Accountancy, M.Acc.

Overview

The master of accountancy program (MAcc) is designed to provide the foundations students will need to adapt and excel in the rapidly changing environment of the accounting profession. The accounting faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno are dedicated to presenting students with solid fundamentals, along with state- of-the-art tools and techniques in auditing, financial reporting and taxation.

The College of Business is accredited by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the premier accrediting agency for business programs worldwide. In addition, we are one of fewer than 175 programs worldwide to have separate accounting accreditation from the AACSB. Accounting is the only discipline within business for which separate accreditation is given; as such, the other business programs are not separately accredited. We work very hard to maintain the quality and continuous improvement expected from programs that have achieved AACSB accreditation.

WHAT IS A MAcc ?

The MAcc program develops strong technical and professional accounting skills considerably beyond the introductory courses presented to undergraduates. Students completing the program receive a well-rounded business education. In addition to graduate accounting courses, students are exposed to basic courses in the functional area of business. The MAcc program emphasizes the skills needed to succeed in the business community, including teamwork, leadership and the ability to communicate effectively.

Credit Hour Requirements

General Prerequisites

The accounting faculty require each new graduate to satisfy the following MAcc pre-enrollment requirements:

Proficiency in mathematics: Students should complete a calculus-based course at the college level prior to enrollment in the MAcc program.

Microcomputer proficiency: Students should be knowledgeable of microcomputer operating systems, word processing, spreadsheet and electronic communication applications (i.e. e-mail, electronic databases and the internet) prior to enrollment in the MAcc program.

Proficiency in English: If an international student’s verbal score on the GMAT, TOEFL, or other evaluation measure is below an acceptable level, a student may be required to enroll in English language development classes either prior to enrollment in the MAcc program or during the first semester of his/her academic program.

Specific Prerequisites

II. Representative Schedule

General Admission Requirements

A bachelor degree completed with a minimum 2.75 GPA on a scale of 4.0 , or a GPA of at least 3.00 on a scale of 4.0 for courses taken during the last half of the undergraduate program. An international student who is not a graduate of an accredited U.S. university must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0.

Students are required to take the GMAT examination unless they meet the exemption requirements stated below. Students must attain a minimum score of 500 on this examination and place in the 20th percentile or higher on each portion (verbal, written, and quantitative) of the exam.

The GMAT is not required for MAcc admissions if the student has:

1. an undergraduate business degree with a major in accounting from a business school accredited by the AACSB at the time the degree was granted, and
2. an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.3 or higher.

International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper) or 220 (computerized). If an international student’s verbal and writing scores on the GMAT, TOEFL or other evaluation measure below an acceptable level, a student may be required to enroll in English language development classes either prior to enrollment in the MAcc program or during the first semester of his/her academic program.

If the applicant does not meet one of the two preceding requirements, admission to graduate standing on a prescribed program may be considered. A prescribed program consists of the completion of one semester or summer session of full-time study in 9 credits, or 12 credits over two semesters for those working full-time, with a grade of “B” or above in each course taken. The courses prescribed may be undergraduate or graduate courses. These courses may or may not apply to the graduate program of study.

Students whose undergraduate degree is not in business administration with a major in accounting (or its equivalent) must complete:

1. 24 credit hours of specified undergraduate core accounting courses with a minimum 2.75 GPA on a scale of 4.0. These courses can be taken concurrently with non-accounting graduate level courses. Various course waiver rules are applicable.
2. The MAcc Common Body of Knowledge core business courses with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. These courses can be taken concurrently with other graduate level courses. Various course waiver rules are applicable.

Course Waiver Policy

It is the general policy of the ACC/IS department that only MAcc core courses (i.e. business core and accounting core) can be waived. Such waivers may be granted on the basis of equivalent undergraduate or graduate course work completed in an AACSB accredited business program or at an accredited four-year institution (certain lower division courses may be completed at an accredited two-year institution). Successful completion of proficiency examinations may also be used to waive specified core business and core accounting courses; however, proficiency examinations may not be available for all core courses.

Limitation on Transfer Credit

Subject to the approval of the MAcc director and the dean of graduate school, students may apply up to nine graduate credits earned at other accredited universities, earned in other UNR graduate programs, or earned as a graduate special.

S/U Graded Courses

S/U graded courses are not permitted in the MAcc program. This applies to both undergraduate prerequisite courses and graduate courses.

Academic Standards and Probation

Graduate students in the MAcc program who do not maintain an overall GPA of at least a 3.0 in all graduate courses are placed on probation. Students on probation may be prohibited from further enrollment if they fail to raise their overall GPA to at least a 3.0 by the end of their first probationary semester. Exceptions are made only at the discretion of the MAcc program director and the dean of graduate school and may then be for a single semester if warranted. Additional information on graduate academic standards requirements is included in the Graduate School  section of this catalog.

Continuous Matriculation

MAcc program students are required to maintain continuous enrollment during their participation in the program. Enrollment is defined as registered in one or more courses for credits in the MAcc program. Enrollment begins when a student registers for his or her first course for credit in the MAcc program. A leave of absence may be granted in special circumstances. Requests for such leaves may be submitted in advance to the director of the MAcc program. MAcc program students who discontinue enrollment for more than one year will generally be required to reapply for admission to the MAcc program and must meet the program requirements set forth in the catalog in effect for the year of readmission. Additional information graduate matriculation requirements is included in the Graduate School  section of this catalog.

Application Procedures

To apply to the MAcc program:

Submit the following to the Graduate School: 

1. A completed and signed application for admission form;
2. A nonrefundable application fee;
3. Two official transcripts from each college or university where work has been completed or is in progress;
4. The official report of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

International students should refer to the “Admission Information for International Students  ” section of the catalog for additional information.

In addition to the above, submit the following to the Office of Graduate Programs, College of Business:

1. A personal statement indicating the applicant’s educational and career objectives;
2. A current, detailed resume
3. Additional information on Graduate School admission requirements is included in both the Admissions  and Graduate School  sections of this catalog.