MPA Admissions Blog

Insider Information for Prospective Texas McCombs Students

Category: MPA Program Info (page 1 of 14)

Meet Current Student Josh Tarplin

Josh Tarplin

From the Chem Lab to the Photo Studio to PwC
Josh Tarplin, MPA candidate ’24, on finding his passion for auditing

Accounting wasn’t on Josh Tarplin’s radar as a career until he started running his own business, a photography studio he ultimately ran in the U.K. Before that, he was on track to becoming a chemical engineer — as a teen he worked on research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Tarplin talks about his circuitous path to accounting, why it’s now his ideal career, and what he’s learned during his time in the traditional Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) program.

Q: You started in science, then started your own creative business. How did that come about?

A: I took a lot of science classes in high school, worked at the NIH doing research, and came to Yale as a chemical engineering major. But in college, I also took a photography class, and I really fell in love with it. So, I double majored in fine art focused on photography and the history of art, with a focus on visual theory. My plan was to work as a fine artist, like a hermit in the studio — that was the dream. I started in fashion photography, a mix of the commercial and the creative, and I opened my own studio in Los Angeles, working with Instagram brands and then companies.

Q: When did it first occur to you that accounting was an important subject to study?

A: With my photography business, I started working in London more than in L.A., and that’s where I first discovered accounting. I’d never known an accountant besides the nice woman who prepared my taxes. In running my studio, I didn’t have financial records. I didn’t know how to account for my expenses. So, I started giving myself an online education in accounting, and I really fell in love with it. It’s so different from art, but it supports any other endeavor you’re trying to pursue. Accounting is a really good framework, and whatever you’re doing — from operating Apple to designing and printing your own T-shirts — you have to have this knowledge to be able to function on your own in a commercial world, and also to protect yourself.

Q: What has your experience in the MPA program been like?

A: I’m loving it. It’s a discipline that’s internally consistent, which is very rare. But at the same time, there’s so much creativity and room for exploration. The classes I’ve found the most interesting have involved discussions of the issues between regulators and companies. The Accounting faculty are really interested in teaching what’s going on in the actual standards or in the actual internal revenue code. It’s introducing an idea from a textbook and then giving the inside scoop as to how it functions. I’m so happy that I found something that I love as much as I love making art.

Q: Are you still doing photography?

A: I’d much rather give someone a photograph they love than have it hang in a gallery and then get sold to someone I’ve never met. I see art as a weekend activity now. I’m excited to be fully in the world of accounting.

Q: What’s your plan for after you graduate?

A: I’ll be working at PwC in Houston. I really love auditing — I love seeing the forest through the trees of the numbers. I think that comes from my art history visual theory background. Numbers on a page symbolize this whole world of a company.

I’m interested in being exposed to different companies and the investigatory aspect, to investigate and find (or not find) fraud. It’s the idea that auditors are the guardians of the capital markets.

Q: What would you say to students thinking about studying accounting at McCombs?

A: It’s the best program in the country, the world really. It’s not just the ranking that drew me, but it’s who’s teaching here: the best talent for both teaching and research. The program offers a holistic experience in learning accounting that you can take in so many different directions. You can explore anything. The program is a one-year ticket to know how to do anything you want to do in the world that involves people trusting you with money — which is really everything.

 

REGISTER: MPA Faculty Panel

The Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) program at Texas McCombs has world-renowned faculty that teach a wide variety of accounting courses and infuse the curriculum with cutting-edge ideas. Learn more by joining us for our virtual Faculty Panel!

The faculty panelists will provide an inside look at the MPA program’s curriculum, share details about the courses they teach, and discuss how earning an MPA degree from UT Austin will set you up for success in the workforce.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Event Details:

  • Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024
  • Time: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT
  • Location: Virtual Event (Link will be provided upon registration)

Register Now!

 

Meet the Faculty Panelists

Megan Allen

Megan Allen
Financial Accounting
Tax

Megan has prepared hundreds of tax returns for individuals, corporations, S corporations, partnerships, trusts, and estates. She has reconciled bookkeeping and bank accounts for businesses and has represented clients before the IRS.

 

Daniel Fannin

Daniel Fannin
Managerial Accounting
Financial Accounting

Daniel is a certified fraud examiner, a certified anti-money-laundering specialist, a state-licensed private investigator, and a CPA. He has extensive experience analyzing financial records, interviewing witnesses, and testifying in court.

 

Zach Kowaleski

Zach Kowaleski 
Auditing and Assurance 

Zach studies the effect of the institutional setting on behavior using the audit and broker-dealer settings. His work has been published in the Journal of Accounting Research, the Journal of Accounting and Economics, and the Journal of Financial Economics

REGISTER: Join the March 20 Information Session!

Join our upcoming virtual information session to learn more about the Master in Professional Accounting program! You’ll hear about the MPA admissions process, MPA curriculum, career outcomes, and life in Austin.

REGISTER: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 – 5:00 PM CT

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Jasmin Blas-Mendieta

Jasmin Blas-Mendieta, MPA Senior Recruiting and Admissions Officer.

 

REGISTER: MPA Current Student and Alumni Panel

Are you considering a career in accounting and looking to learn more about the Master in Professional Accounting program at Texas McCombs? Join us virtually on February 22 to hear from current MPA students and alumni! They will discuss why they chose to study accounting, as well as detail their experiences in the program, including their favorites classes, recruiting and networking opportunities, and life at McCombs. Plus, you’ll have the chance to ask the panelists questions!

Thursday, February 22, 2024
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT
Virtual – Zoom

REGISTER NOW

Visit the Texas McCombs MPA Program…in person or virtually!

If you’re interested in exploring the Texas McCombs MPA program and would like to visit us here in Austin or from afar, we have several options for you!

In Person Visits

Are you interested in seeing the UT campus first-hand? Submit our in-person visit form at least two weeks in advance, and we will customize an MPA visit schedule based on your preferences.  Meet with MPA admissions, academic and career staff, take a tour of McCombs with a current student, walk around the Forty Acres, and more!

Prefer to explore on your own? Pull up the UT interactive campus map and McCombs building maps and follow the self-guided tour as you walk around the business school.

Virtual Visits

Are you unable to visit Austin in person? View a virtual tour of Texas McCombs and take a virtual stroll around the University of Texas at Austin to see what makes us a premiere destination. Reach out to an admissions ambassador to set up a Zoom call or attend a virtual panel to learn more about the student experience.

Learn more about the McCombs School of Business, Master in Professional Accounting program, and living in Austin by visiting our website.

REGISTER: Join the February 14 Information Session!

Join our upcoming virtual information session to learn more about the Master in Professional Accounting program! You’ll hear about the MPA admissions process, MPA curriculum, career outcomes, and life in Austin.

REGISTER: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 – 5:00 PM CT

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Jasmin Blas-Mendieta

Jasmin Blas-Mendieta, MPA Senior Recruiting and Admissions Officer.

 

REGISTER: Join the January 18 MPA Information Session!

Join our upcoming virtual information session to learn more about the Master in Professional Accounting program! You’ll hear about the MPA admissions process and how to make your application stand out, details about the MPA curriculum, career outcomes, and life in Austin.

REGISTER: THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 – 5:00 PM CT

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Jasmin Blas-Mendieta

Jasmin Blas-Mendieta, MPA Senior Recruiting and Admissions Officer.

 

Sustainability and Accounting at UT Austin

Originally published in the Accounting Times newsletter.

Professor Jeff Hales heads Texas McCombs recently created Global Sustainability Leadership Institute (GSLI). We asked him about these efforts as well as what sustainability means for accounting.

TELL US ABOUT GSLI AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT.

The GSLI is an institute housed in McCombs and in partnership with the Moody College of Communication is dedicated to addressing the critical sustainability challenges of the 21st century through research, education, and industry collaboration. The roots of the GSLI started from student interest in programs and curricula that would help them understand how business activities intersect with society and the environment. That demand was initially met through an initiative that began back in 2017, which fellow accounting professor, Steve Limberg, helped to oversee. With help of a generous donation, we were able to launch the GSLI in the fall of 2021.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE INSTITUTE WILL ACCOMPLISH?

By leveraging the expertise of our faculty and corporate partners, my hope is that the Institute will play an integral role in UT’s mission by helping to develop the next generation of business leaders and changemakers. Businesses need to be resilient and adaptive and we need our students to be ready for the challenges and opportunities that will create for them in their future careers.

HOW ARE YOU INCORPORATING GSLI’S WORK INTO OUR TEXAS
McCOMBS CLASSROOMS?

I have recently developed two accounting electives related to sustainability. The first, Corporate Sustainability, is a graduate level course for MPA and MBA students that focuses on sustainability disclosure standards, rules, and regulation. The second, Global Business Sustainability, is one of the core courses in the GSLI’s new Global Sustainability Minor, which is a 17-hour minor open to undergraduates across campus. I teach both through the lens of accounting.

WHY IS SUSTAINABILITY IMPORTANT TO STUDENTS STUDYING
ACCOUNTING?

Lots of reasons! With increasing demand for companies to adopt sustainable practices and report on their sustainability performance, accountants will need to have the skills and knowledge to measure and report on the sustainability metrics that companies will be expected to disclose. More generally, to truly understand a company’s sustainability issues, you have to know more about what the company actually does to make money. Tech companies, food retailers, and pharmaceuticals all have revenues, but the ways in which they generate those revenues are very different and so are associated with very different sustainability challenges. Sustainability accounting forces students to make closer and deeper connections between the financial performance of a company and the operational activities that drove that performance. But the most important reason for bringing sustainability into our curriculum is students today are genuinely interested in knowing more about how businesses affect our broader society and our planet.

Interested in learning more about Jeffrey Hales and his Corporate Sustainability course at UT Austin? Read Accounting for a Better Future 

Register: MPA Info Session on November 29

Are you interested in earning your master’s degree in accounting from The University of Texas at Austin? Join us virtually at the Texas McCombs Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) virtual info session on Wednesday, November 29 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT!

Our one-year traditional MPA is open to both UT and non-UT students who will have earned a bachelor’s degree (in any academic discipline) before starting the MPA program. At the MPA info session, you will meet Jasmin Blas-Mendieta, the Senior Admissions and Recruiting Officer for the MPA program. She will detail the curriculum you will learn in the program, career outcomes and opportunities, how to apply, and answer any questions you have.

Register Today!

Master in Professional Accounting Info Session
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT
Virtual – Zoom

MPA Does Tailgating, Texas-Style!

Earning a Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) degree is a significant step towards a rewarding career, but the UT experience is more than just the education. The MPA program at the University of Texas at Austin goes beyond the numbers, providing an unparalleled student experience that sets it apart from other programs across the country.

The MPA program takes pride in fostering a vibrant and inclusive community through a series of on-campus events and programs. The MPA program recently hosted a tailgate event at the October 28th game against BYU, where the Longhorns secured a victory of 35-6!

Students gathered to enjoy free food, engage in lively conversations, and participate in the festivities before the Longhorns hit the gridiron. It’s more than just a pre-game ritual; it’s a chance to unwind, connect with peers, and soak in the lively atmosphere that Austin is renowned for.

For those with tickets, the experience didn’t end at the tailgate. Students had the opportunity to go into Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium. Those without tickets continued the camaraderie as they watched the game with friends outside the stadium, cheering on the Longhorns and creating lasting memories.

If you’re seeking a program that goes beyond traditional education and offers a vibrant community and exciting opportunities, the MPA program at Texas McCombs is the perfect fit. Joining the MPA program means more than just preparing for a successful career; it means becoming a part of the rich tapestry of the Longhorn family, where every day is an opportunity to learn, grow, and create lasting memories.

Learn more about the MPA program and discover why there’s no better place to earn your master’s than at the University of Texas at Austin by attending an info session.

10/28 Tailgate:

tailgate

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