MACC Program
The Massey School’s Masters of Accountancy (MACC) degree program was created in 1992, and has grown over the years into what is currently the second largest graduate accounting program in the State of Tennessee. The Belmont MACC program helps to prepare qualified students with non-accounting undergraduate degrees to sit for the CPA exam in as little as 15 months.
Program Admission. Entry requirements for the MACC program may be met in either of two ways. First, students may satisfy the program prerequisites by completing 18 hours of undergraduate accounting course work. Alternatively, students who have already completed an undergraduate degree but with less than 18 accounting credits can prepare for the MACC program by completing Massey’s innovative Summer Accounting Institute, also known as SAI. Students who enroll in SAI receive an intensive 10-week grounding in all basic aspects of accounting. Following this introduction to the field, students are prepared to enter the MACC program at a level similar to their fellow students with undergraduate degrees in accounting. Click here for MACC degree requirements.
Curriculum. Our MACC faculty are academically-trained and professionally-certified. The MACC degree program offers students a rigorous, individualized program of study with an intellectually-challenging education—one characterized by a rich array of course offerings, innovative structure, and value-based teaching that is student focused. The program is designed to produce mature graduates for professional careers in accounting and business. Faculty and curriculum oversight is provided by program coordinators, Dr. Lee Warren and Dr. Marilyn Young.
Careers. Accountants today work more as financial consultants than “bean counters.” Big 4 accounting firms, in particular, are also looking for Belmont MACC graduates with liberal arts or other non-accounting undergraduate degrees, who can think critically and handle today’s increasingly complex client environments.
For the most recent year of placement statistics, 100% of Belmont MACC graduates received full time offers from one or more of the following: Big 4 firms, Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and/or other leading local and regional firms. In recent years, demand for accountants has outstripped the supply of graduates from business schools , and competition for MACC graduates has been healthy. As a result, salaries have risen significantly in recent years, and many Belmont MACC graduates are receiving more than one job offer.
Student Profile. The average MACC student:
- Is 23 years old
- Has 6 years of full-time work experience prior to admission (Fall 2009 average)
- Earned an undergraduate GPA of 3.38 (Fall 2009 average)
- Earned a 530 GMAT score (Fall 2009 average)
- Enrolls in 7 MBA credits per semester
Experience. MACC students are not required to have full-time work experience prior to being admitted to the program. However, as with any graduate business program, some business experience, including part-time experience and student internships will pay dividends for the MACC student and is certainly encouraged. The Massey/COBA Career Services Office assists MACC students in the career planning and placement process, as well as in helping them identify internship opportunities.
Flexibility. We offer flexible schedules to accommodate a student’s professional and personal commitments, with most accounting courses offered every year and some offered each semester. All courses are offered in a Monday through Thursday evening format from 6:15 to 9:00 p.m.—a schedule designed to meet the needs of full-time students as well as those working part or full-time during their degree programs. Click here for MACC degree requirements. Furthermore, the program is even designed to allow student professionals the option of opting in or out of a given term, depending on the demands of work and other life pursuits. Students may be proceed at their own pace, speeding up or slowing down as needed. Each student has up to four years to complete the MACC program once it is begun. Students also have the option of selecting from a minimum of four international trip options per year for their MGT 6350 – International Study Abroad course requirement.
Personal Touch. An additional characteristic that sets The Massey School apart from many of its peers is the personal attention given to each student’s learning needs. Enrollments are managed to assure small class sizes (average of less than 20 in graduate accounting courses) so that students have significant opportunities to interact with each professor and their peers. All program faculty are deeply committed to making sure that each student’s learning environment is an effective one for that individual.
