Integrated Accounting Master's Program
The Walton B.S.B.A./M.Acc./M.P.Acc. Integrated Program is a five-year program of undergraduate and graduate coursework that allows outstanding students to earn the B.S.B.A. and the Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.) OR Master of Professional Accounting (M.P.Acc.) degrees at the same time.
Program Overview
The B.S.B.A./M.Acc./M.P.Acc. Integrated Program, a five-year program at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, will provide you with a broad-based accounting education where critical thinking, creative problem solving and professional determination are encouraged.
The professional curriculum, which begins in the student's senior year, includes specially designed accounting courses taught in relatively small classes by full-time faculty members.
Students accepted into the integrated degree program may concurrently enroll in undergraduate and graduate level courses.
Completion of the integrated program meets the academic requirements needed to sit for the Certified Public Accountant exam in the state of Arkansas.
The Value
- Employer-driven demand to be CPA-ready
- Higher average starting salary and better job placement opportunities
- Outstanding internship opportunities + mini-semester course options during spring semester of senior year
- Receive excellent CPA preparation + Becker review
- Be ahead of the game, apply one year in advance and get into the program
- Out-of-state students from neighboring states can receive non-resident tuition waiver extension to a fifth year if qualifications are met
- Our program is AACSB Accredited
Admissions
- Only open to University of Arkansas Accounting majors
- Students must have completed or be enrolled in ACCT 37203 (Intermediate Accounting I) and ACCT 38403 (Fundamentals of Taxation I) to be eligible to apply
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Application deadline is February 15th of Junior year
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Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, both overall and in Accounting courses to be considered for admission
- Students with an overall GPA of 3.2 or greater qualify for a GMAT waiver
- More information is available in the Graduate Catalog
The Curriculum
The curriculum is a 24-month program that provides a solid grounding in accounting and business theory. Students complete their undergraduate requirements in tandem with 30 hours of graduate courses to complete both their undergraduate and graduate degrees at the end of the two years.
Federal Title IV Licensure Requirement
In the State of Arkansas, the 120-credit hour undergraduate degree alone does not meet the 150-credit hour education requirement for CPA licensing. However, if you have successfully completed 30 hours of upper-level accounting coursework above the Principles and Principles II level, have successfully completed Governmental/Nonprofit Accounting, and have successfully completed 120 hours of coursework, the Arkansas State Board of Accountancy will allow you to apply for eligibility to begin writing the Uniform CPA Examination with approval from the William Dillard Department of Accounting. You will not be eligible for licensing until after you have successfully completed 150 hours of coursework. All accounting coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Passing the Uniform CPA Examination is the first step in becoming licensed. The William Dillard Department of Accounting’s master’s degree programs will allow you to have completed all requirements both to write the exam and to be licensed in Arkansas. Be aware that all states require at least 150 hours for licensure, with each state having unique examination eligibility requirements. Those requirements can change over time. The various State Boards ultimately make the decision as to whether a student qualifies for Uniform CPA Examination eligibility. Occasionally, State Boards may also enforce unpublished requirements or change requirements during an academic year. Students should work closely with the Department CPA Examination Advisor to select the appropriate coursework for CPA Exam qualification purposes for the state where licensure is desired. It is not necessary for you to physically take the CPA Exam in the state where you are seeking licensure. The exam is administered at Prometric testing sites across the country.
The State Boards of Accountancy provide possible avenues for license reciprocity between states once licensure is achieved. However, both the professional requirements for licensure and the reciprocity agreements vary by state and occur well after coursework is complete. Therefore, we cannot make a specific determination of when requirements will be met for either of these.
Dr. Barry Bryan is our CPA Advisor and will work with you on questions about the exam or the licensing process. If you are interested in a state other than Arkansas, be sure to contact him as soon as possible to discuss that state’s requirements.
Our Graduates Work At:
(partial list)
- ArcBest
- BKD, LLP
- Conoco
- Deloitte
- Dillard's
- Ernst &Young
- Erwin & Co.
- FedEx Freight
- Frost PLLC
- Grant Thornton
- Hogan Taylor
- Hudson Cisne, & Co. LLP
- IRS
- JB Hunt Transport Services
- JPMS Cox PLLC
- Koch Industries
- KPMG
- Phillips66
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- RSM
- Southwest Energy
- Stephens
- Tyson
- Walmart
- Windstream Communications