威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校

The Master of Accountancy in Business: Accounting (M.Acc.) degree is a two-year (54-credit) program designed for students with a bachelor degree in any major. Students build core accounting competencies in the first academic year and are then encouraged to pursue a paid internship during the summer between the first and second academic years. Students enhance their studies in the second academic year with advanced courses in accounting and other business disciplines. The degree helps students develop strong technical and professional accounting skills that qualify them to sit for the CPA exam. Careers as professional accountants in public accounting, financial institutions, government, industry, or nonprofit organizations are possible upon graduation.

The state of Wisconsin and most other states have passed legislation mandating that candidates who would like to earn their CPA license must have completed a 150-credit-hour program including at least the equivalent of an undergraduate major in accounting. Advanced degree options for completing these requirements exist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. They are:

The IMAcc program in accounting, which leads to a BBA (bachelor of business administration) degree with an accounting major and a master of accountancy degree. The BBA is 120 credits and the M.Acc. is 30 credits in this program. Students who are majoring in accounting apply for admission to this program during the junior year. Those who are admitted to the traditional IMAcc program must complete a required internship during the spring semester of the senior year (the program does offer some flexibility with the timing of the internship, as needed.) Students are encouraged to take the GMAT exam during the summer after their junior year.

Learning outcomes

• Understand the conceptual and technical knowledge foundations of financial accounting, managerial accounting, taxation, business law, and auditing.
• Apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (and relevant assumptions, principles, and constraints) to prepare financial statements.
• Understand that management accounting and control systems, providing financial and nonfinancial performance information, are integral to the successful design and implementation of an organizational strategy.
• Interpret and validate business events and transactions through the lens of business processes and systems.
• Demonstrate technical competence in income taxation of individuals, partnerships, corporations, and international organizations.
• Identify the legal implications of their choices and how the law impacts their interactions with others in a business setting.
• Understand how earning trust and demonstrating integrity as successful accounting professionals impacts businesses, contracts, and capital markets, as well as society at large.
• Understand that leadership in the field of accounting is the consistent display and communication of respect, trust, expertise and adaptability within various business relationships and contexts.
• Explain how to complete an audit from beginning to end, applying auditing standards, assessing risk, and gathering evidence.
• Engage in effective written communication practices by crafting professional memos and reports that integrate research and analysis skills, technical information, and expert writing proficiency.
• Understand how accounting is a global practice requiring knowledge of national and international standards, the examination of sociocultural impacts within business contexts, and the ability to leverage the advantages that diversity brings to an organization.