The Accounting Center for Excellence (ACE) at Belmont University supports students, faculty, alumni and industry partners to strengthen the accounting talent pipeline and connect the classroom to the profession. ACE enhances professional readiness, expands employer engagement, supports CPA pathways and the MAcc experience and champions faculty‑student collaboration that leads to meaningful careers and community impact.
Overview
Who we serve
- Undergraduate accounting majors exploring public, corporate, nonprofit and advisory paths
- MAcc students aligning coursework, CPA licensure and early career goals
- Faculty advancing profession‑aligned teaching, advising and mentoring
- Employers and professional organizations seeking career‑ready talent
- Alumni and friends who mentor, recruit, speak and sponsor engagement
How we support
- Professional readiness and BBA/MAcc/CPA guidance
- Career exposure, networking and employer connections
- Student leadership (e.g., Beta Alpha Psi) and service pathways
- Faculty collaboration, advising and profession‑aligned curriculum
- Community and industry partnerships across Nashville and beyond
What sets us apart
- Belmont’s accounting programs are nationally recognized (Top 50 in 2023) and ACE was launched to amplify outcomes and strengthen the talent pipeline amid a national shortage of accountants and auditors.
- ACE works across five focus areas during its three‑year launch: student outreach and development; connections with professionals; curriculum refinement; external partnerships; partnerships within Belmont.
Key Areas of Support
ACE supports students understanding Tennessee CPA requirements, timelines, exam planning, experience and ethics components and how to sequence coursework effectively.
ACE helps students connect the curriculum to CPA discipline options and real‑world roles, clarifying how Belmont’s MAcc aligns with modern CPA exam structure and professional expectations.
ACE supports Beta Alpha Psi (Lambda Nu) engagement, professional speakers, service initiatives and leadership development that signal excellence to employers.
ACE supports recruiting touchpoints like Meet the Firms, Accounting Showcase Breakfast, firm/industry treks, employer talks, mentoring and networking with Nashville’s accounting community.
ACE supports faculty‑student advising, research translation, profession‑aligned teaching and the integration of emerging topics (technology, analytics, regulation) into learning.
ACE guides students to internships—often paid—that build skills and frequently lead to full‑time offers, while helping students stay on track for graduation. For students interested in specializing in Tax, Belmont conducts an annual spring Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs run by undergrad and graduate students.
ACE curates student‑friendly information on CPA, CMA, CIA and other credentials; career trajectories; ethics; and how technology/AI is reshaping higher‑value accounting work.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Tennessee, several pathways are available to meet the education requirement to become a CPA. (See How Do I Become a CPA?). Regardless of the pathway chosen, CPA candidates must meet specific accounting and business requirements. However, the undergraduate degree is not required to include a major or concentration in accounting, so long as certain accounting and business hours are included.
Several professional designations other than the CPA are credentials that indicate expertise in one or more area(s) of accounting. However, the CPA differs from other designations because it is a legal license to practice and perform certain accounting functions that only licensed CPAs can perform.
Most states and other jurisdictions (e.g., Washington DC, Guam, Puerto Rico) require continuing education to maintain an active CPA license to practice. This requirement averages 40 hours per year but may be administered in different ways. For example, in Tennessee the continuation education requirement is 80 hours every two years, which is the bi-annual renewal period for Tennessee CPAs.
The design of the current education requirement in Tennessee is based on the assumption of a 120-hour undergraduate degree and a 30-hour master’s degree. However, in implementing this requirement, most states (including Tennessee), do not require a master’s degree. (See How do I become a CPA?). Two alternative pathways to the MAcc are available: (1) Earning 150 credit hours without a master’s degree, and (2) Earning a minimum of 120 credit hours in an undergraduate program, coupled with a longer experience requirement for licensure than either of the 150-hour options.
While multiple pathways exist to qualify one to take the CPA exam, an equally important question is “what education do I need to be prepared to pass the CPA?”
While other education alternatives may qualify one to take the CPA exam, a well-designed 150-hour education program, including the Belmont Master of Accountancy (MAcc), prepares individuals to successfully pass the exam in a timely and efficient manner, often while simultaneously pursuing the MAcc program.
Some states, including Tennessee, allow candidates to take the CPA exam while completing the education requirement, assuming they have completed an undergraduate degree and meet specific accounting credit hour requirements. However, the CPA certificate/license to practice is not granted until the education requirement is met, all parts of the CPA exam have been passed, and all other requirements are met. Belmont’s well-designed Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program aligns the courses taken with the four parts of the CPA exam, often resulting in the student having passed part or all the CPA exam while still in school.
The MAcc focuses primarily on one field of business—accounting. The MBA degree is a general business degree that includes coursework in multiple business fields but does not include a deep concentration in any one business field. Another way to differentiate the two degrees is depth in accounting (MAcc) vs. breadth in several areas of business (MBA).
The Belmont MAcc is designed to provide students maximum flexibility to complete the degree at their own pace. A student pursuing the MAcc on a full-time basis can complete the degree in one calendar year. Those preferring to go at a slower pace while being employed or pursuing other interests may take up to two years. While there is no prohibition from taking an even longer time, extending beyond two years to complete the MAcc is generally not recommended.
Significant changes to the CPA Exam became effective in January 2024. They reflect changes in accounting practice that are based on an extensive practice analysis of what entry-level CPAs are expected to experience in their early years in practice. The Belmont MAcc has been revised in response to those changes in the CPA exam. It now includes a Professional Practice component of three courses that parallel the three core CPA exams that are required of all CPA candidates. The concentrations in the MAcc align with the three discipline CPA exams, of which the CPA candidate chooses one.
The Uniform CPA exam is a national exam that is consistent across all states and other jurisdictions. Most jurisdictions participate in reciprocity agreements that allow a CPA to 1) receive a second or reciprocal CPA certificate by meeting the second jurisdiction’s requirements, and/or 2) practice across state lines in areas in close proximity to the original state. An important element of reciprocal agreement is that the candidate is not required to retake the CPA exam to be licensed to practice in the second state.
While several pathways exist to qualify one to take the CPA exam, passing the exam is another matter. The Belmont MAcc is carefully designed to prepare students to pass the exam in an efficient manner while still in school or early in their careers. The combination of completing the Belmont MAcc, plus passing a portion or all of the CPA exam while in the MAcc program is the premier route to entering the accounting profession.
A 2025 National Management of an Accounting Practice survey found that new hires with master ‘s degrees experienced a 17% increase in starting salary during the two-year period 2023 – 2025. Salaries of those with only a bachelor’s degree rose by 11% in the same time period. Consistent differences in compensation over multiple years results in much higher lifelong compensation for those with a master’s degree.
While concentrations are an important element of the Belmont MAcc, a student may choose to take courses from the different concentrations rather than taking multiple courses in the same concentration. This may be attractive to a student who is already a CPA, whose goal is not CPA certification, or who has career goals for which breath in accounting is preferable to concentrating in any one area of accounting (e.g., a family business).
The required courses for an undergraduate accounting major at most universities, including Belmont, are set to ensure that students are exposed to the breadth of the accounting field. However, students still have the flexibility to take elective courses, add a minor, and/or add a second major in fields other than accounting.
In the MAcc program, students have the opportunity to choose between one of three concentrations or select a mix of courses across concentrations. In addition, nine hours of electives can be taken in fields other than accounting.
While the majority of undergraduate and graduate accounting courses are delivered in person, a few courses are available online each semester. At the current time, a student cannot complete either degree by taking only online courses.
State boards are responsible for granting CPA certificates and licensure, as well as monitoring compliance with laws and regulations governing the accounting profession. State societies are professional organizations that support the work of CPAs throughout their professional careers. Some state societies (including the Tennessee Society of CPAs) have free student memberships for current students to become informed about the accounting profession before becoming CPAs.
To the contrary, AI is enhancing jobs in accounting, moving the work of accountants to a higher, less procedural level. Over several decades, things like hand-held calculators, personal computers, spreadsheets, the internet have all been suggested as threats to the availability of jobs in accounting. None of this has happened. Technology, including AI, enhances the work of accountants by eliminating much of the procedural aspect of being an accountant and moving work of the accountant to a higher, more productive level.
Belmont Accounting Programs and Curriculum
As an undergraduate accounting major, you will take several accounting courses designed to provide a foundation in the major areas of accounting-- financial reporting, cost/managerial accounting, tax, auditing, and systems. In addition, you will take a series of business courses designed to develop a well-rounded business professional, including economics, management, marketing, finance, business law, business ethics, entrepreneurship, and international business. For more information, see the Accounting, BBA program page.
As a graduate student, the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program consists of 30 credit hours that focus primarily on accounting. Belmont’s MAcc curriculum is designed to align with the CPA exam. MAcc students take three advanced professional practice core accounting courses (9 credit hours) that map into the three core areas of the CPA exam which are required of all CPA candidates: financial reporting, audit, and tax. Students also select one of three concentrations (9 credit hours): tax compliance and planning, information systems and controls, or business reporting and analysis. These map into the three discipline areas on the CPA exam, of which candidates choose one. Alternatively, students can build their own general concentration. In addition, the Belmont MAcc also requires three hours in professionalism and certifications. The remaining nine hours can come from accounting electives or other graduate business courses offered in the MBA program. For more information, see the MAcc program page.
An undergraduate degree in accounting, or even in business, is not required for a student to enter the MAcc program or become a CPA. However, students are required to complete a minimum number of credit hours in both accounting and business, regardless of the degree(s) they hold.
For non-accounting students looking for an accelerated pathway into the accounting profession, Belmont’s unique Summer Accounting Institute (SAI) prepares students for entry into the MAcc program via a condensed timeline. SAI attracts three types of students: (1) non-accounting undergraduate students who are too late for a change of major, (2) those looking to change from their current career into accounting, and (3) business professionals who want to improve their understanding of accounting and expand their career opportunities. As one of the first of its kind, Belmont’s SAI has been an impactful solution for hundreds of students over the last 25 years. SAI graduates have gone on to serve in a variety of leadership roles in public accounting, industry, and other careers.
Over the full summer term, SAI students meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings, as well as on Saturdays for 10 hours of course credit. SAI prepares students to begin the MAcc program in the following August. In the MAcc program, students then complete an additional 30 graduate credit hours and are exposed to a wide range of topics related to the CPA exam. In addition, students interact with accounting professionals and learn about the accounting profession and career possibilities. For more information, visit the SAI page.
Funding Your Accounting Degree
As an accounting student at Belmont, you will have numerous opportunities to apply for scholarships from both within and outside the university. The list below is not exhaustive but includes examples of those scholarships.
Glover Accounting Scholarship
This is a merit-based scholarship for first-year students in the Jack C. Massey College of Business who major in accounting and meet the general academic merit scholarship criteria. This award can be combined with a general academic merit scholarship.
Graduate Assistantship
Each year, several Master of Accountancy (MAcc) students are selected to receive aid via a graduate assistantship. For more information, click here.
Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA)
Each year the TSCPA awards more than $250,000 annually to accounting students in Tennessee. For more information, click here.
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
The AICPA has supported college students for more than 130 years through its scholarship program. The AICPA Foundation currently grants scholarships in excess of $1 million to hundreds of students across the United States. For more information, click here.
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)
The PCAOB administers a scholarship program for undergraduate and graduate accounting students enrolled in accredited U.S. colleges and universities. Scholarships are awarded through a nomination process. Currently, PCAOB Scholars receive $15,000 annually. More information can be found by clicking here.
Internships & Experiential Learning
While an internship is not required for graduation at the undergraduate or graduate level, many accounting students complete at least one professional internship during their time at Belmont. Accounting students have numerous opportunities for internships, the majority of which are compensated, across a broad spectrum of accounting-related fields. Each fall semester, the Massey College of Business sponsors Meet the Firms on Belmont’s campus for students to network with accounting professionals and formally learn about internship opportunities.
Students can complete an internship while remaining on track for graduation, and these internships often lead to full-time job offers. Many accounting students complete several internships before graduation. This provides students with considerable real-world experience and choice prior to committing to a specific career path.
Faculty Collaboration & Academic Excellence
N/A
CPA Pathways
To become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), an individual must meet certain criteria in one of 55 jurisdictions (including all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands). While specific requirements vary somewhat across jurisdictions, the general requirement for becoming a CPA includes:
- Completing an education requirement.
- Completing an experience requirement.
- Passing the Uniform CPA exam.
- Passing an Ethics exam.
In Tennessee, the State Board of Accountancy administers the CPA licensing process. The information below outlines the state-specific requirements to become a CPA in Tennessee.
Candidates have three options for meeting the educational requirement:
- 150 hours (with 1 year of qualifying experience)
- Master’s degree
- Bachelor’s degree with additional coursework to reach 150 hours
- 120 hours (with 2 years of qualifying experience)
Regardless of the alternative selected, 18 hours of upper division hours of accounting are required to qualify to take for the CPA exam, and 30 semester hours of accounting, including principles, are required for licensure.
The experience requirement depends on the education option the candidate selects. For the two 150-hour options, one year of experience is required. For the 120-hour, two years of experience are required. A year is defined as no fewer than 2,000 hours of accounting experience (earned in no less than one year or more than three years) within the ten years immediately preceding the application for certification. Accounting experience may consist of providing any type of services or advice using accounting, attest, management advisory, financial advisory, tax, or consulting skills. Experience in industry, government, academia, and public practice is all acceptable.
- Core exams in accounting, auditing, and tax are required of all candidates. All three core exams integrate the use of technology.
- Candidates choose one of three discipline-based exams
- Business analysis and reporting
- Tax compliance and planning
- Information systems and controls
- For the first time in the exam’s history, candidates now have a choice to regarding which discipline exam to take.
Following are key observations about the CPA exam:
- All parts of the exam are based on a practice analysis that reflects what new CPAs are expected to encounter early in their careers.
- Strong emphasis throughout is placed on protecting the public interest.
- For the first time in the exam’s history, candidates now have a choice to regarding which discipline exam to take.
- There is one CPA, regardless of the discipline area the candidate chooses.
After successfully passing the Uniform CPA Exam, candidates must also pass an ethics examination administered by the AICPA with a score of 90% or better.
For more information on becoming a CPA in Tennessee, click here for TSCPA information and here for the state of Tennessee information.
Student Organizations & Leadership (e.g., Beta Alpha Psi)
Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) is the premier honors society for accounting students and was founded over 100 years ago. According to the Beta Alpha Psi website, its purposes are to:
- recognize outstanding academic achievements in the field of accounting, finance, business analytics or digital technology,
- promote the study and practice of professional fields related to these disciplines,
- provide opportunities for self-development and association among members and practicing financial professionals, and
- encourage a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibilities.
Belmont’s Lambda Nu chapter of Beta Alpha Psi was established in 2006. Students at Belmont benefit from BAP membership in several ways. Being a member is recognition of a student’s academic accomplishments. Students learn about the accounting profession and have opportunities to network with accounting professionals via regular society meetings. Each semester, the chapter hosts professional events with speakers from a diverse range of professional backgrounds. Students learn the importance of giving back to the community with the organization’s focus on service. Finally, students have access to several leadership opportunities during their time as BAP members. For more information, click here.
MAcc & Undergraduate Accounting Support
N/A
Career Pathways
A strong background in accounting, including the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and other professional designations, prepares one for a broad range of career options. These include, but are not limited to the following:
- Public accounting
- Audit
- Tax
- Consulting
- Corporate accounting
- Internal auditing
- Internal accounting, information technology, tax, other
- Management-level position, including Chief Financial Officer
- Not-for-profit accounting
- Financial reporting
- Legal compliance
- Management-level positions
- Business valuation
- Banking/investment banking
- Financial planning/wealth management/retirement planning
- Risk analysis
- Family/small business
- Entrepreneurship
- Start-up financing
- Managing Cash flow
- Forensic accounting
- Litigation support
- General management/operations
Some career options are best thought of as goals for later in one’s career rather than starting points. Examples are management-level positions in corporate and not-for-profit organizations, high-level wealth management positions, and general management. These positions typically require early-career experience in one or more of the other areas listed.
Faculty & Leadership
Leadership
Jan Williams
Email: jan.williams@belmont.edu
Marilyn Young
Email: marilyn.young@belmont.edu
Office Location: BMRC 335
Affiliated Faculty
Beverley Alleyne
Email: beverley.alleyne@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 355
Brad Childs
Email: brad.childs@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 326
Mike Mauldin
Email: john.mauldin@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Rogers Center 343
Dan Privott
Email: dan.privott@belmont.edu
Office Location: Jack C. Massey Center 443
Lee Warren
Email: lee.warren@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 336
Tommy Wooten
Email: tommy.wooten@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Rogers Center 334
Mark Zhang
Email: mark.zhang@belmont.edu
Office Location: Barbara Massey Hall 350B
History
Launch: ACE was announced at a College banquet on April 23, 2024, to support Belmont’s top‑ranked accounting programs and reinforce connections between the classroom and the profession.Why now: National trends show a significant talent gap (a decline in practicing accountants/auditors and fewer accounting bachelor’s degrees). ACE was created to help address this challenge by attracting, preparing and connecting more students to the profession.
Vision: Become a leading center for attracting and developing diverse accounting talent who contribute meaningfully to the profession and the public interest.
Launch‑year highlights
- Special guests included leadership from the Tennessee Board of Accountancy and the Tennessee Society of CPAs.
- Industry partners attending the launch included firms and organizations across public accounting, internal audit and healthcare finance.
- The inaugural ACE Distinguished Service Awards honored Beta Alpha Psi officers and students serving in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program within Belmont’s Family Wellbeing Program.
Partners & Professional Community
EY · UHY · BDO · Blankenship CPA Group · FORVIS · Mullins Clemmons & Mayes · PwC · Frazier & Deeter · Institute of Internal Auditors · HCA Healthcare
FAQ
Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Full‑time: 10-12 months. Part‑time: typically 18–24 months. Belmont undergrad accounting students who are admitted early to the MAcc may dual enroll in 6 credit hours of graduate MAcc courses their last semester to and have the classes count toward their undergraduate and graduate degrees. This reduces their MAcc credit hours to 24 which can be completed in two semesters.
No. Applicants from accounting, business, or non‑business backgrounds are considered; prerequisites may apply.
The MAcc aligns with the exam’s core and discipline structure, helping many students complete portions of the exam while enrolled.
You may select a concentration aligned with a CPA discipline—or choose a general concentration for breadth.
No. Some courses are online, but the degree requires in‑person coursework.
Internships
No, but most students complete one or more paid internships; many receive full‑time offers. Internships can count for course credit toward the BBA or MAcc degrees. Students completing internships the summer between undergrad and grad are encouraged to apply for Summer term to earn credit for their work.
No. Internships can be completed for credit while staying on track.
Meet the Firms, ACE‑supported employer connections, faculty advising and alumni networks.
Many complete multiple internships across firms and industry before graduation.
Summer Accounting Institute (SAI)
An accelerated summer pathway for non‑accounting majors/career changers to gain the foundation needed to enter the MAcc.
Students new to accounting, career changers and professionals seeking accounting expertise.
Full summer term, Monday/Wednesday evenings and Saturdays.
Yes. SAI builds the foundation for the MAcc, which then aligns with CPA preparation.
Contact Us
Accounting Center for Excellence
1900 Belmont Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212
Email: jan.williams@belmont.edu
Phone: (615) 460-5377
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