Accountancy, M.S.A.C.

Specific Objectives

Program Outcomes

• To provide effective career development and placement opportunities for all students. Students will be supported in their placement activities through access to accounting professionals in firms and industry.
• To foster effective relationships with the professional business community. Our students and faculty will interface with the professional community through program activities in educational and professional settings.
• To promote MSA faculty excellence in teaching and research. Our faculty will be supported in their research activities through accessibility of research databases and other resources, access to programs for summer research stipends, funding of travel to research conferences, and appropriate course and preparatory loads to facilitate research. Our faculty will be supported in their teaching activities through access to instructional resources, funding for travel to teaching conferences, and access to peer-based evaluation of teaching.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Our graduates will have the technical accounting skills necessary for critical thinking, and professional research.
• Our graduates will demonstrate an understanding of global business practices and issues.
• Our graduates will have communication skills, leadership skills, team-building skills, and interpersonal skills.
• Our graduates will recognize the importance of social responsibility and ethical decision-making.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should have a strong overall undergraduate academic record. However, admission decisions are based on several factors and other indicators of success may be considered for admission.

1. An application for graduate admission.
2. Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate).
3. The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is not required for applicants but is recommended for applicants with an overall cumulative bachelor’s GPA of less than 3.0.
4. Three recommendations by individuals who can comment on the applicant’s potential for successful completion of a master’s program.
5. Applicant’s resume.
6. Application and supplemental documents must be submitted by the published deadline.

Admission into the graduate program is conditional upon successful completion of a basic core of accounting coursework. This coursework may be completed at any regionally accredited four-year college or university or may be completed in residence at UNCW. The basic core of accounting coursework includes External Financial Reporting (six credit hours), Accounting Information Systems (three credit hours), Survey of Tax (three credit hours), Advanced Managerial Accounting (three credit hours) and Auditing (three credit hours). All prerequisites may be completed in residence at UNCW in the summer before beginning the graduate program. Grades of “C” or “C+” earned while completing the prerequisites in residence during the summer semester will count towards the student’s maximum number of two “C” grades allowed in the MSA program. Students with a grade below “C” will not be permitted to continue into the MSA program. Students enrolled in the MSA program must have access to a windows-based laptop (not a chromebook or mac).

Degree Requirements (30 total credit hours)

1. A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework approved by the MSA director is required for the Master of Science in Accountancy. This must include a required core of 21 credit hours of MSA graduate accounting and business courses.
2. Each student must complete seven credit hours of MSA graduate coursework in a specialization of either tax services or assurance, analytics and systems advisory approved by the MSA director.
3. Each student must complete two credit hours of MSA graduate electives approved by the MSA director.
4. In rare circumstances, up to four credit hours of graduate study completed at an AACSB accredited business school prior to acceptance into the MSA Program at UNCW may be accepted as transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved by the MSA Director, in consultation with the MSA Committee and the Graduate School. Transfer credit will not be accepted for courses taken after acceptance into the MSA Program and will not be accepted for courses previously attempted in the MSA Program.
5. Each student must successfully complete a written and oral comprehensive case analysis in the final semester of enrollment in coursework.
6. Each student must complete the approved course of study within five years of the date of first registration for graduate study.