Given the changing environment in both the public and private sectors of the economy, many accountants will need an educational background that goes beyond what is taught in an undergraduate degree program. Accountants must be proficient in applying professional concepts and principles to a wide variety of existing and emerging situations as an effective member of a team and also have the ability to adapt to new standards and methods of doing business. Competing in such an environment requires a solid technical foundation, adeptness in analyzing complex business situations, and the ability to effectively communicate recommended solutions and conclusions. Thus, the objectives of the MAcc program include the integration of financial and non-financial data in problem-solving and decision-making, the application of relevant research techniques and information technologies, the integration of varying viewpoints and techniques of conflict resolution, and the importance of adhering to a strong ethical code.
The MAcc program is a 30 credit-hour program, which can be completed in approximately 12 months of full-time study. The program requires that the student has an undergraduate degree and meets very specific accounting and business course prerequisites. Work experience is not a requirement for admission. Careful selection of degree candidates limits the size of classes, leads to high-quality efforts in the program, and permits frequent and direct contact between students and faculty. The full-time program consists of two 12 credit-hour semesters and a six credit-hour summer session.
No thesis is required in the program, but communication skills are emphasized in all courses. Extensive use is made of information technology in accounting applications.
Accreditation
The undergraduate and graduate accounting programs in the WVU John Chambers of Business and Economics have separate accounting accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB). Students pursuing a MAcc degree can also pursue a graduate certificate in forensic accounting and fraud examination.
Academic Standards
In addition to the University's academic and professional standards, students enrolled in a John Chambers College of Business and Economics master's degree program must also abide by the following standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to earn a degree from their graduate program, without exception.
- A student who cannot mathematically meet the 3.0 GPA requirement to successfully complete the degree, within a reasonable period of time (as defined by the Program Coordinator or designee), will be dismissed from their academic program. Visit the Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal section of the University's Graduate Catalog for more information about this topic.
- Students must follow the professional standards established by the college, their degree program and/or department. A student who violates the established professional standards may be placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed from their program.
- A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.75 will automatically be placed on academic probation.
- A student will be suspended from their program, for up to one year, if their GPA is not raised to 2.75 by the end of their subsequent semester of enrollment. The program will reevaluate the student after the term of suspension to determine whether they may return to the program or be dismissed.
- A student will be suspended from their program if they earn a letter grade below C- in more than one required course.
- A student who earns a letter grade of D or F in any required course must repeat the course and earn a minimum letter grade of C-.
- Any grade earned in a repeated course at the graduate level is included in the calculation of a student's overall and major GPA, along with the original grade earned in the course. Additionally, the original grade earned in the course will remain on the student's academic transcript/permanent record. Visit the Grades section of the University Graduate Catalog for more information about this topic.
Any exceptions to the above standards must be approved in writing by the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and the Program Coordinator.
Requirements to Sit for C.P.A. Examination
C.P.A. exam preparation is incorporated directly into the MAcc program. MAcc students are required to enroll and demonstrate their progress completing an approved third-party C.P.A. review program. In addition to required coursework and participating in the C.P.A. review program, MAcc students are required to sit for at least two distinct sections of the C.P.A. exam to graduate with a MAcc degree. Students are responsible for the cost of the C.P.A. exam review program and any fees associated with sitting for the C.P.A. exam, which are not included in the cost of tuition.
The specific requirements to sit for the Uniform C.P.A. Examination vary with each state board of accountancy. Some states (or other jurisdictions such as the District of Columbia or Guam) require candidates to have a bachelor's degree with a specified distribution of accounting and business courses as the minimum educational requirement to take the examination, whereas others require a bachelor's degree and the completion of 150 semester hours of academic credit (including a specified distribution of courses) as the minimum. These standards are subject to change; thus, students should review the requirements (including the distribution of courses) of the board in the jurisdiction in which they plan to sit for the examination. Incidentally, these are the requirements to sit for the examination, not to become a licensed C.P.A. Most boards of accountancy require 150 semester hours of academic credit for licensure.
For the specific requirements to sit for the C.P.A. examination in West Virginia, visit the West Virginia Board of Accountancy website or call (304) 558-3557. For requirements in other jurisdictions, visit the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy's website at http://www.nasba.org.
Content specification of the C.P.A. examination and related information may be found at https://nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/.
