Master of Professional Accounting
The Master of Professional Accounting program (MPA) provides rigorous preparation at the graduate level for students to achieve success in their chosen professional accounting career path. The MPA program offers three concentrations for targeted future professional career paths in accounting, including Assurance and Analytics, Taxation, and Corporate Accounting.
A Master’s Degree Designed for Accounting Leaders
Program Overview
All students will take core classes related to accounting professionalism, analytic skillsets and advanced financial accounting. Students will take additional classes based on their chosen concentration.
- Assurance & Analytics provides students with a foundation for applying technology and analytical methodologies to data-centric accounting environments. Students will be able to navigate data environments, employ analytical tools, and apply them to business decisions and risk analysis.
- Taxation provides students a broad foundation for understanding the taxation of entities and the relationship of taxes to the overall business decision process. Students will be able to analyze tax problems, interpret the relevant tax code, and identify tax strategies for complex tax situations and business scenarios.
- Corporate Accounting provides students a broad foundation for understanding the production and use of accounting information in corporate business environments. Students in this concentration will acquire skills to navigate public reporting environments, internal business operations, and financial decision making.
All concentrations, which will appear on the student’s transcript, provide opportunity for professional internship credit, can lead to qualification for the Certified Public Accounting exam.
Master of Professional Accounting
Program Length: 1 year
Program Start Date: Fall
Application Deadline:
March 1
Curriculum Overview
View a Course Listing
Admissions Information
View Info and Requirements
Required Test: GMAT
Program Cost
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Career Outlook
Jobs and Salaries
$70,000
National median pay for accountants with a master’s degree.
1,424,000
Number of people employed as accountants and auditors in the United States
+90,700
Projected numeric change in the number of employed accountants and auditors from 2018 to 2028 (+6% change. The average growth rate for all occupations is +5%.)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor
Courses and Program Schedule
Students whose previous studies have fulfilled requirements of the common body of knowledge in business and accounting will be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of graduate work. The required common body of knowledge in accounting includes:
- introductory taxation
- intermediate financial accounting
- audit
- accounting information systems
- cost accounting
The degree program does not require a thesis or comprehensive exam. Successful completion of the Masters of Professional Accounting program from the University of Arkansas can qualify a student to take relevant professional examinations.
To obtain the Master of Professional Accounting degree, students must complete the following 30 hours of coursework.
| Accounting Core Courses 9 credit hours |
| Areas of Concentration: 18 credit hours |
Professional Accounting Internship: To ensure that students acquire the skills necessary for career success, the program strongly encourages all students to obtain additional training directly related to the MPA program prior to graduation. Students are strongly encouraged, but not required, to complete an accounting internship for academic credit, ACCT 535V . The program considers this training an integral part of the curriculum that allows for the practical application of the theoretical principles taught in accounting courses. If students do not participate in an internship experience, they can utilize three credit hours of general graduate business electives. Electives are chosen by the student in consultation with and approval of the Program Director in the Department of Accounting (ACCT). With the approval of the Program Director, senior-level (4000+) courses may be taken for graduate credit.
Areas of Concentration: Electives in the concentrations are chosen by the student in consultation with and approval of the MPA Program Director in the Department of Accounting (ACCT). With the approval of the MPA Program Director, senior-level (4000+) courses may be taken for graduate credit.
Admissions Requirements and Prerequisites
The program is open to students who have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and who can present evidence of their ability to do graduate work. In addition, they are expected to have already mastered basic accounting concepts or, demonstrated, with an official GMAT test score, the ability to master accounting concepts taught in the program.
Other admissions criteria can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Students entering the program are expected to have completed undergraduate business and accounting coursework. Prior courses must either have been successfully completed within the five years prior to entry to the program, or the student must provide other evidence of current knowledge in these areas. Otherwise, applicants may be required to repeat or complete selected courses, in addition to their degree coursework.
Students from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
After admission, the student must maintain a 3.00 grade-point average on all graduate coursework and all accounting coursework. Additionally, the student must receive a letter grade of at least a “B” in 75 percent of the courses attempted.
Federal Title IV Licensure Requirement
The 120-credit-hour undergraduate degree alone, does not meet the 150-credit-hour education requirements for CPA examination eligibility. Passing the CPA examination is the first step in licensure. Completion of the MPA program, when combined with an accounting undergraduate degree of at least 120 hours, meets the 150-credit-hour education requirements for eligibility to sit for the CPA examination through the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy and the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy according to their published guidelines as of July 1, 2020. We have not made similar determinations in other states. Although all states require at least 150 hours for licensure, each State has unique examination eligibility requirements and those requirements can change over time. The State Boards ultimately make the decision as to whether a student qualifies for 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.
The State Boards of Accountancy also 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.
Peters Elected President of Federation of Schools of Accountancy
Gary Peters, professor and department chair of the William Dillard Department of Accounting at Walton College, has been elected president of the Federation of Schools of Accountancy effective August 1.
Recent M.Acc. Graduate Earns Award for Top Scores on CPA Exam
William Martens, a 2019 U of A Master of Accounting graduate, has recently been awarded the Elijah Watt Sells Award for top scores on the CPA exam.
Student Spotlight: Meet Ryan Decker
My favorite part of Walton is how connected the college is with companies in NWA. Companies are genuinely interested in getting to know Walton students, and I have developed lasting relationships with professionals through networking and career events.
