Accountancy, MAcc
Program Description
The Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree is designed to provide an opportunity for graduate study in accounting. The MAcc is intended to prepare professional accountants to fill high-level positions in accounting firms and business enterprises. The length of the program is approximately one year of full-time study for the typical BBA graduate with a major in accounting. The MAcc degree is delivered fully online. Students planning to sit for the CPA exam in Texas should be aware of the following rule:
Pursuant to Texas Administrative Code Rule 511.57(c), the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) will accept no fewer than 30 semester credit hours of accounting courses from the courses listed in subsection (e)(1) - (13) of Rule 511.57. The courses must meet the TSBPA’s standards by containing sufficient business knowledge and application to be useful to candidates taking the Uniform CPA Exam. A TSBPA-recognized institution of higher education must have accepted the courses for purposes of obtaining a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent, and they must be shown on an official transcript.
Individuals with undergraduate degrees in areas other than accounting should consult with the Director of Master’s Programs to determine specific course requirements for their programs.
Student Learning Goals and Objectives
- G1. To Be Effective Communicators
- G1.O1 – Effectively communicate in writing
- G1.O2 – Deliver an accounting presentation in an organized, effective manner
- G.2 To Be Competent in Business Practices
- G2.O1 – Demonstrate relevant knowledge of accounting content areas
- G2.O2 – Use technology to gather and analyze data and disseminate information
- G.3 To Be Good Decision Makers
- G3.O1 – Apply critical thinking
- G.4. To Be Good Citizens
- G4.O1 – Apply Ethical Reasoning
- G4.02 – Exercise Professional Judgement
For Additional Information
Website:
http://www.cob.tamucc.edu
Campus address:
O’Connor Building, Room 239
Phone: (361) 825-2655
Mailing address:
Director of Master’s Programs, College of Business
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Dr. Unit 5808
Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5808
Master of Accountancy Admission Requirements
Applicants must comply with University procedures and meet University standards for admission. Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 on the last 60 hours attempted. Applicants must have completed 18 semester credit hours of upper-level accounting courses. Applicants must submit to the Office of Recruitment and Admissions a Graduate Admission Application. Also required are two letters of recommendation from persons able to evaluate the applicant’s professional or academic performance, a resume or curriculum vitae, and other information that may have impacted the applicant’s decision to pursue graduate study or deemed important to individual or career goals. Applicants are required to submit Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores prior to admission. GMAT and GRE scores will not be accepted if over five years old. The GMAT or GRE is not required of those who earned a graduate degree from a regionally accredited university. Applicants with a 3.0 GPA or higher in all academic work attempted, or with a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours attempted, qualify for a GMAT/GRE waiver.
Applicants whose last 60 hours GPA is at least 2.75 but less than 3.00 may be conditionally admitted to the Master of Accountancy program without submitting GMAT or GRE scores. Conditionally admitted students must achieve at least a 3.00 graduate GPA in their first nine semester credit hours in order to continue in the program.
Admission decisions are made on the basis of undergraduate performance, GMAT or GRE scores, experience, and other indicators of the ability to pursue graduate study successfully. To be accepted in the graduate program, in addition to other requirements, applicants must be in good standing at the college or university they previously attended. Official notification of the admission decision is issued by the Office of the Dean of the College of Business and is sent directly to the applicant. The College of Business does not have a “non-degree seeking” graduate admission classifications. Normally, no credit will be applied toward a master’s degree for graduate classes taken prior to acceptance into a graduate degree program in business.
Program Requirements
Mathematics and Computer Proficiency Requirements
All MAcc students must meet the mathematics and computer proficiency requirements or take additional approved courses to satisfy these requirements.
Mathematics Preparation Requirement. Entering students must present satisfactory credits for at least six semester hours of college-level mathematics excluding remedial mathematics and first-level statistics courses. This requirement will be satisfied with college algebra and an introductory calculus course.
Computer Proficiency Requirement. Entering students must have completed MISY 2305, or the equivalent, with a grade of “C” or better.
Students with Non-accounting Majors or Nonbusiness Degrees
Prior to taking advanced courses, individuals with a business degree without an accounting major will be required to complete the undergraduate accounting foundation courses. Individuals with a nonbusiness degree will be required to take the business core series in addition to the following accounting foundation courses.
Pathway to the Master of Accountancy
Students who have been admitted into Master of Accountancy program and have 15 or less student credit hours to complete the Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting may enroll in graduate accounting coursework with the approval of the Director of Masters Programs.
The 150-Hour Requirement for CPA Examination
The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) has set the minimum educational requirements for taking the CPA examination at 150 hours. At least three hours of ethics is required. The course must be among those on the TSPBA approved list available on its website. Students aspiring to an accounting career should give serious consideration to pursuing the Master of Accountancy degree to enhance their potential for a successful career.
Accounting students should be aware that requirements to sit for the CPA examination in Texas may change at any time. CPA requirements are determined by the TSBPA. Students should visit the TSBPA website at https://www.tsbpa.texas.gov frequently and check with their advisor on a regular basis to ensure that the courses they are taking will qualify them to sit for the CPA exam.
TSBPA Education Requirements:
- Hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree conferred by a TSBPA recognized institution of higher education, and
- Complete at least 150 semester hours in TSBPA board recognized courses, and
- Complete at least 30 semester hours in qualifying upper division accounting courses recognized by TSBPA, and
- Complete at least 24 semester credit hours of qualifying business subjects recognized by TSBPA, and
- Satisfy the following additional education requirements:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Business Communications | ||
| Advanced Auditing and Assurance Services | ||
| Accounting Theory | ||
| Research | ||
| Select one of the following: | 6 | |
| Federal Income Tax I and Auditing Principles and Procedures | ||
| Professional Accounting Research | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives | ||
| Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives | ||
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Note: BLAW 4345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch) and BLAW 5345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch) do not count toward the 30 semester hours in upper level accounting requirement and a student may not take both BLAW 4345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch) and BLAW 5345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch).
See the College of Business section of the Graduate Catalog for details on the MAcc and the MBA programs. (An advanced degree is not currently required to meet the 150-hour standard for becoming a candidate for the CPA examination.) See the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy website for more information: https://www.tsbpa.texas.gov.
Students should also be aware that pursuant to TAC Rule 511.57(c), the Board will accept no fewer than 30 semester credit hours of accounting courses from the courses listed in subsection (e)(1) - (13) of this section. The courses must meet the Board’s standards by containing sufficient business knowledge and application to be useful to candidates taking the UCPAE. A Board-recognized institution of higher education must have accepted the courses for purposes of obtaining a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent, and they must be shown on an official transcript.
The Director of Master’s Programs or the Department Chair in Accounting should be consulted for specific requirements.
Accounting Foundation Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 2301 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 2302 | Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 3311 | Intermediate Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT 3312 | Intermediate Accounting II | 3 |
| ACCT 3314 | Cost Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 3321 | Federal Income Tax I | 3 |
| ACCT 4311 | Auditing Principles and Procedures | 3 |
| ACCT 4355 | Accounting Information Systems | 3 |
| BLAW 3310 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
These courses can be found in the “Courses A-Z” section in the catalog.
Core Courses
The following courses form the core knowledge in business for students with nonbusiness undergraduate degrees. Core courses cannot be taken for advanced course credit. Students must be admitted into the MAcc program before enrolling in graduate-level core courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 5312 | Foundations of Accounting * | 3 |
| ECON 5311 | Foundations in Economics * | 3 |
| FINA 5311 | Financial Management Concepts * | 3 |
| BAIS 5315 | Statistical and Decision Analysis * | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
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Online offering
Master of Accountancy Advanced Courses
Thirty credits of advanced graduate courses, including at least 24 hours of accounting courses above the 5315 level, will be required of all students.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Courses | ||
| General Requirements | ||
| ACCT 5314 | Advanced Accounting Problems | 3 |
| ACCT 5341 | Advanced Auditing and Assurance Services | 3 |
| ACCT 5355 | Information Systems in Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 5371 | Professional Accounting Research 1,* | 3 |
| ACCT 5391 | Integrative Seminar in Accounting * | 3 |
| Graduate Accounting Electives | ||
| Select 9 hours from the following: | 9 | |
| Oil, Gas and Energy Accounting * | ||
| Multinational Entities: Accounting and Consolidations | ||
| Taxes and Business Strategy * | ||
| Forensic Accounting * | ||
| Strategic Cost Management | ||
| Seminar * | ||
| Accounting Theory | ||
| Directed Individual Research or Readings | ||
| Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives 3,4,* | ||
| Graduate Accounting or Business Electives | ||
| Select 6 hours from any course not already taken | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
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ACCT 5371 Professional Accounting Research (3 sch) fulfills the TSBPA research education requirement. A student who has previously taken both ACCT 3321 Federal Income Tax I (3 sch) and ACCT 4311 Auditing Principles and Procedures (3 sch) can elect to substitute another course for ACCT 5371 Professional Accounting Research (3 sch).
- 2
ACCT 5341 Advanced Auditing and Assurance Services (3 sch) or ACCT 5381 Accounting Theory (3 sch) may be taken to fulfill the TSBPA communication education requirement.
- 3
BLAW 5345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch) does not meet the TSBPA ethics education requirement to sit for the CPA exam in Texas.
- 4
BLAW 5345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch) fulfills the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) ethics education requirement but does not count toward TSBPA’s 30 credit hours of upper level accounting coursework. A student who has previously taken BLAW 4345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch) may not take BLAW 5345 Ethics for Accountants and Business Executives (3 sch) and must take an elective instead.
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Online offering
Note:
Students must comply with the college academic policies and requirements discussed earlier.
Courses
Theoretical and applied facets of financial and managerial accounting for business. The course includes preparation and communication of financial information as well as the uses of accounting data in planning and controlling activities of business firms and other types of organizations. (This is a core course.) Not open to students who have completed six semester hours of accounting.
A study of advanced accounting topics, including leases, pensions, consolidations, asset retirement obligations, accounting for not-for-profit organizations and government entities and other special problem areas.
A continuation of financial and managerial accounting with emphasis on applications, and analysis and interpretation of financial statements.
Prerequisite: ACCT 5312.
This course covers the basic principles of oil and gas accounting. Course topics include upstream oil and gas operations, successful efforts accounting, full cost pool accounting, accounting for production, exploration and construction, joint interest accounting, international operations, oil and gas taxation and analysis of oil and gas financial statements.
Prerequisite: ACCT 3311.
A study of the similarities and differences between U.S. and other countries' accounting and reporting procedures. Basic consolidation of international segments will be covered. Use of spreadsheets and web technology required.
Prerequisite: ACCT 2302.
A framework to analyze how tax rules affect decision-making. Cases and problems, taken from historical and current developments in tax planning, develop understanding of how changes in tax rules influence the behavior of various constituents in the broad business and regulatory environment.
Prerequisite: ACCT 5312.
The course will cover the concepts and skills of forensic accounting investigations. The course focuses on the methods and technological tools used to detect occupational fraud. These include the steps in conducting an investigation, use of technological tools, witness and suspect interviewing techniques, investigation report writing, and expert testimony.
This course is designed as a discussion-based seminar and case analysis to provide graduate students with an understanding of auditing theory, practice, and research methods. This course continues from Auditing Principles and Procedures (ACCT 4311) by implementing the auditing principles, standards, procedures, and practices learned in that course and applving them in case analysis. Topics include research of professional accounting and auditing standards, technical memo writing, professional ethics, professional judgment, sampling, forensic examinations, integrated audits, gualitv control reviews, assurance services, and other contemporary issues in auditing.
A conceptual approach to the use of cost accounting information to support decision-makers as they develop, communicate, implement, evaluate and modify organizational strategy. The linkage between cost management and strategy is facilitated by examining such tools as: cost driver, value chain, and organizational design analyses.
A study of current topics in accounting information systems. Topics include the role of accounting information systems and their applications in a variety of computer environments including the Internet, service organizations, and centralized and decentralized environments.
in an identified topic in accounting. May be repeated for significantly different topics with written permission from the Director of Master's Programs.
Course presents practice of general accounting research. Content includes study of professional research using authoritative standards and databases. The course develops procedures for identifying the applicable accounting issues, locating appropriate authority, and communicating the results of professional research. Through comprehensive case studies, students will obtain hands-on experience in researching and evaluating technical accounting, tax, and audit issues.
A study of diverse accounting theories and concepts. Includes an intensive study of the underlying framework of financial accounting. Contemporary accounting issues are emphasized focusing on proper financial statement presentation and disclosure. Includes the study of similarities and differences between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards and the related convergence projects.
The use of case studies to explore the integration of financial accounting, auditing, taxation, managerial accounting and accounting information systems to assess their relationship individually and collectively to business decision-making. Must be taken at the end of the program after completion of all advanced, non-elective courses. In unusual circumstances, it may be taken concurrently with the final non-elective courses with the written permission of the Director of Master's Programs.
Contact the Director of Master's Programs.
Supervised full-time or part-time, off-campus training in public accounting, industry, or government. Oral and written reports required. Please review TSBPA guidelines for internship requirements.