Professional Accounting, Non-Thesis, MPAcc

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Department of Accounting, College of Business & Economics

For further information contact the Department of Accounting, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225, Phone: (360) 650-3202, Email: Michelle.Stach@wwu.edu

Graduate Faculty

Dolar, Burak, PhD, financial accounting
Gilbertson, David L., PhD, auditing/financial accounting.
Hutton, Marguerite R., PhD, taxation.
Liu, Zenghui, PhD, financial accounting.
Sanders, George D., PhD, financial/governmental accounting.
Senge, Stephen V., DBA, financial reporting.
Sim, Khim L., PhD, managerial accounting.
Singleton, William R., PhD, taxation.
Smith, Steven H., PhD, financial accounting.
Taylor, Audrey, PhD, managerial accounting.
Warner, Daniel M., JD, business law.

Graduate Program Office, Parks Hall 419, 360-650-3898
E-mail: Michelle.Stach@wwu.edu; fax: 360-650-4844
Program Advisor: Dr. Stephen V. Senge
Department of Accounting: Dr. George D. Sanders, Chair

Accreditation

The College of Business and Economics is accredited by the AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Goals

The MPAcc program is a 48-credit graduate degree to be completed in three quarters. It is designed to:

Provide opportunities for students to improve their expertise in a field that is rapidly becoming more complex.
Provide students with an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills required in Washington for professional licensing as CPAs.
Help meet the demand in Washington for well-trained professional accountants.

Admission and Prerequisites

A bachelor’s degree with an accounting emphasis from an AACSB-accredited business school is required for admission to the program.
A minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 90-quarter or 60-semester hours of study.
A minimum 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in upper-division accounting courses.
Applicants must demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively and to reason analytically, logically, and creatively.
Students must achieve an acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Applicants who are not native English speakers must submit an acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score.

Application Information

Official application form to the Graduate School
Transcripts (from each institution attended).
GMAT scores and, if applicable, TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Personal statement, including background and intention.
Résumé showing work experience.
Review of application begins on February 15 and continues until spaces are filled.

To apply for admission, send the application and supporting documents to the Graduate School. Further information is provided in the Graduate School section of this catalog.

Program Requirements (48 credits)

Core Curriculum

❑ MPAC 565 - Special Topics in Accounting
❑ At least 4 credits of MPAC 595 - Accounting Colloquium
❑ At least 20 credits from the following courses, *under advisement:
*(Course availability may vary from year to year)
MPAC 521 - Seminar in Accounting Information Systems
MPAC 531 - Accounting Communications
MPAC 535 - Seminar in Management Accounting
MPAC 541 - Seminar in Advanced Financial Accounting
MPAC 543 - Financial Accounting Research & Communication
MPAC 545 - Seminar in Accounting Theory
MPAC 547 - Seminar in Government and Not-For-Profit Accounting
MPAC 551 - Seminar in International Accounting
MPAC 561 - Seminar in Professional Auditing
MPAC 566 - Seminar in Fraud Examination & Forensic Accounting
MPAC 571 - Seminar in Law for Accountants
MPAC 575 - Seminar in Taxation
MPAC 577 - Tax Research, Planning, and Policy
MPAC 581 - Ethics and Accountability
MPAC 585 - Sustainability Accounting and Reporting
Up to 4 credits of MPAC 590 - Internship in Professional Accounting
❑ At least 20 additional credits of MPAC, MBA, or other courses, chosen under advisement

Integrated 3+2 BA/MPAcc Option

This option makes it possible for exceptional undergraduate accounting majors to enter the MPAcc program at the beginning of their senior year, and complete both a B.A. in Accounting and a Master of Professional Accounting in at most 5 years of study. Students interested in this program are encouraged to consult with their advisor early in their junior year.

Eligibility & Admission

Applications are due during the first week of spring quarter, and admission decisions will be made shortly thereafter. To be eligible the student must have, at the time of application:

Completed at least 110 undergraduate credits with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better.
Completed at least 16 upper-division accounting credits, including ACCT 342, with a GPA of at least 3.2.
Demonstrated an ability to communicate effectively, and to reason analytically, logically, and creatively.
Recommendations from at least two WWU accounting faculty.

This program is highly selective; eligibility does not guarantee admission.

Requirements for the 3+2 Option:

Candidates are conditionally admitted to the MPAcc at the time of acceptance into the integrated 3+2 program. At the end of the fourth year, conversion to full graduate status is granted by the Graduate School upon the recommendation of the MPAcc committee, provided that the candidate has:

Been awarded the undergraduate degree.
Maintained an acceptable GPA in all courses taken.
Obtained an acceptable score on the GMAT.
Met all the Graduate School application requirements.

All of the requirements for the MPAcc (listed above) must be fulfilled, except that only 36 graduate credits are required beyond the baccalaureate degree.

Additional Information

Information on the MPAcc program is available in the College of Business and Economics, Accounting section of this catalog.