Message to Prospective MPAc Applicants
From the Desk of Michael Moore, Professor of Accounting
Currently, the educational requirements in order to become a certified public accountant (CPA) in most states in the U.S. require a baccalaureate degree, a specified number of units in accounting and business and 30 semester units of additional studies for a total of 150 semester hours (225 quarter hours). Effective for years after 2013, California will join these other states with the 150 semester-hour (or 225 quarter-hour) requirement. The additional educational requirements are best satisfied in a graduate program.
With a launch date of fall 2012, the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program at UCR is designed to meet the growing needs for the additional educational requirements in California and other jurisdictions and to concurrently enhance professional competency.
The one-year (48 quarter-unit) program will prepare prospective CPAs with the technical knowledge; judgment, evidential reasoning, ethical and interpersonal skills; and executive presence that are the key to a quality accounting and auditing education. These are the standards we developed in our “2020” accounting education project and are the standards we strive to instill in our students. Students in the program will study advanced topics in accounting and taxation, but the major focus of the program is auditing and assurance services, one of the “spires of excellence” being built by AGSM.
As a student in the MPAc Program, you will have the distinction of:
- attending a program that emphasizes the knowledge and skills needed to conduct financial statement audits and to provide assurance services on critical social information such as environmental reports and health quality information.
- learning from internationally recognized scholars and practitioners in accounting, taxation, auditing and assurance with countless years of experience teaching in graduate programs.
- working with knowledgeable and dedicated staff during the application process and throughout your program, including career services.
We would be happy to further discuss the advantages of being an MPAc student. Please email us at mpac@ucr.edu or call the program office at (951) 827-6200.
I look forward to hearing from you and receiving your application in the near future.
Michael Moore
Professor of Accounting