Master of Accounting (MAcc) Degree
Program Learning Outcomes for the MAcc Degree
Upon completing the MAcc degree, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate technical proficiency in the major aspects of public accounting.
- Demonstrate financial valuation expertise.
- Demonstrate strong written and verbal business communication skills.
- Demonstrate a sound knowledge of public policy and corporate governance.
- Demonstrate a critical and analytical approach to problem solving.
Requirements for the MAcc Degree
The MAcc degree is a non-thesis master's degree. For general university requirements, please see Non-Thesis Master's Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the MAcc degree must complete:
- A minimum of 17 courses (36 credit hours) to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level study (graduate semester credit hours, coursework at the 500-level or above).
- A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
- A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture/laboratory).
- A minimum residency enrollment of 2 semesters of full-time graduate study at Rice University.
- A maximum of 2 courses (6 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework.
- A minimum program GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies requirements for the non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum grade of C (2.00 grade points) in each course.
MAcc coursework is comprised of 24 credit hours of accounting coursework, 9 credit hours of business coursework, and 3 credit hours of ethics coursework.
The MAcc degree program has a lockstep curriculum that students typically complete during contiguous fall and spring semesters. With approval from the MAcc program director, however, a student may take up to four semesters to complete the program. This approval would be granted for internship opportunities and other commitments. In such instances, the program must be completed in contiguous fall and spring semesters, and the student must begin the program in a fall semester. Students requesting the three-semester program option or the four-semester program option must explain in their application the reason for requesting the extended program option, given the academic goals of the program. Students approved for the three- or four-semester program option must agree to follow the specific course sequence as required by the program director to ensure a meaningful pedagogic experience.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor, or where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program's Official Certifier. Additionally, these must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the MAcc Degree | 36 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting Coursework | ||
| MACC 511 | ISSUES IN FINANCIAL REPORTING II | 3 |
| MACC 512 | FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS AND VALUATION | 3 |
| MACC 513 | ISSUES IN FINANCIAL REPORTING III | 3 |
| MACC 515 | ADVANCED TOPICS IN REVENUE RECOGNITION | 1.5 |
| MACC 531 | ADVANCED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING | 1.5 |
| MACC 541 | ACCOUNTING CONTROL SYSTEMS | 1.5 |
| MACC 542 | ADVANCED AUDITING | 1.5 |
| MACC 563 | DATA ANALYTICS FOR ACCOUNTANTS I | 1.5 |
| MACC 564 | DATA ANALYTICS FOR ACCOUNTANTS II | 3 |
| MACC 571 | FEDERAL TAXATION | 3 |
| MACC 572 | TAXES AND BUSINESS STRATEGY | 1.5 |
| Ethics Coursework | ||
| MACC 501 | ACCOUNTING ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM | 3 |
| Business Coursework | ||
| MACC 502 | BUSINESS LAW FOR ACCOUNTANTS | 3 |
| MACC 503 | ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING REGULATION 1 | 1.5 |
| MACC 504 | FINANCE FOR ACCOUNTANTS | 1.5 |
| MACC 562 | AUDITING: A DATA ANALYTICS APPROACH | 1.5 |
| MACC 592 | INSTITUTIONAL AND ACADEMIC FOUNDATIONS OF ACCOUNTING | 1.5 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | MACC 503 and MACC 592 are taken for a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade and must be completed with a Satisfactory grade. As S/U courses, they do not apply to the requirement of a minimum grade of C (2.00 grade points) in each required course. |
Proposed Plan-of-Study
The following plan-of-study represents the current lockstep two-semester sequence in which students pursuing the MAcc degree complete the required coursework. Substitution of courses may be made with permission of the program director.
As noted above, in some instances students may apply for, and be permitted to, pursue the MAcc degree on the three- or four-semester program option. In those instances, students must agree to follow a specific course sequence as required by the program director. Please contact the program director for details.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1st Semester | Credit Hours | |
| MACC 501 | ACCOUNTING ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM | 3 |
| MACC 511 | ISSUES IN FINANCIAL REPORTING II | 3 |
| MACC 512 | FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS AND VALUATION | 3 |
| MACC 571 | FEDERAL TAXATION | 3 |
| Fall Semester I | ||
| MACC 592 | INSTITUTIONAL AND ACADEMIC FOUNDATIONS OF ACCOUNTING | 1.5 |
| MACC 563 | DATA ANALYTICS FOR ACCOUNTANTS I | 1.5 |
| Fall Semester II | ||
| MACC 503 | ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING REGULATION | 1.5 |
| MACC 504 | FINANCE FOR ACCOUNTANTS | 1.5 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| 2nd Semester | ||
| MACC 502 | BUSINESS LAW FOR ACCOUNTANTS | 3 |
| MACC 513 | ISSUES IN FINANCIAL REPORTING III | 3 |
| MACC 564 | DATA ANALYTICS FOR ACCOUNTANTS II | 3 |
| Spring Semester I | ||
| MACC 531 | ADVANCED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING | 1.5 |
| MACC 542 | ADVANCED AUDITING | 1.5 |
| MACC 572 | TAXES AND BUSINESS STRATEGY | 1.5 |
| Spring Semester II | ||
| MACC 515 | ADVANCED TOPICS IN REVENUE RECOGNITION | 1.5 |
| MACC 541 | ACCOUNTING CONTROL SYSTEMS | 1.5 |
| MACC 562 | AUDITING: A DATA ANALYTICS APPROACH | 1.5 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Policies for the MAcc Degree
Admission Requirements
For general university requirements, see Graduate Degrees. Criteria for evaluating participants include: completion of (or plans for completion of) required undergraduate prerequisite courses, academic and professional accomplishments, GMAT or GRE test score, an interview, and, possibly, an admissions assessment examination. Current Rice students and Rice alumni are exempted from the test score requirement, although they may provide a GMAT or GRE score at their discretion. Applicants with exceptional undergraduate academic records are eligible to apply for a standardized test score requirement waiver.
Rice Undergraduates
Students who are on track to fulfill the requirements of the Rice business major or minor are eligible for admission to the MAcc program prior to completing their undergraduate degree. Non-business majors or minors are also eligible for admission if specific prerequisite courses will be completed before undergraduate graduation; the MAcc program director will consult prospective applicants to determine what prerequisite classes are needed. All MAcc applicants, regardless of being a business major or minor, need to have completed the introductory financial accounting course (BUSI 305), the first intermediate financial accounting course (BUSI 405), and the auditing course (BUSI 440) prior to beginning the MAcc program. Students potentially interested in the MAcc program are encouraged to take BUSI 305 in their sophomore or junior year. Rice undergraduates can apply and gain conditional admission to the MAcc program during the summer before their senior year. Conditionally admitted students who lack any of the prerequisite accounting courses must take appropriate classes to correct their deficiency.
Non-Rice Undergraduates
Students may apply as early as the summer before their senior year. Admitted students who lack the prerequisite accounting course work must take summer pre-term classes.
Academic and Professional Standards
Students must meet both academic and professional standards to continue academic work and to graduate. In accepting admission to the MAcc program, all students agree to be governed by the standards and procedures for dismissal or disciplinary action stated below.
Academic Standards
A minimum overall grade point average of 2.67 (B-) is required for graduation. All courses taken towards the MAcc degree, other than the two courses graded as "Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory," are counted in the overall grade point average calculation.
Students with an overall grade point average lower than 2.67 at the end of any semester will be notified of dismissal. A student who has been notified of dismissal may appeal to the Academic Standards Committee of the Jones Graduate School of Business. The committee will decide, based on the circumstances of the appeal, whether the student:
- may resume studies on probation,
- is to be suspended for one semester or an academic year, or
- is to be dismissed from the MAcc program.
Students are removed from probation only upon achieving an overall grade point average of at least 2.67 at the end of the following semester of work.
Students proposing to return after a period of academic suspension must apply to the Academic Standards Committee and receive permission to be readmitted. If permitted to return, the student will pay the current rate of tuition, based upon the class of students they are joining.
Only grades of C (2.00 grade points) and above are counted for credit toward graduation. If a student receives a grade below a C (2.00 grade points) in a course, the student must meet with the program director to determine remediation. Any plans for remediation must be approved by the Academic Standards Committee.
Professional Standards
Masters students are held to the high standards of professional conduct expected of managers—standards substantially exceeding those expected of them simply as students. Students may be dismissed or suspended for failure to meet professional standards, as defined in the University Code of Conduct. The dean may place a student on disciplinary probation for unacceptable conduct, giving oral and written notice that future misconduct will lead to filing specific charges. (This probationary notice, however, is not required as a precondition for filing specific charges.)
Guidelines for Appealing Academic Dismissal
The Process
A student who wishes to appeal a dismissal should address the following issues in a letter to the Academic Standards Committee. The student must address the letter to the chair of the Academic Standards Committee.
- What circumstances led to your academic performance last semester and to what degree were those circumstances beyond your control?
- If your performance in a particular course(s) last semester was below par, describe any circumstances specific to that course that explain your performance.
- Do you expect the circumstances that created the problems for you last semester to change next semester? If so, how?
Students may include any additional information they deem relevant in the appeal letter.
Timing
If the student intends to appeal, the letter to the committee must be filed within one week after receiving a dismissal letter. If a student plans to appeal, the student should continue to attend classes. It is important to keep up with studies during the appeal process. If the appeal is accepted, the student may continue progress towards the completion of their degree.
Appeals
Appeals beyond the Academic Standards Committee must go to the dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business, who may seek guidance from other constituents of the school. All decisions rendered by the dean are final.
Confidentiality
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and amendments govern the records of actions related to appeals.
Grade Appeal Process
Once a course grade has been assigned by an instructor, it is generally considered final and is rarely changed for any reason other than calculation or transcription errors. The procedure below outlines the process by which a student may appeal a course grade.
- The student should first pursue any grading question with the instructor following the formal or informal process the instructor has outlined for the course.
- If the matter is not resolved in step 1 above, the student must file a written appeal to the instructor and send a copy to the senior associate dean of degree programs. This written appeal must be filed no later than two weeks after the final grade for a course was assigned.
- The instructor must schedule a meeting with the student within two weeks of receiving the written appeal to further discuss the appeal with the student. Notice of the appeal time and date will be provided by the instructor to the senior associate dean of degree programs.
- If step 3 does not resolve the issue to the satisfaction of both parties, the student may appeal to the Academic Standards Committee by sending a written notice describing the grounds for the appeal within two weeks of the date of the scheduled meeting in step 3.
- The Academic Standards Committee will seek out information on the appeal from the instructor and the student and, at its discretion, hold a hearing to further consider the matter. The decision of the Academic Standards Committee will be rendered within 4 weeks of receiving a written notice of appeal (step 4).
- Appeals beyond the Academic Standards Committee must go to the dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business, who may seek guidance from other constituents of the school. All decisions rendered by the dean are final.
- In the event that the protested grade is necessary for the student to graduate, an accelerated schedule will be followed.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and amendments govern records of these actions.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Program Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the MAcc degree should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guidelines:
- No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the degree.
- Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director on an individual case-by-case basis.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Accounting website: https://business.rice.edu/academic-program/master-accounting-macc
Opportunities for the MAcc Degree
Rice Undergraduate Students
Rice undergraduate students completing studies in Business (the major or minor) are eligible for admission to the MAcc degree program prior to completing their undergraduate degree. For additional departmental guidelines regarding admission requirements, see the Policies tab.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Accounting website: https://business.rice.edu/academic-program/master-accounting-macc