As the field of accounting grows increasingly complex and educational requirements
for taking the CPA exam increase, many students are seeking an advanced accounting
education. Perhaps that's your goal, too.
The MPA at Nebraska's School of Accountancy qualifies graduates to apply to sit
for the CPA examination in Nebraska.
Our MPA program prepares students to use accounting as an analytical tool for decision
making. It also helps students develop a specialized understanding of accounting
theory and application.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor's program may enter the MPA program during their
senior year. Their first three years of coursework remain identical to the four-year
program.
The MPA program is also offered for students with a bachelor's degree. This program
entails 36 hours of coursework beyond the baccalaureate degree.
An internship program is available for MPA students. Students interested in participating
in an internship program should contact the MPA Adviser immediately after being
admitted to the MPA program.
The MPA program works on two levels. Its courses are offered in conjunction with
the four-year Bachelor's program, enabling students to earn both the BSBA and MPA
degrees in a concentrated program. The MPA program consists of a minimum of 150
hours of semester credit—with 36 of these hours taken in graduate-credit courses.
At least 20 hours of credit must be earned in graduate-only coursework (courses
with no 400-level counterpart). In addition to the general college requirements,
MPA candidates must complete the following course work:
Year 4 *
Fall Semester:
- 410 / 810-Auditing
- 412 / 812-Federal Tax Accounting I
Spring Semester:
- 404 / 804-Advanced Accounting
- 408 / 808-Advanced Managerial Accounting
Year 5
Fall Semester:
- 803-Seminar in Accounting Theory
- 857-Controllership Managerial Accounting or, 858-Seminar in Managerial Accounting
Spring Semester:
- 831 Seminar in Auditing
- Electives**
*During the senior year, baccalaureate students are required to take Auditing, Federal
Tax I, and a senior level accounting elective selected from Advanced Accounting
or Advanced Managerial Accounting. A maximum of two senior level accounting courses
should be held for Graduate Credit. Complete the form at
http://research.unl.edu/gradstudies/credit/ for these courses.
**At least 20 hours of graduate only courses, of which at least 15 must be earned
in accounting. A minimum of 20 hours of graduate credit (800-900) must be earned
in accounting. Extensive MPA electives are offered in financial accounting., managerial
accounting, auditing, taxation and other subjects.
Increasingly, the business environment requires accountants to understand and apply
legal concepts and lawyers to understand and apply financial analysis.
The MPA - JD program is a joint program offered by the School of Accountancy and
the College of Law that allows the student to understand the concepts and apply
the analytical methods utilized in both professions. By completing these degrees
in a joint program, students gain valuable interdisciplinary insights and are better
prepared to advance their careers in the business world.
The program typically takes four years of full-time course work to complete. This
time period is less than if the two degrees were pursued separately.
Because the program is supervised by both the School of Accountancy and the College
of Law, students must apply to and be admitted by each. Accounting students may
choose to enter the MPA program prior to their admission to the College of Law.
Law College students would typically be admitted to the joint program after completing
their first year at the College of Law.
Scholarships and Fellowships - All full-time MPA students are eligible for
scholarships and fellowships except for students who are known to have a violation
of the Student Code of Conduct (see Graduate Studies Bulletin). Scholarship and
fellowship awards are based on merit but attempts are made to offer as many awards
as possible. In recent years 50 to 100 percent of MPA students have received awards
of $2,500 or more. Awards are distributed automatically by the School of Accountancy
at the beginning of each academic year. There is no application process.
Teaching/Research Assistantships - A limited number of assistantships are
awarded each semester. Students on assistantships are assigned to work with one
or two faculty members to assist them in collecting data for research and/or to
assist in teaching activities (i.e., grade projects, homework and exams; lead recitation
session or reviews for exams; monitor exams; etc.). Compensation is a waiver of
tuition and a cash stipend. Students who are awarded assistantships cannot have
other employment. Students may apply by sending a resume and cover letter expressing
their interest to the Director of the School of Accountancy.
MPA Narrated Presentations
MPA Presentation for Transfer Students (Narration)
MPA Presentation
for UNL Students (Narration)
Office of Graduate Studies - Requirements
- Complete the online
application form
- After you submit your application, you will receive instructions
the next day for the GAMES
application system.
- Application fee of $50.00
Transcripts
Ask each college or university that you have attended to send one official transcript
to:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Graduate Admissions Office
1100 Seaton Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588-0619
Tel: (402) 472-2875
Recommendation for Graduate Admission
Three letters of reference are required and should be submitted through GAMES (Graduate Admission Management
and Evaluation System). At least one letter should be from a professor.
Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)
You should register to take
the GMAT and have the results forwarded to UNL. You should also submit your
scores through GAMES.
International Students should also include:
- TOEFL score (minimum score
of 550 written, 213 computer based or 80 iBT)
Guidelines for international students can be found at
http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/prospective/international.
Deadlines for the MPA Program
| Semester |
U.S. Students |
International Students |
| Fall |
June 15 |
May 15 |
| Spring |
November 15 |
October 15 |
| Summer |
April 15 |
March 15 |
Fellowship Deadline
To be considered for a fellowhip, all MPA application materials must be received
by March 1.
For more information on graduate programs in the College of Business Administration
at the University of Nebraska, go to http://www.cba.unl.edu/programs/
If you would like more information regarding the MPA program in the School of Accountancy,
contact:
