Administrative Unit
This degree is administered by the Office of Graduate Studies through the faculty of the School of Business.
Objectives
The Master of Professional Accountancy degree program is designed:
1. To provide students with both the academic preparation and the 150 hours required for accountants who are Uniform CPA Exam candidates
2. To provide an entry into the accounting profession for students with an undergraduate degree in business or another field of study, and
3. To provide current professionals with advanced theory and technique of accounting.
Admission Requirements
The Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program admits students who have completed a baccalaureate degree in accounting, business or any other undergraduate field and students who are currently pursuing a BBA in accounting at UTPB. Admission is based on an accounting GPA of at least 3.0 and a combination of the undergraduate GPA and GMAT Score:
Entrance Status Score = (GPA X 200) + GMAT.
*GMAT requirement may be waived for applicants with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25 and above or a GPA of 3.25 and above in the last 60 hours in the undergraduate degree, from an accredited university. Students who are granted the GMAT waiver will be required to submit two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from an immediate supervisor or instructor that can testify to the applicant’s professional experience.
Regular Admission Status
- Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
- GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours
- An accounting GPA of at least 3.0
- *GMAT scores at average percentile or better
- ENTRANCE SCORE: ES = (GPA X 200) + GMAT): above 1120
Conditional Admission Status
- Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
- GPA below 3.0 – 2.5 in the last 60 credit hours
- GMAT scores at average percentile or better
- ENTRANCE SCORE: ES = (GPA X 200) + GMAT): at least 1000
- OTHER EVIDENCE: At least one of the following:
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Professional experience and/or awards
Students lacking academic business or accounting prerequisites or with a deficiency in their accounting GPA may be granted conditional status subject to the completion of the leveling coursework and/or achievement of the required GPA in undergraduate accounting courses. Conditional admission will normally be changed to regular status upon successful completion of pre-professional leveling courses including an accounting GPA of 3.0 in the pre-professional courses.
Admission for UTPB undergraduate accounting students:
Currently enrolled undergraduate students at UTPB majoring in Accountancy may qualify for admission into the Dual Degree Program in Professional Accountancy described in the UTPB Undergraduate Catalog.
Admission for baccalaureate degree holders:
The Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program is open to all students holding baccalaureate degrees from accredited colleges or universities and meeting the following provisions: satisfactory performance during the last two undergraduate years (or other evidence predicting success in graduate study), and a satisfactory score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Students without an academic background in accounting must demonstrate their knowledge in accounting by completing 15 - 18 hours of accounting course work. Students without an academic background in business must demonstrate their knowledge of the basic fields of business by completing leveling course work in the foundation disciplines that include statistics, economics, management, and marketing. Students who have not completed the equivalent of six semester hours of undergraduate mathematics including exposure to differential and integral calculus may be advised to complete mathematics preparation to the level of MATH 1325 or its equivalent.
Non-degree Students in Graduate Accountancy
Non-degree students may take up to six credit hours of graduate business courses to meet certification requirements and continuing professional or personal development. Non-degree students must meet the general School of Business requirement of a 3.0 undergraduate GPA or demonstrate equivalent potential for success in graduate business studies. Non-degree students may register for MBA or MPA online courses only during late registration, on a space-available basis, to give priority to degree-seeking students.