Curriculum at a Glance
Immersive curriculum. World-class faculty. Exam prep. Paid internship.
The Vanderbilt MAcc Assurance course work prepares you to successfully launch your career in public accounting. This full-time, intense one-year program begins in August and ends the following summer after the completion of the Becker CPA Review Course and CPA exam. Courses taken with MBA and MS Finance students maximize interaction and learning throughout the program—and build your network of connections as you progress through your career. Learn more about licensure and certification information here.
Entering students pursuing this degree need to have demonstrated strong academic performance in prior university studies. You must have completed introductory courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, statistics, and microeconomics from an accredited school, with a grade of B or better. For more information on admissions criteria, click here.
Vanderbilt’s Master of Accountancy degree is specifically designed to meet the needs of non-accounting majors; however, students from all academic disciplines will find value in the curriculum. It requires strong communication and analytical skills as well as the ability to work in teams.
Degree candidates must successfully complete 37 hours of coursework to graduate. The academic calendar at Owen is based on the module (mod) system. Each mod consists of 7 weeks, and 2 mods equal one semester.
Summer
Mod 0
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Business Ethics in Accounting | 1 |
Fall
Mod 1
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Engagement Communication | 1 |
Managerial Finance | 2 |
Financial Reporting l | 2 |
Audit Institutions and Processes | 2 |
Evaluating Information Systems | 1 |
Accounting Analytics | 2 |
Immersion Week
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Advanced Audit Topics | 2 |
Mod 2
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Managerial Economics | 2 |
Financial Reporting ll | 2 |
Taxation of Business and Investment Transactions | 2 |
Research in Financial Reporting | 2 |
Data and Analytics in Business | 2 |
Spring
Mod 3
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Audit Internship or Electives | 6 |
Mod 4
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Advanced Cost Accounting | 2 |
Managerial Strategy and Analysis | 2 |
Advanced Financial Reporting | 2 |
Federal Taxation of Business Entities | 2 |
Introduction to Law and Business | 2 |
Commencement
Summer
CPA Prep
Course | Credits |
---|---|
Becker CPA Review Course and Uniform CPA Exam | 0 |
Curriculum and course information is updated annually and is subject to change.
Benefit from CPA Exam Prep
In just 12 months, earn a Vanderbilt MAcc degree, take the CPA exam, and launch your career at a BIG 4. CPA exam prep is built into the program, and you’ll benefit from one of the highest CPA pass Rates in the U.S.
In just 12 months, earn a Vanderbilt MAcc degree, take the CPA exam, and launch your career at a BIG 4. CPA exam prep is built into the program, and you’ll benefit from one of the highest CPA pass Rates in the U.S.
By the numbers
The average first-time CPA exam pass rate (5-year average)—among the highest for top Master of Accountancy programs.
Learn Through Immersion
Paid Internship
Expand your knowledge of accounting by applying your education to "real-world" experience through a paid internship with a global accounting and professional services firm.
Meet Your Team
One year to
an accounting career
From world-class faculty to paid internships, consistently high CPA pass rates, and exceptional outcomes, the Vanderbilt MAcc degree provides unique opportunities to help you successfully launch your career.
FAQ
Program Information
No. We accept applications for fall entrance only.
No, the MAcc program is designed to be a full-time, one-year intensive program with a structured curriculum and partner firm recruitment process.
Vanderbilt MAcc students prepare and sit for the CPA exam using the Becker CPA Review Course. The Vanderbilt MAcc program has partnered with Becker, and students take classes on campus between graduation and the start of full-time employment. Standard industry practice is for new incoming associates to start work full-time in September. It is expected that students will sit for the CPA exam concurrent with the Becker course. Partner firms pay for the cost of the Becker CPA review once a full-time job is accepted. If the student's cost is not covered by his/her employer, or he/she has not accepted a full-time position, the student is responsible for the cost of the Becker CPA review.
We work closely with NASBA CPAES and the Tennessee State Board to ensure that our program meets the educational requirements for licensure in the state of Tennessee.
No. On-campus housing is limited to undergraduate students. For more information, please visit Vanderbilt University's web-based Off-Campus Housing Service. Additionally, The Broadview at Vanderbilt is a new community available to graduate and professional students located just steps from campus in the heart of midtown. Students who live close to Vanderbilt generally walk or bike to campus. Most students have cars, but this is a personal decision.
Classes begin in early August. Orientation is required for all incoming students and typically begins 2 weeks before classes. The MAcc program has a structured curriculum and partner firm recruitment process, as you can see by viewing our academic and recruiting calendar here.
Owen's active student body offers a number of opportunities to get involved outside of the classroom, and MAcc students will have access to all professional and social clubs
Admissions Information
No. Most top business schools do not accept transfer students or transfer credits.
The fee is $100 for each new application or reapplication for the Vanderbilt MAcc program. You will be asked to pay the fee by credit card after you submit your application.
Students entering the MAcc program need to have demonstrated strong academic performance in prior university studies. Students must have completed introductory courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, statistics and microeconomics from an accredited school, with a grade of B or better. However, many students are admitted to the program before these requirements are met. Any additional prerequisites will be determined on an individual basis, as some students may need to develop core competencies prior to the start of the program.
We have admitted international students with very strong English language skills and require that students have lived or studied in the U.S. We require all our students to have strong communication skills, analytical aptitude, and the ability to work in a team environment with a variety of people. Therefore, we will intensely evaluate you on these skill sets during the application process.
The majority of our students apply for the Vanderbilt MAcc program directly out of an undergraduate program, but about 12 percent of each class comes into the program with one to three years of full-time work experience. We welcome both. When we evaluate your application, we consider all full-time work, military experience, part-time work, internships, co-op assignments, summer jobs, volunteer work, and campus involvement/leadership.
No. We seek students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Diversity in all forms—academic, professional, cultural, ethnic, gender, geographic, socioeconomic, and so on—is an important component of the Vanderbilt MAcc experience. In terms of academic background, we encourage students from diverse disciplines to apply. The majority of our students come from liberal arts backgrounds—we've had students with undergraduate majors in music, art history, biology, languages, economics, and so on. We also have had students from undergraduate business and engineering programs.
Though our program is more specifically designed for non-accounting majors, students from any educational background may apply. The Admissions Committee will evaluate each applicant on an individual basis. Our program is designed specifically around the auditing track of a professional services firm. Success in the profession requires a strong knowledge of accounting but also requires strong communication skills, analytical aptitude, and the ability to work in a team environment with a variety of people. Consequently, the Vanderbilt MAcc program is designed to help you develop your communication, analytical, and teamwork skills in a business environment. You will also be interacting with MBA students in some of your classes and will apply what you have learned in an internship with one of the top public accounting firms.