As MPAs, we have some room in our courses for electives. I’ve been lucky to have a little more space in my schedule due to some previous coursework, which I’ve used to take several classes that are predominantly taken by MBAs.

It’s been a really nice experience. There are some classes that are in both of our plans, but to be in a class where one is the only MPA can really illuminate the cultural difference between the two programs and the students in the programs.

As accountants, we’re pretty attenuated to a certain kind of work. Auditing and tax, after all, are about bearing down on the data and mining out the information we need. Even managerial accounting is largely about financial data analysis. As a result, we often hear from guest speakers, presentations, or career services that our “soft” social skills need to be nurtured so they don’t get lost developing technical expertise.

The nice thing about taking MBA classes is that these students are all about these skills. It was a real test of my comfort zones walking into an MBA class, New Venture Creation, last semester, and even this semester, I still have some adjustment when I enter into either of my entrepreneurship classes this semester. There’s a different energy in those classes. In our accounting classes, we are all working towards a single solution, but that solution doesn’t necessarily exist in an MBA class where we’re analyzing a business plan. Students in these classes are more willing to speak out, and lectures are frequently more of a dialog than a lesson.

It’s a nice opportunity at McCombs to have access to these great courses. An MPA can leave UT with a fantastic knowledge of accounting, but UT also has a top ranked MBA program, too. I love being able to make use of those classes while I’m here, and think that they’re a great way to leave as a more well rounded student.

Why is it so hard to audit the books of a textile manufacturer?

Because everything is material.