Accounting

The program allows you to specialize in an area of accounting that interests you. You'll have the flexibility to customize the degree so you are prepared to meet your specific career goals. Recent graduates have created concentrations in tax, fraud examination, finance, international business, information systems, public administration, economics, education and political science. You also have the option to earn a concurrent Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from the University of Idaho College of Law in as few as seven semesters.

As a graduate student in accounting, you’ll examine actual cases and explore solutions to current issues facing businesses today. Through thought-provoking courses and challenging research, you’ll develop strong analytical and investigative skills and an advanced understanding of concepts in auditing, reporting, taxes, corporate accounting and more. The program builds on the College of Business and Economics’ award-winning integrated business model to give you the broad perspective and business knowledge valued by employers.

Our emphasis on small class sizes (15 students on average) encourages close interaction with your peers. The excellent student-to-faculty ratio of 4:1 ensures personal mentorship from your professors. Faculty and staff are genuinely concerned for each student’s personal and academic success and always support an open-door policy.

Prepare for Success

If you are serious about launching a successful career in accounting, the Master of Accountancy is for you. Prerequisites include junior/senior courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, accounting information systems, auditing, income taxation and cost accounting.  A bachelor's degree in accounting is not required. Applications from any field of study are welcome. In addition to business and accounting, our students’ academic backgrounds vary from elementary education and zoology to political science and engineering. 

Your First Year

The one-year Master of Accountancy program requires 30 credits. Thesis and non-thesis options are available. Required graduate courses include:

• Comparative Accounting Theory
• Advanced Accounting Information Systems
• Advanced Auditing Seminar
• Financial Accounting and Reporting Seminar

If you do not have a bachelor's degree in business or accounting, additional preparatory work may be required. Those interested in pursuing a concurrent Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree must be admitted separately into the College of Law.

Master of Accountancy Curriculum Checklist

What You Can Do

Master of Accountancy graduates are prepared for excellent careers as an internal accountant for a corporation or as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for an accounting firm. Career options include:

Corporate Careers

• Management accounting
• Finance accounting and reporting
• Tax preparation

CPA Firm Careers

• Audit and assurance services
• Tax planning and preparation
• Consulting services
  

A Master of Accountancy qualifies you for the CPA exam in states with 150 semester hour education requirements. The degree is also excellent preparation for doctorate programs in accounting.

Opportunities

In the last three years, 100 percent of our accounting graduate students have accepted a position before or shortly after graduation. Your Master of Accountancy degree prepares you to compete for well-paying positions in top corporations and consulting firms in the region, nation and around the world. Our graduates are actively recruited by large firms and companies, such as:

• BDO Seidman
• Deloitte
• Eide Bailey
• KPMG
• LeMaster Daniels
• Moss Adams
• Presnell Gage
• Albertsons  (SUPERVALU)
• Boeing
• Coldwater Creek
• Intel
• Potlatch Corp.
  
• Simplot
• Weyerhauser
• Internal Revenue Service

Current Research

University of Idaho faculty members in the Department of Accounting are nationally and internationally recognized for expertise and research in the accounting field. Current project topics and interests include:

• Nonprofit organizations and accounting theory
• Environmental accounting
• Auditing and tax
• Financial accounting
• Certified Public Accounting (CPA)
• Accounting information systems

Activities

Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) and the Student Accounting Association: A national scholastic and professional accounting fraternity. The Iota Gamma chapter of BAP at the University of Idaho received superior status at a national convention in Chicago. Members and officers placed at the Northwest regional competition and attended both the regional and national meetings. Members and officers organize and participate in field trips to regional and national accounting firms, and coordinate service and philanthropic events.

Hands-On Experience

Master of Accountancy students engage in directed study and research with personal mentorship from our excellent faculty. You will have access to sophisticated computer resources and the department’s library of current research and professional materials. Limited graduate assistantships are awarded competitively to qualified applicants.

You will also have opportunities to gain practical experience through the following programs offered through the College of Business and Economics:

• VIEW Entrepreneurship Program: Vandal Innovation and Enterprise Works (VIEW) provides opportunities to create and pursue new business ideas and build entrepreneurship and business planning skills. The program is available to all majors and hosts an annual business plan competition.
• Vandal Solutions: A nonprofit, student-operated company that gives you practical business experience, while offering the university and local businesses market research, Secret Shoppers and feasibility studies. Proceeds benefit university programs and activities.
• Barker Capital Management and Trading Program: Students gain investment experience in this sophisticated trading room outfitted with 60-inch plasmas tuned to CNBC, a real-time trade station and current technologies.

Facilities

The modern J.A. Albertson Building is home to the College of Business and Economics. Here students learn in technologically advanced classrooms featuring smart boards and wireless connectivity.