ACCOUNTING

 

Department of Accounting

259 Friday Building

704-687-2445

http://www.uncc.edu/macc

 

Degree

Master of Accountancy (MACC)

 

Coordinator

Dr. Jack Cathey

 

Graduate Faculty

Sak Bhamornsiri, Associate Professor

Alan Blankley, Associate Professor

Cindy Blanthorne, Assistant Professor

Hughlene Burton, Assistant Professor

Jack Cathey, Associate Professor

Nabil Elias, Associate Professor

Howard Godfrey, Professor

John Griffing, Adjunct Faculty

Bob Guinn, Associate Professor

David Kerr, Associate Professor

Michele Matherly, Assistant Professor

Richard Schroeder, Professor

Suzanne Sevin, Assistant Professor

Casper Wiggins, Big Five Distinguished Professor

 

MASTER OF ACCOUNTANCY

 

The Master of Accountancy program is a multiple track program designed to prepare accountants for the rapidly changing expectations of the profession. The program has three tracks: Professional Accounting, Financial Accounting/Auditing and Tax.  The program also includes the option for development of an individualized program of study. Completion of the Professional Accounting track or the Financial Accounting/Auditing track will enable students to pursue licensure in states requiring 150 semester hours.

 

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, an acceptable score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Management Admission Test is required for graduate study in Accounting.

 

Degree Requirements

The program leading to the Master of Accountancy degree consists of 30 semester hours (10 graduate classes) of course work. The 30 hours are divided into two components: accounting classes and elective classes. See the track descriptions below for more information on required and elective classes. 

 

A maximum of six hours of transfer credit can be accepted from another accredited business school upon approval by the program coordinator and the Dean of the Graduate School. A 3.0 GPA is required in all courses taken for graduate credit and a maximum of three C's is permitted for continuation in the program. The residence requirement is satisfied by completion of at least three-fourths of the required courses while in residence. Neither a comprehensive examination nor a thesis is required.

 

Admission to Candidacy Requirements

An Admission to Candidacy form listing graduate-level course that apply to the degree must be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator one month prior to the semester in which the student plans to complete the course work for the degree.

 

Assistantships

Assistantships are available on a competitive basis.

 

Accounting Program Tracks

 

Professional Accounting Track

The Professional Accounting Track is designed for students who have an interest in preparing for careers in public accounting, consulting, and corporate accounting. The track is designed for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting.  It is also designed for students who have an undergraduate degree in accounting from outside of the United States. The program is offered in both full-time and part-time formats with classes offered both during the daytime and in the evenings.

 

Prerequisite classes: Intermediate Financial Accounting I and II (ACCT 3311 and 3312) or equivalent.

 

The required classes for this track are:

ACCT5220     Income Tax

ACCT5230     Advanced Income Tax

ACCT6210     Advanced Accounting Information Systems

ACCT6260     Advanced Financial Accounting I

ACCT6270     Advanced Financial Accounting II

ACCT6220     Financial Statement Auditing

ACCT6230     Advanced Managerial Accounting

 

In addition to the required classes a student is expected to complete three elective classes.

 

Financial Accounting/Auditing Track

The Financial Accounting/Auditing track is designed for students wishing to pursue careers in public accounting, consulting, and corporate accounting. The track is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree or equivalent in accounting from a U.S. university. The program is offered in both full-time and part-time formats with classes offered both during the daytime and in the evenings.

 

The required classes for this track are:

ACCT6260     Advanced Financial Accounting I

ACCT6270     Advanced Financial Accounting II

ACCT6210     Advanced Accounting Information Systems

ACCT6220     Financial Statement Auditing

ACCT6230     Advanced Managerial Accounting

ACCT5230     Advanced Income Tax

 

In addition to the required classes a student is expected to complete four elective classes.

 

Tax Track

The Tax track is designed for students who wish to specialize in taxation. Student can enroll in the Tax track with or without an undergraduate degree in Accounting.  The program is offered in both full-time and part-time formats with tax classes offered in only the evenings.

 

Prerequisite classes: An Introduction to Financial Accounting (ACCT 2121 or equivalent) and Federal Taxation (ACCT 4220/5220 or equivalent).

 

The required classes for this track are:

ACCT5230     Advanced Income Tax

ACCT6110     Tax Research and Planning

ACCT6120     Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders

ACCT6130     Taxation of Pass-Through Entities

 

In addition to the required classes a student is expected to complete six elective classes including at least two electives in taxation or accounting. Electives are available for students who wish to specialize in tax and also prepare for the CPA exam.

 

Individualized Track

The Individualized Track is designed for students with unique career and professional goals that are not met by the other tracks. Consultation with the Graduate Coordinator is required for this track.

 

Advising

Prior to, or concurrent with, the start of the first semester of study each student will be expected to complete a program of study listing each class the student expects to take as a part of the program.

 

Application for Degree

An Application for Degree form must be completed and submitted with the graduation fee to the Registrar’s Office by the published deadline.

 

Program Certifications/Accreditation

The Belk College of Business and the Department of Accounting are accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

 

Courses In Accounting

ACCT 5220. Income Tax. (3) An introduction to the Federal income tax system with emphasis on concepts and procedures applicable to all types of entities. (Fall)

 

ACCT 5230. Advanced Income Tax. (3) An examination of advanced tax topics regarding corporations, partnerships, and individuals. In addition, estate and gift, fiduciary accounting, tax-exempt entities and retirement plans will be examined at an introductory level. (Fall, Spring)

 

ACCT 6110. Tax Research and Planning. (3) Tax research techniques applicable to federal tax law affecting individuals, corporations and partnerships, including use of traditional and computerized tax services to solve tax problems. Emphasis on tax planning principles and related tax practice matters, including handling tax compliance issues and dealing with the Internal Revenue Service. (Fall)

 

ACCT 6120. Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders. (3) This course examines the federal and state tax law applicable to corporations and their shareholders. The course covers tax compliance matters, strategies for minimizing tax liabilities and strategies for handling tax controversies. (Spring)

 

ACCT 6130. Taxation of Pass-Through Entities. (3) Tax law applicable to partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and S corporations, including tax compliance matters strategies for minimizing tax liabilities and strategies for handling tax controversies. (Fall)

 

ACCT 6140. Taxation of Estates, Gifts, and Trusts. (3) Wealth transfer taxes and taxation of estates and trusts, including integration of these taxes and tax planning opportunities for minimizing tax liabilities. (Summer)

 

ACCT 6150. Tax Strategy and Policy. (3)  Tax strategies in all phases of business operations, including creation of the business, choice of the type of business entity, financing, operations, distributions to owners, expansion, reorganization and liquidation with emphasis on minimizing taxes and avoid tax traps. Analysis of business planning cases and completion of a comprehensive project with the results presented in both an oral and written report. (On demand)

 

ACCT 6160. Advanced Individual Taxation. (3)  This course focuses on topics related to the taxation of individuals to enable the student to better advise taxpayers on theses matters, identify problem areas and assist in tax planning matters to minimize the amount of tax due. Topics include: passive loss limitation rules, interest categorization and limitations, individual alternative minimum tax, individual net operating loss rules and rules concerning divorced taxpayers. (On demand)

 

ACCT 6199. Topics in Taxation. (1-4)  This course covers topics in the area of taxation that go beyond the coverage in other existing courses by either addressing new tax issues or by delving more deeply into a tax topic.  (On demand)

 

ACCT 6210. Advanced Accounting Information Systems. (3) Documentation and evaluation of current accounting information systems, evaluation of potential new systems, to extract data from existing systems from analysis, and examination of emerging technologies which have potential uses in accounting information systems. (Fall)

 

ACCT 6220. Financial Statement Auditing. (3) Analysis of the accounting control systems and the independent auditor's examination of the system and other evidence as a basis for expressing an opinion on financial statements. (Spring)

 

ACCT 6230. Advanced Managerial Accounting. (3) Management's use of and need for accounting information, which is necessary for effective managerial decision-making. Emphasis is on understanding managerial accounting information, specifically its purpose, its effect on managerial behavior, and its use in formulating and implementing strategy. Topics include relevant information for activity and process decisions, and issues involved with management control system's design and operation. (Fall)

 

ACCT 6260. Advanced Financial Accounting I. (3) Advanced concepts and practices in financial reporting with special emphasis on the use of accounting information in capital markets and accounting theory and research. In addition, the course will examine current topics and emerging issues in financial reporting. (Fall)

 

ACCT 6270. Advanced Financial Accounting II. (3) Advanced concepts and practices in financial reporting with special emphasis on business combinations, consolidated financial statements and financial reporting issues and practices for governmental and other not-for-profit entities. In addition, the course will examine current topics and emerging issues in financial reporting. (Spring)

 

ACCT 6290. Accounting Practice. (3) Pre/Co-requisites: ACCT 5230 and ACCT 6260. This course examines business transactions from an integrated perspective.  The financial, managerial, systems, assurance, and tax dimensions of common business transactions including, for example, inventory, fixed asset leasing and purchase, executive compensation, debt and equity issuance are considered.  In addition new and emerging issues facing the accounting profession are examined. (Spring)

 

ACCT 6299. Topics in Financial Accounting and Auditing. (1-4)  This course covers topics in the area of financial accounting and auditing that go beyond the coverage in other existing courses by either addressing new issues or by delving more deeply into a topic.  (On demand)