Program of Study - Accountancy (MACC)
The Master of Accountancy (MACC) program is designed to enable students to compete for professional accounting positions in business and government as well as in public accounting firms. The degree satisfies the 150-hour requirements of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy to sit for the Certified Public Accountant examination, and permits specialization in accounting beyond that provided by the undergraduate accounting degree (Bachelor of Business Administration).
The MACC program provides a learning environment that develops a diverse set of skills in students (including technical, analytical, critical thinking, communication, and technological skills) to prepare them for professional careers in a dynamic world. The foregoing statement reflects the desired learning outcomes from both the undergraduate and graduate programs. The MACC program substantially enhances those learning outcomes.
The MACC program assumes that the student either has an undergraduate degree in accounting or has taken the leveling courses necessary to succeed in the program. It meets the needs of past graduates in accounting as well as those who may wish to retrain themselves to be accountants.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the graduate program in accountancy, prospective candidates must meet all the requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley. The decision to admit a student to the MACC program will be based on:
- GMAT score
- Two letters of recommendation
- A letter of intent
- A curriculum vitae
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours.
Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.
A waiver of the GMAT requirement may be granted to applicants who show proof of one of the following:
- Have an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license
- Hold a graduate degree from an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited university
- Graduated with an undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or higher on a 4 point scale overall and in all their accounting course work
Program Requirements
Required Courses (12 Credits)
ACCT 6321: Students who have taken ACCT 4331 Advanced Accounting (or an equivalent undergraduate course) most take a graduate-level accounting elective instead.
ACCT 6380: Students who have taken ACCT 4350 (or an equivalent undergraduate, CPA-approved ethics course) must take a graduate-level accounting elective instead.
Choose one of the following concentrations:
Auditing Concentration (12 Credits)
Taxation Concentration (12 Credits)
ACCT 6329: Students who have taken ACCT 4329 (or an equivalent undergraduate corporate tax class) must take a graduate-level accounting elective instead.
Graduate Business Electives (3 Credits)
Capstone (3 Credits)
| ACCT 6341 | Accounting Research and Communication | 3 |
Notes:
- Business Electives may include any graduate-level non-accounting courses, excluding the foundation courses in the MBA program, subject to approval of the MACC Director.
- The MACC program offers some classes in the traditional classroom setting and some Online. A student must have the permission of the Director of the School of Accountancy to enroll in more than nine hours of graduate work during a single semester regardless of the mode of delivery.
- Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting have to take (or must have taken) the following remedial courses before enrolling in MACC classes:
ACCT 6301 – Accounting for Managers (or equivalent principles of accounting)
ACCT 3321 – Intermediate Accounting I
ACCT 3322 – Intermediate Accounting II
ACCT 3323 – Income Taxation
ACCT 3324 – Cost Accounting and Management
ACCT 3326 – Accounting Information Systems
ACCT 4327 – Auditing
Total Credit Hours: 30
Early Admission
Undergraduate students with a declared BBA major in accounting who have completed at least 90 semester hours of coursework (including at least four upper-level accounting courses) and have a minimum GPA of 3.5 both overall and in their upper-level accounting classes may apply for early admission to the Graduate College. These students will be admitted to the MACC program conditional on: (1) maintaining the 3.5 GPAs upon completing the 120-hour undergraduate accounting degree requirements; and (2) conferral of their undergraduate degree. Students conditionally admitted to the MACC program may take up to six hours of MACC classes in their senior year to facilitate a five-year completion time for both BBA and MACC degrees. In addition, the GMAT requirement is waived for these students. However, students must meet all other requirements of the Graduate College to receive a MACC degree.
Academic Standing
Three C Rule
A Master's degree candidate is ineligible to continue in the program if a grade of C or lower is received in any three courses taken to complete the requirements of the MACC degree. Receipt of a higher grade in a course that has been repeated does not cause the original grade to be disregarded in the application of this rule; all earned grades are included.
“F" Rule
A Master’s degree student who receives a grade of "F" will be automatically dismissed from the program. The student may appeal the dismissal from the MACC Program to the Dean of the College.