Professional Accountancy, MA

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Master of Professional Accountancy

The Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) will prepare students for leadership roles in accounting by producing graduates ready to take the highest certification in the field, the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. This student-focused education is a gateway to success for analytical decision makers. The Marilyn Davies College of Business is nationally accredited by AACSB, the most prestigious business accrediting organization in the world.

All MPA courses are offered conveniently in evenings or weekends for working professionals. After completing the prerequisites, students can graduate from the program in 12 months by taking 10 courses in one year, or at their own pace on their own timeframe.

Admission Requirements for the MPA

Admission requirements for the UHD MPA are designed to identify applicants who have the ability, interest, and qualities necessary to complete the program, with the potential to succeed in the field of accounting. Prospective students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting are welcome to apply and may need to complete prerequisite courses which will cover accounting fundamentals as part of their program. Undergraduate degrees must be from regionally accredited universities or qualified foreign institutions.

Application Process

Apply at ApplyTexas.org
Official transcript(s) from all post-secondary institutions attended should be submitted either electronically or by sealed mail from your prior institution to: University of Houston-Downtown, Office of Graduate & International Admissions, One Main Street, Suite GSB 308 Houston, TX 77002. All documents must be received from the degree/credit granting institution. Evaluations from foreign institutions must include the course by course evaluation with GPA indication.
GMAT optional. Submit official GMAT score report within last five years or GMAT is waived for fast-track admissions.
Fast-track admissions that waive GMAT requirement (either A or B below):
1. Undergraduate Degree Holders: Have an overall GPA of at least 2.50 in upper-division courses with a minimum of 12 credit hours of upper-division Accounting courses at an institution with AACSB Business accreditation, and an overall GPA of at least 2.75 in the Accounting courses.
2. Advance Degree Holders:  Have an earned graduate degree in business from an AACSB-accredited university or a Ph.D., M.D., Ed.D., D.D.S. or J.D. from a regionally-accredited U.S. institution (or U.S. licensure).
Submit official TOEFL score report if you graduated from a University where English is not the native language. Minimum score needed is 81 for IBT (TOEFL) and 6.5 for the IELTS exam. Submit to the Graduate & International Admissions Office as described above.
Complete the following prerequisite courses prior to entering the master program:

ACC 2301 Financial Accounting
ACC 2302 Managerial Accounting
ACC 3300 Intermediate Accounting I
ACC 3301 Intermediate Accounting II
ACC 3302 Intermediate Accounting III
ACC 3303 Cost Accounting
ACC 3304 Accounting Information Systems
ACC 4301 Individual Income Taxation
ACC 4302 Corporation Taxation
ACC 4304 Auditing

Admissions Process

Applications are managed through the UHD Office of Graduate Admissions. The University will communicate to the student stating whether or not they have been accepted or what prerequisites are needed. Admitted and conditionally admitted students will be contacted by the graduate advisors at the Marilyn Davies College of Business to provide details on taking prerequisite courses, attending an orientation for new students, or contacting the graduate admissions office if there are questions.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the UHD MPA program will be able to do the following:

Formulate discipline-specific accounting strategies and develop valuable critical thinking skills to assess business risks and make business decisions.
Communicate accounting information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Work productively with others to accomplish established goals.
Apply ethical principles and professional standards to make informed decisions.

General Degree Requirements

Required Core Courses (18 hours)

Prescribed Elective Courses (6 hours)

Choose a minimum of 2 courses from the following*:

ACC 6311 - Seminar in Financial Accounting
ACC 6313 - Analysis of Financial Statements and Entity Valuation
ACC 6317 - Advanced Managerial Accounting
ACC 6319 - Taxation of Entities
*It is strongly recommended that students who are interested in obtaining a CPA take all four Prescribed Electives, in order to satisfy the requirement of degree plan and best prepare them for the CPA exam.

Elective Courses (6 hours)

Choose a maximum of 2 courses from the following:

Additional Requirements

Minimum Grade Point Average to remain in the MPA program

While enrolled in any graduate program, students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Sections 3.4 and 3.5 of UHD Policy 03.A.07 (Academic Probation and Suspension) outline the procedures related to probation, suspension, and satisfactory progress for graduate students. A student whose cumulative graduate GPA drops below 3.0 is placed on probation and must maintain a 3.0 or higher semester GPA in each subsequent semester until the cumulative graduate GPA is raised to 3.0 or above.

A graduate student on probation who does not achieve a graduate program GPA of at least 3.0 in the subsequent term will be suspended from the university. After one year, a suspended student may apply for reinstatement, at the discretion of the Graduate Director or coordinator of the program. A graduate student who receives grades of “C” in 9 or more graduate semester hours is subject to dismissal. According to UHD’s Grading System policy (PS 03.A.04), below average work (grades of “D” or “F”) is not acceptable and constitutes grounds for a graduate student’s dismissal from the program. Please note that according to the university grading policy, “All credit hours attempted as part of a graduate degree will be calculated in the GPA.” Transferred grades, from other institutions, are not calculated in a graduate student’s GPA. Please note that a graduate program may have more stringent requirements on C grades or probation/suspension, so students should consult their program handbook or website for these more specific restrictions.

Transfer of Graduate Credits

A maximum of 6 credit hours may be transferred from another AACSB accredited university. A minimum grade of B is required for the course to transfer. All petitions for transfer credit must be submitted to the Marilyn Davies College Graduate Advising Office before taking the course.

Attendance Policy

Students enrolled in the UHD MPA program are expected to attend all scheduled classes. Absences can be detrimental to academic performance and should be avoided. However, working professionals occasionally may have unavoidable absences as a result of unexpected business travel or other emergencies. It is the students’ responsibility to inform professors of the nature of the absences at the earliest practical opportunity, preferably in advance. Students are responsible for all information and assignments from missed classes. In cases where absences reach a frequency that, in the professor’s opinion, make it unlikely that the student can successfully complete the course, withdrawal from class will be recommended.