Master of Accountancy

Master of Accountancy

The accountancy program at Rocky Mountain College is designed to prepare students for careers in public, governmental, not-for-profit, or industrial accounting. The program is designed to allow students to build on skills and knowledge developed through undergraduate coursework to become skilled, entry-level professional accountants upon graduation. The curriculum is based on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) core competencies and prepares students to sit for the certified public accountant exam. In its entirety, the program is comprised of both undergraduate and graduate study, which leads, ultimately, to the Master of Accountancy degree.

Students who enter the accountancy program as baccalaureate degree holders from an institution other than Rocky Mountain College must meet only the master's of accountancy requirements and will graduate only with the Master of Accountancy degree. These students should consult with their academic advisor to ensure that, in total, their academic preparation makes them eligible for the CPA exam. Depending upon the student's academic background, additional courses may be necessary to become eligible for the CPA exam.

Why RMC For Accountancy?

The accountancy program at Rocky Mountain College strives to prepare graduates for careers as accountants in public accounting, private industry, and government by enabling graduates to:

• Develop technical competence;
• Recognize the role of the accountant in an organization;
• Behave in accordance with accepted professional ethical standards and principles; and
• Create value for organizations and society at-large.

An accounting education from Rocky Mountain College provides a unique and challenging experience. Like all programs at RMC, the accounting program is grounded in the liberal arts, and you will graduate from RMC as a wholly educated person, rather than an individual who has been trained only in a specific field. Our internship program will, however, provide you with valuable hands-on experience in accounting, and rest assured, that the accounting curriculum will prepare you well for the world of work. At RMC, the combination of the liberal arts and professional preparation really does provide the best of both worlds.

Curriculum

The accountancy program consists of three distinct options: an undergraduate degree in managerial accounting, a 3:2 program consisting of a business management major followed by the master's of accountancy, and a stand-alone master's of accountancy. Students interested in obtaining licensure as a certified public accountant (CPA) should pursue one of the master's of accountancy options. The 3:2 program is designed for those students who do not already have an undergraduate degree, and the stand-alone accountancy program is for those applicants who already have an undergraduate degree in a field other than accounting.

The master's of accountancy courses are offered in a four-semester sequence, which makes the program ideal for first-time freshman and undergraduate transfers. Students should have no trouble completing the requirements for the master's of accountancy, provided that they have identified accounting as their intended field of study by the beginning of their junior year.

For those students interested in careers outside public accounting, the managerial accounting major is an ideal way to obtain an accounting education with an internal management perspective. Upon completing the major, students are qualified to sit for the certified management accountant exam.

Can't decide which type of accounting degree you would prefer? Well, that is no problem because the courses required in the two options are the same until the beginning of your senior year. You do not have to decide right now which option is right for you.

Traditional Graduate Admission

Students who enter the accountancy program as baccalaureate degree holders from an institution other than Rocky Mountain College must meet only the master's of accountancy requirements and will graduate only with the Master of Accountancy degree. These students should consult with their academic advisor to ensure that, in total, their academic preparation makes them eligible for the CPA exam. Depending upon the student's academic background, additional courses may be necessary to become eligible for the CPA exam. Applicants for the program who possess undergraduate degrees will be considered for admission based on the following:

• Possession of an earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The candidate’s major field of study must be a field other than accounting.
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or above.
• Completion of the following eight prerequisite courses (the cumulative GPA for the courses must be 3.00 or above):

1. ACC 210: Foundations of Accounting (or equivalent)
2. ACC 351: Intermediate Accounting I (or equivalent)
3. ACC 352: Intermediate Accounting II (or equivalent)
4. BSA 311: Principles of Finance (or equivalent)
5. ECO 205: Principles of Economics (or equivalent)
6. MAT 210: Probability and Statistics (or equivalent)
7. ACC 323: Taxation of Individuals (or equivalent)
8. ACC 309: Managerial Accounting (or equivalent)