Department of Accounting

BBA-Accounting degree program

Objective

The BBA-Accounting degree prepares students for careers in industry or government, and provides a broader education than the BS-Accounting degree. When coupled with additional coursework, the degree will also prepare students for careers in public accounting.

Coursework

The BBA-Accounting degree requires a total of 122 semester hours of work. Included in this total are:

• 47 semester hours of general education coursework
• 36 semester hours of business core coursework
• 27 semester hours of accounting coursework
• 12 semester hours of advanced business electives
• 122 total semester hours

For details download the degree plan for the BBA-Accounting degree under programs.

The selection of two advanced business electives (3000 and 4000 level courses) is made in consultation with the undergraduate advisor.

For more information contact: Your Advisor
To apply for admission contact: Undergraduate Admissions Center

MPA degree program

Objective

The MPA degree is designed for individuals who hold an undergraduate degree in any discipline except accounting (e.g., biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, finance, history, mathematics, political science, etc.). Completion of the degree will prepare the student for a career in industry, government, or public accounting (with minor additional coursework). Student advising is provided by the Graduate Accounting Advisor.

Coursework

The MPA degree requires a minimum of 43 semester hours of coursework. Included in this total are:

• 24 semester hours of required accounting courses
• 6 semester hours of accounting electives
• 12 semester hours of business electives
• 1 semester hour of accounting professionalism
• 43 total semester hours

Up to three hours of accounting may be taken as business electives. Due to the new CPA exam eligibility requirements, it is strongly recommended that BCOM 5375 (Business Communications) and ACCT 5380 (Ethics in Accounting) be selected as two of the student's business electives. Ethics is not considered an accounting course, but rather a business elective.

For the most current degree program of work, please see the Graduate Advisor.

Background Requirements

The program also includes a requirement that students demonstrate current competency in certain background (undergraduate-level) 'General Education' and 'Business Education' areas prior to enrollment in advanced coursework. If college-level courses in these areas have not been completed with a grade of A or B, students must include these courses in their program of work.

Students who hold an undergraduate business degree will normally satisfy the background requirements without additional coursework. Students with an undergraduate degree in science or engineering will normally have six hours of additional coursework and will need to complete a total of 48 semester hours of coursework to earn the MPA degree. Students holding an undergraduate degree in areas other than business, science, or engineering will normally have 12 hours of additional coursework and will need to complete a total of 55 semester hours of coursework to earn the MPA degree. Please consult the Graduate Advisor to determine the amount of additional coursework needed. All additional coursework can be completed while obtaining the MPA degree.There is no need for additional coursework to be taken prior to entering the program.

MS-Accounting degree program

Objective

The MS-Accounting degree program (MSA) prepares students for professional careers in the public, private, or governmental sector. As part of this objective the program is designed to provide the educational background to become a Certified Public Accountant or to attain other professional certifications.

The MSA degree is designed for individuals who hold an undergraduate degree in accounting who wish to specialize in an area of accounting other than taxation. Students who want to specialize in taxation should consider the MS-Taxation degree.

Coursework

The MS-Accounting degree requires a minimum of 37 semester hours of coursework. Included in this total are:

• 18 semester hours of required accounting courses
• 6 semester hours of accounting electives
• 12 semester hours of business electives
• 1 semester hour of accounting professionalism
• 37 total semester hours

The required accounting coursework includes accounting courses that may have been completed by the student at the undergraduate level (entities tax, advanced accounting, governmental accounting). If the student has recently earned credit for one or more of these courses then the related graduate requirements are waived and there is a corresponding increase in graduate accounting electives. Students completing the department's BS-Accounting degree will have completed two of these three courses and will therefore have 12 hours of accounting electives.

All of the business electives may be concentrated in a single business discipline (economics, finance, information systems, management, marketing). Up to three hours of electives may be taken in the business electives category.

Due to the new CPA exam eligibility requirements, it is strongly recommended that BCOM 5375 (Business Communications) and ACCT 5380 (Ethics in Accounting) be selected as two of the student's business electives. Ethics is not considered an accounting course, but rather a business elective.

For the most current Program of Work, please see the Graduate Advisor.

Background Requirements

The program also includes a requirement that students demonstrate competency in certain background (undergraduate-level) 'General Education', 'Business Education', and 'Accounting Education' areas prior to enrollment in advanced coursework. If college-level courses in these areas have not been completed with a grade of A or B, students must include these courses in their program of work. Students who hold an undergraduate accounting degree will normally satisfy the background requirements without additional coursework.

Please consult with the Graduate Advisor to see if additional coursework is necessary. All additional coursework can be completed while obtaining the MPA degree. There is no need for additional coursework to be taken prior to entering the program.

For more information contact: chenderson@uta.edu

To apply for admission contact: Graduate Admissions Center

To reserve a seat at the next Graduate Forum visit: Graduate Forum website

MS-Taxation degree program

Objective

The MS-Taxation degree program (MST) prepares students for professional tax careers in the public, private, or governmental sector. As part of this objective the program is designed to provide the educational background to become a Certified Public Accountant.

The MST degree is designed for individuals who hold an undergraduate degree in accounting who wish to specialize in taxation. Students who want to specialize in an area other than taxation should consider the MS-Accounting degree.

Coursework

The MS-Taxation degree requires a minimum of 37 semester hours of coursework. Included in this total are:

• 15 semester hours of required accounting courses
• 6 semester hours of restricted accounting electives
• 6 semester hours of taxation electives
• 9 semester hours of business electives
• 1 semester hour of accounting professionalism
• 37 total semester hours

The required accounting coursework includes an advanced accounting course that may have been completed by the student at the undergraduate level. If the student already has credit for this course then the graduate requirement is waived and the student will have an additional accounting elective.

All of the business electives may be concentrated in a single business discipline (economics, finance, information systems, management, marketing). No accounting courses may be used in the business electives category.

Due to the new CPA exam eligibility requirements, it is strongly recommended that BCOM 5375 (Business Communications) and ACCT 5380 (Ethics in Accounting) be selected as two of the student's business electives. Ethics is not considered an accounting course, but rather a business elective.

For the most current Program of Work, please see the Graduate Advisor.

Background Requirements

The program also includes a requirement that students demonstrate current competency in certain background (undergraduate-level) 'General Education', 'Business Education', and 'Accounting Education' areas prior to enrollment in advanced coursework. If college-level courses in these areas have not been completed with a grade of A or B, students must include these courses in their program of work. Students who hold an undergraduate accounting degree will normally satisfy the background requirements without additional coursework.

Please consult with the Graduate Advisor to see if additional coursework is necessary. All additional coursework can be completed while obtaining the MPA degree. There is no need for additional coursework to be taken prior to entering the program.

For more information contact: chenderson@uta.edu

To apply for admission contact: Graduate Admissions Center

To reserve a seat at the next Graduate Forum visit: Graduate Forum website

Professional Program in Accounting

Objective

The Professional Program in Accounting (PPIA) prepares students for professional careers in the public, private, or governmental sector. As part of this objective the program is designed to provide the educational background to become a Certified Public Accountant or to attain other professional certifications.

Program Description

The PPIA is an integrated five-year program that allows students to concurrently earn a bachelor's degree (either BBA-Accounting or BS-Accounting) and a master's degree (either MS-Accounting or MS-Taxation). The advantage of this program is that it permits students to earn both accounting degrees with fewer semester hours (and at a lower cost) than would be necessary if both degrees were pursued separately.

BBA/BS-Accounting Option

For students who choose to pursue either the BBA or BS-Accounting degree the PPIA program consists of the normal degree requirements for the degrees (122 semester hours), plus the normal degree requirements for either the MSA or MST degree (37 semester hours), less 6 undergraduate semester hours that are waived.

Students select which master's degree to pursue, and the total program consists of 153 semester hours.

Tax Certificate program

Objective

The Tax Certificate program is designed to serve degreed professionals who wish to update or add to their knowledge of taxation. The program allows students to complete four graduate level taxation courses selected from the following list:

Coursework

The MS-Taxation degree requires a minimum of 37 semester hours of coursework. Included in this total are:

• ACCT. 5339 - Tax Planning and Research
• ACCT. 5341 - Tax Problems of Partnerships and Partners
• ACCT. 5342 - Tax Problems of Corporations and Shareholders
• ACCT. 5345 - State and Local Tax
• ACCT. 5346 - Tax Practice and Procedure
• ACCT. 5347 - Federal Taxation of Estates and Gifts
• ACCT 5372 - Taxation and Regulation of International Transactions

Each of the above courses has as a prerequisite ACCT 5314 or equivalent (Principles of Federal Income Tax). ACCT 5339 (Tax Planning and Research) is a required course for all other taxation courses and must be taken before any other tax course may be taken. ACCT 5314 (Individual Income Taxation or its Graduate/Undergraduate equivalent) is the prerequisite for ACCT 5339. Student who have not completed an individual income tax course may take ACCT 5314 in addition to the other four taxation courses.

All courses are offered in the evenings (typically two in the Fall, two in the Spring, and two in the Summer) and four courses can be completed in a year or less. Participants receive a certificate upon satisfactory completion of the program.

Program Operation

Once admitted to the program, participants may take up to four of the approved taxation courses (five if ACCT 5314 is necessary). The terms of admission restrict participants to the approved taxation courses; participants are not allowed to take courses outside the scope of the program. Admission criteria for the Tax Certificate program is as stated in the current Graduate Catalogue: http://catalog.uta.edu/business/accounting/graduate/#certificatetext

Participants in the Tax Certificate program who later seek a master's degree in accounting or taxation at UTA may apply up to 12 hours of the coursework toward the master's degree program (subject to the requirements of the specific degree pursued). Student advising is provided by the Graduate Accounting Advisor.

For more information contact: chenderson@uta.edu

To apply for admission contact: Graduate Admissions Center

To reserve a seat at the next Graduate Forum visit: Graduate Forum website