Master of Accountancy with Data Analytics

Upper Level Accounting Courses

In order to be considered for admission into the MAcc program, a candidate must have completed the following courses with a grade of 'C' or better:

• ACCT 3013 - Intermediate Accounting II
• ACCT 4013 - Individual Income Tax (Tax I)
• ACCT 4053 - Auditing

Graduate School Admission

All applicants must first apply online to the Graduate School for their desired program. Visit the Graduate School website for more information.

View the Graduate School admission criteria >>

Non-degree Candidates

Non-degree candidates cannot enroll in College of Business graduate courses unless they meet all the admission requirements of the degree candidate. Students who are admitted to masters degree programs outside the College of Business will not be permitted to take more than nine semester hours of College of Business graduate courses unless they meet all of the admission requirements of the degree candidate.

Admission into the MAcc Program

Transcripts

An official transcript is required from every college and university you have attended since graduating from high school. All prior course work including summer sessions, night school and any graduate study should be included. All international transcripts must be translated into English. The translations should be notarized or officially validated.

Required Tests

All applicants whose native language is not English, must meet the University’s English proficiency requirements. Please check the ‘English Proficiency Requirements’ section in the chart at the bottom of the following link for more information: https://www.astate.edu/a/global-initiatives/international/admissions/graduate/

Unconditional Admission

An applicant for the Master of Accountancy in Accounting with Data Analytics Degree program will receive unconditional admission by meeting all of the following criteria:

1. Submitted a completed application for admission to the Office of the Registrar and the designated nonrefundable application fee, at least 30 days in advance of registration.
2. Submitted official transcripts from each previously attended college or university to Graduate Admissions. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the Registrar of other institutions to A-State’s Office of the Registrar.
3. Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, or its equivalent as determined by A-State’s Office of the Registrar.
4. Achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale; OR achieved a 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.
5. Must have a C or better in the following upper-level accounting courses:

• Intermediate Financial Accounting II
• U.S. Tax Accounting
• Auditing

Conditional Admission

Conditional Admission to the Master of Accountancy in Accounting with Data Analytics Degree is reserved for Accelerated MAcc students. All students admitted to the Accelerated MAcc will be admitted conditionally. Conditional admission to the Accelerated MAcc requires that the applicant have a 2.75 overall GPA and have completed ACCT 3003, Intermediate Accounting I with a grade of B or better.

Applicants who meet the standards for unconditional admission when they receive their BS will be moved to unconditional admission status. Students who do not meet the standards for unconditional admission when they receive their BS will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Affidavit of Financial Resources of International Applicants/Visa Status

Check the Office of International Programs website for more information.

The completion of the affidavit to the satisfaction of Arkansas State University is one of the requirements that must be met before a Form I-20 can be issued. Return the completed form with the statement and signature from an official of your financial institution to Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 1570, State University, AR 72467 USA.

International applicants need to indicate on the affidavit the amount of funds in United States currency that will be available to them during each year that they plan to be in the United States. Funds must be verified by a certified statement from an official of the financial institution and/or government agency.

To expedite processing, applicants are encouraged to submit this information with their applications.

To apply to the MAcc program, simply complete the application to the graduate school.  You will be prompted for the program in which you wish to apply for on the application. Once you are admitted to the graduate school, your application will be forwarded to the specific program for review.

Go to the graduate school application >>

Applied Professional Research

This capstone course will culminate in a written issues paper and a presentation of the results of the research. Students must be in their last semester of coursework. A grade of B or better will be required for graduation.

Sitting for the CPA

Some CPA Boards may require other classes as prerequisites to sit for the CPA exam. These requirements do not affect the granting of the A-State MAcc degree, but may impact students’ ability to sit for the CPA exam which is often another component of students’ career goals. Students should consult the CPA Board where they will take the CPA exam for additional guidance on CPA exam requirements that may impact their recommended course work. Accounting advisors can help you interpret the Board rules for your respective state but cannot offer any definitive rulings on Board requirements. The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy provides some guidance at this site: https://nasba.org/blog/2019/07/29/undecided-jurisdiction-evaluation-for-cpa-examination-licensure/

Minimum Qualifications

Most states now require new CPAs to have 150 hours of basic education. The A-State Bachelor of Science in Accounting is 120 hours. While a uniform CPA Exam is given, minimum qualifications to sit for the CPA Exam can vary from state to state.

Review the rules for specific states >>

Those interested in the CPA exam will need to be familiar with the specific residency and coursework requirements of the state where they plan to take the CPA exam and discuss these rules with their advisor in planning specific electives in their program of study.

The Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy’s website includes information about the CPA exam, including Accountancy Rule 3 dealing with education requirements.

First time candidates for the CPA Exam in Arkansas must have a Bachelor's degree. The college coursework must include the equivalent of 30 semester hours of accounting at the graduate or undergraduate level and 30 hours of business coursework. A minimum grade of “C” is required in each accounting and business course. A minimum of 150 hours of college credit hours is required for licensure.

Preparing at A-State for the CPA Exam

A-State students have four tracks they can use to prepare themselves for the CPA exam:

1. A B.S. in Accounting (120 hours) plus the Master's of Accountancy (MAcc) (30 hrs).
2. A B.S. in Accounting (120 hours) plus another College of Business's graduate degree such as the Master's in Business Administration (33 hrs).
3. A Bachelor's from the College of Business with a major other than Accounting (such as finance or information systems) plus 30 hours of undergraduate or 20 hours of graduate coursework in accounting. A minimum of 150 semester hours are required.
4. A Bachelor's degree other than in a business area plus 30 hours of course work similar to the College of Business core and 30 hours of undergraduate or 20 hours of graduate coursework in accounting.

The first and second tracks above (B.S. in Accounting plus MAcc or other graduate business degree) are recommended to prepare for the CPA Exam in Arkansas, but the last two approaches provide flexibility for mature students coming back for a second degree.

Certification demonstrates proficiency in today's most sought-after skills. Employers prefer to hire and retain those who achieve and maintain their designation. Numerous certifications are available in accounting. Some certifications cross over into other business disciplines. Several are listed below along with websites where more information can be obtained.

The Accelerated Master of Accountancy degree option allows outstanding Arkansas State University undergraduate accounting majors to begin taking Master of Accountancy courses during their junior or senior year.  Eligible students are allowed to apply up to 12 hours of graduate credits toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.  Only courses with a B or better will be eligible to count for graduate credit.  After completing the B.S. degree, this dual counting enables a student to earn Master of Accountancy degree with only six additional courses (18 credits).

While the dual credit courses count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements, they do not count twice toward the 150 credit hour requirement for licensure.  Therefore, students need a total of 150 unique credit hours between the two programs to obtain the CPA license in Arkansas.

Curriculum and degree requirements can be found in the most current Graduate Bulletin.  Interested students should contact the MAcc program director for more information.