consistent with the goals of the department– Have fair expectations of faculty, and expect faculty to meet Have fair expectations of faculty, and expect faculty to meet

those expectationsthose expectations– Find funding and support for facultyFind funding and support for faculty– Give faculty the time and facilities to be creativeGive faculty the time and facilities to be creative– Assess desired outcomes regularlyAssess desired outcomes regularly

• Students and CurriculumStudents and Curriculum– Develop curriculum meeting demands of today’s work placeDevelop curriculum meeting demands of today’s work place– Assess performance of students Assess performance of students – Assess satisfaction of employers of studentsAssess satisfaction of employers of students

THE ENDTHE END