Master in Professional Accounting Admissions Blog

Insider Information for Prospective Texas McCombs MPA Students

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Peek into the Classroom: Financial Statement Analysis

As a student in the MPA program, you can take many interesting and challenging classes that will help prepare you for a successful future in accounting. One such class is Financial Statement Analysis taught by Dr. Patrick Badolato. This case-based course is unique in that it moves away from mechanical calculations and towards critical thinking by using an array of financial information to understand past performance and form predictions for the future. It involves interdisciplinary discussions that dig into the “why” behind the data. In class, students holistically use ratios, financial statements, footnotes, and other information to tackle perspectives such as: What business reasons and strategies drive performance?

This class provides a lifetime of value for students in the MPA program and highlights the many ways accounting is valuable in the business world. Learn more about Financial Statement Analysis from Professor Badolato and an MPA student in this video!

Want to learn more about Professor Badolato, the classes he teaches, and why he loves accounting? Watch the video below!

Does this class sound interesting to you? If you are exploring a future in accounting and want to know more about how the MPA program can help you reach your career goals, attend an info session or meet with admissions.

Peek into the Classroom: Corporate Tax

As a student in the MPA program, you can take many interesting and challenging classes that will help prepare you for a successful future in accounting. One such class is Corporate Tax. A fundamental aspect of all financial transactions is the tax cost of the transaction. Understanding how businesses and individuals are taxed is crucial for accounting professionals. Corporate Tax, focusing on the taxation of C corporations and their shareholders, is taught by Professor Donna Johnston-Blair, an MPA student favorite.

In Corporate Tax, students learn about the life cycle of a corporation from a tax perspective. The class starts with the tax consequences of incorporation. The next step in a C corp’s tax life cycle is the calculation of a corporation’s taxable income (students even practice preparing a corporate tax return). Professor Johnston-Blair also explores various strategies that C corps and their shareholders can employ to minimize their tax burden, including deferring income, accelerating deductions, and taking advantage of tax credits.

In the second part of the course, the focus shifts to the tax consequences of corporate distributions and then, the corporation’s end (aka, liquidation). These transactions create unique tax consequences for a corporate shareholders. Understanding these consequences can set an accounting professional apart from their peers.

While learning the corporate tax rules, students also explore ethical and professional issues that arise for tax professionals related to tax evasion, tax avoidance and tax fraud.

“Donna brings everything I learned in tax together. She’s always available inside and outside the class and provides thorough explanations and constructive advice. She is the most charming and lively professor I can ever ask for! My MPA experience would not be the same without her!”
– Letitia Wu, MPA Student

Corporate Tax provides MPA student with a comprehensive understanding of taxation of C corps. Professor Johnston-Blair encourages class discussion and incorporates real-life examples to help students understand both the complexities and the nuances of C corp taxation.

Taxation of Entities 1 Class

Taxation of Entities 1 Professor Johnston-Blair in action!

Does this class sound interesting to you? If you are exploring a future in accounting and want to know more about how the MPA program can help you reach your career goals, attend an info session or meet with admissions.

REGISTER: Accounting ++ “?” Webinar

This spring, the Texas McCombs MPA Program has been hosting the “Accounting++” series, to introduce students to various careers in which accounting knowledge is valued. At each event, we highlight a career path that benefits from having a master’s degree in accounting (MPA). Our final event is titled Accounting ++ “?”. If you are thinking of choosing a major or applying to the MPA program, register now to hear from accountants with diverse backgrounds working in a variety of areas to get your questions answered.

Event Details:
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
5:30 – 6:30 pm CT

Register Now!

Meet the Panelists!

BillBill Fan
Tax Analyst, SpaceX

SpaceX designs and builds its reusable rockets and spacecraft. Their goal is to reduce space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. Bill works in their tax function to ensure that SpaceX is both meeting its tax reporting and compliance obligations and operating in a tax-efficient manner.

 

VirginiaVirgina Hoskins
Director, Department of Physics, UT Austin

The Physics Department at UT is an internationally recognized research college and ranks highly in the National Research Council surveys of doctoral programs in the US. Virginia’s work ensures that the Department can meet its current and aspirational goals, by stewarding its financial processes.

 

NikkiNikki Ellis
Tax Manager, Deloitte

Deloitte provides tax compliance and consulting services to public and private companies. Digitization, ESG, and workforce mobility fundamentally affect the taxes companies pay and make this an interesting and challenging area of work. Tax professionals are their client’s strategic advisors. They work to assess their client’s tax obligations accurately and efficiently, ensuring that they are well served and that governments have the resources to meet their operating needs.

 

CedricCedric Kudowor
Senior, Accounting & Reporting Advisory, Deloitte

Deloitte provides audit and assurance services to help organizations ensure that their businesses operate efficiently and profitably, following applicable governing standards. Auditors, by verifying and testing the information in financial and other regulated reporting, enhance the trust placed in the financial markets and, in so doing, help a multi-trillion dollar capital market system function with greater confidence.

 

JohnJohn Strother
Senior Consultant, Modeling Advisory, Deloitte

Deloitte’s valuation and modeling services teams work with clients to better forecast and analyze various data points to better understand risks facing their businesses, to reduce costs, and to accurately price acquisitions and sales. Their clients include public and private companies in industries such as private equity, real estate, manufacturing, and technology.

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including nearly 90 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies.

A Master in Professional Accounting Degree = More Opportunities

It can be a challenge to design the best plan for your future. If you’re into numbers and the stories they tell, you may find that the Texas McCombs Master in Professional Accounting (MPA) degree program is a smart choice. Here’s why we think you should take a closer look:

An MPA degree makes you attractive to top organizations.

Accounting is the lifeblood of virtually every company in every industry. Organizations need accountants to track finances, predict future transactions, and evaluate performance. Without highly qualified accountants, businesses have a hard time growing or even surviving. A graduate from the top-ranked Texas McCombs MPA program will be in demand for years to come.

The MPA degree gives you the luxury of choice.

With an MPA degree from Texas McCombs, you’ll have a variety of roles to choose from in areas such as public accounting, industry, consulting, finance and government. Here are some examples of positions your MPA degree could help you secure:

  • Internal Auditor—the employee that’s indispensable to senior leadership and the board of directors. As an internal auditor, you investigate and report, giving leadership key information for important decision-making.
  • Staff Accountant—this role holds more credentials and trains for higher-level tasks than a general accountant. As a staff accountant, you’ll soon advance to more senior positions and management roles.
  • Controller—this powerful management role oversees all accounting employees and processes.
  • Restructuring Consultant—this role points the way when making major business decisions. Restructuring consultants make financial projections and cash forecasts. They also analyze financial data, perform financial reporting, and conduct data mining and research.
  • Tax Consultant—this role helps keep businesses safely legal with tax-related issues, including compliance and regulations, and determining taxes owed.
  • Risk and Financial Advisor—this is another role that informs big decisions. As a risk and financial advisor, you would help organizations reduce or wisely manage their financial risk.

Wondering how well the MPA Class of 2022 is doing?

98% of the MPA Class of 2022 received job offers within three months of graduation!

What’s the next step in planning your future?

This may just be the beginning of your research. If you want to know more about how the MPA program can help you reach your career goals, attend an info session or meet with admissions.

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

Would you prefer to see the UT campus first-hand? Submit our in-person visit form at least two weeks in advance, and we will customize a 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!

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.

AICPA Legacy Scholarships: Apply Now!

If you are seeking scholarship opportunities for the Texas McCombs MPA program, be sure to check your eligibility to apply for an AICPA Legacy Scholarship. The scholarships have a March 15 application deadline and are limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Scholarships include (but are not limited to):

  • The John L. Carey Scholarship provides financial assistance to liberal arts and non-business undergraduate degree holders who are pursuing both graduate studies in accounting and CPA licensure.
  • The AICPA Scholarship for Minority Accounting Students provides financial awards to full-time minority students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in accounting or an accounting-related major.
  • The AICPA Foundation Scholarship for Future CPAs provides financial assistance to undergraduate or graduate degree students interested in pursuing the CPA license after graduation.
  • The AWSCPA Scholarship provides financial assistance to outstanding female students majoring in accounting or an accounting-related field.

We encourage you to apply and check for other scholarships through the national scholarship search.

REGISTER: Meet Current MPA Students and Alumni on November 16

Hear from current Master in Professional Accounting students and alumni at our virtual panel on Wednesday, November 16 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT! MPA students and alumni 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 Texas McCombs. Plus, you’ll have the chance to ask the panelists questions!

Register Now

Event Details:
Wednesday, November 16
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. CT
Virtual – Zoom

Meet the Panelists!

Yadira Avitia

Yadira Avitia  |  Current MPA
Undergrad: Psychology, University of North Texas

Yadira grew up in Fort Worth, Texas and received a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of North Texas. She decided to earn a graduate degree in accounting from Texas McCombs to master the language of business. She strives to service businesses within various industries who are working to make this world a better place.

 

Christine CockerellChristine Cockerell  |  MPA ’17
Senior Financial Analyst at Toyota North America

Christine earned her undergraduate degree in finance/accounting from American University and earned her MPA at UT Austin. She is interested in financial advisory services, particularly in the airline, automotive, and real estate sectors. She was born and raised in Texas and is a private pilot and avid golfer.

 

David O'NeilDavid O’Neil  |  MPA ’15
Senior Associate at Crescent Cove Capital

David earned both his bachelor’s and master’s in accounting from UT Austin. He focused his studies in financial accounting, as well as volunteered as a tax preparer through the Tax Practicum course. His passions include corporate finance, new technologies, and investing.

 

Eric WenEric (Junqi) Wen  |  Current MPA
Undergrad: Accounting, UT Austin

Eric grew up in China and went to high school in Sugar Land, Texas. He is a current student studying in the Master in Professional Accounting Program. Upon graduation, Eric will be working as a strategy analyst at Accenture in Chicago, Illinois.

 

Three Steps to Better Investing

Advice on selecting mutual funds, listening to CEOs, and considering climate change, courtesy of Texas McCombs research, including our very own accounting professor Jeff Hales.

Better Investing
If you’re looking to make better investment decisions, it’s a good idea to listen to the experts. And who’s more of an expert than a business researcher who studies investing and the stock market.

With that in mind, consider applying these practical research findings from Texas McCombs to your investments:

Seek low taxes on mutual funds. A study by finance professor Clemens Sialm showed that funds with lower tax burdens had higher-than-average returns. That’s why Sialm urges fund shoppers to look beyond past performance and check out taxes as well. “You have to dig deeper in the prospectus, but the information is there,” he says. Research websites such as Morningstar can help. They list the taxable distributions along with the performance of a fund.

Bet on big-talking CEOs. When executives use extreme language on quarterly earnings calls — words such as “astonishing,” “incredible,” and “exceptional” — it can benefit capital markets, according to research from accounting professor Jeff Hales. For executives who speak in superlatives, their words can produce a stronger reaction in stock prices, increased trading volume, and adjusted analyst forecasts. CEO language can even foreshadow a company’s future earnings.

Read the entire article on Big Ideas.

Introducing Mduduzi Mugoba, tMPA Class of 2019

Duzi is a traditional Master in Professional Accounting student who is graduating this May. Let’s learn a bit more about him and his time here at Texas McCombs.

Name: Mduduzi “Duzi” Mugoba

Where did you grow up? Zimbabwe

Where did you earn your undergraduate degree? Florida International University

What is your undergraduate degree in? Accounting

Why did you decide to come to the MPA program at Texas McCombs?
It is the best accounting program in the country so couldn’t turn down the offer to come to school here! Also, Texas McCombs is in a great city like Austin with so many cool and fun things to do outside of school. So I would say I chose the program for its prestige and for its location.

What is your MPA academic track? Financial Reporting and Assurance

Why did you decide to become an MPA student ambassador?
The MPA program has given me access to amazing opportunities professionally and socially so would love to give back in any way I can.

What has been one of your favorite classes so far and why?
Well, it’s so hard to choose one particular class because I have loved them all! I will say each professor is so different in their teaching styles and how they present information; it is a fun experience navigating all these different styles. I do have a two classes I just have to mention… The first being Professor Badolato’s Financial Statement Analysis (ACC 380K) course, which was high-paced and intense with so much information coming your way. I loved it because it was perhaps my most challenging class in that involved learning in a very different way compared to anything I had ever experienced before. I learned so much about Financial Statement Analysis (and about myself) which was awesome! My other favorite is Investment Theory (FIN 397) with Professor Brown. The information is so relevant and something I will apply to my life in future. The big takeaway from the class (at least for me) is the investment opportunities available if one is interested in passive investment and personal finance management. The class itself is also challenging but that is a common theme for most classes in the MPA program.

What are your plans after you graduate?
I was offered (and accepted) a full-time position at EY and will be working in Houston in their assurance practice. I start in the fall, so while I wait on my start date I plan on taking at least two parts of the CPA exam and enjoying some Texas sun. I am also a fan of the cold drinks that go with the nice, hot summer weather. 🙂

Can you tell us more about the MPA intramural soccer teams you have played on?
Oh yes! It was something that myself, Jeff Chen, and Tyler Wilford were thinking about when the spring semester started. In fact, we just wanted to play some form of intramural sport. Then I ran into Ray Lee (our Team Captain) at a Diversity and Inclusion talk, and he mentioned that he was trying to organize a team to play soccer but couldn’t find enough people. So we exchanged numbers, then I gave Ray Jeff and Tyler’s numbers and they went on to create the team (so all the credit of starting the team should go to me because I had all the contacts haha). But in all seriousness, it was just a way for us to get together as MPAs and do something outside of class. It turned out great because we have a couple of people who have played soccer before, so we were able to be competitive and make it to the playoffs for the men’s league (which we lost under dubious circumstances), but now we have a co-ed team with more MPAs and hopefully more success!

Anything else you’d like to share?
I would say that as important as the classes are, I have enjoyed meeting different people more than anything. The MPA program is very challenging and one can get extremely busy, but I think the most value I have received from the program is meeting new people and actually making meaningful connections outside of the conventional “networking.” It’s important to keep that in mind for anyone looking to join the MPA program.

 

Mighty MPA Soccer

The Mighty MPAs smile for a team photo with Steve Smith, Senior Director of the MPA program. Duzi Mugoba is pictured in the bottom row, third from the left.

AICPA Announces 2018 Elijah Watt Sells Award Winners

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) named the 110 recipients of the 2018 Elijah Watt Sells Award on Thursday, April 11, and the Texas McCombs MPA program has three winners:

  • Natalie Gilbert (BBA ’17, MPA ’18) who is currently employed with PwC in Houston, Texas
  • Laura “Elise” Jones (BBA ’17, MPA ’18) who is currently employed with KPMG in Dallas, Texas
  • Minjae Kim (BHP and BBA ’17, MPA ’18) who is currently employed with Analysis Group in Dallas, Texas

This award recognizes those who scored a cumulative average score above 95.50 across all four sections of the CPA exam, passed all four sections of the exam on their first attempt, and completed their testing in 2018. Over 86,000 individuals sat for the CPA exam in 2018.

78% of Texas McCombs students who took the CPA exam in 2018 passed all four sections; this compares to a 52% pass rate among all over Texas colleges and universities.

Congratulations to Natalie, Elise, and Minjae, as well as the other 107 winners — it’s an tremendous accomplishment to receive this award!

See a list of all the winners here.

The Elijah Watt Sells Award was established in 1923 to honor one of the country’s first CPAs, Elijah Watt Sells. He was a founding partner of Haskins & Sells (a predecessor to Deloitte) and one of the first practicing CPAs in New York. He also served on the AICPA governing council and helped turn the AICPA into what it is today.

Elijah Watt Sells Award

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