Frequently Asked Questions
As you prepare your application for the Master of Accounting program, you may have questions very similar to those of other applicants. Below are answers to a list of commonly asked questions.
If your question is not answered below, please contact Carol Plagman at plagman@email.arizona.edu with your application questions.
General Admissions Topics
- Will the MAcc program allow me to meet the Arizona CPA educational requirement?
- What is the typical program length?
- What are the costs associated with the program?
- How long do I have to complete the program?
- Can I transfer graduate coursework I have earned at another university?
- What is the average GPA, GMAT score, work experience, and TOEFL score?
- Is work experience required for admission into the program?
- What form of financial aid does the University of Arizona offer?
- Do I have to reapply to the MAcc program even though I was previously admitted?
- May I take 500 level accounting classes before I am accepted into the Master of Accounting program?
- Are there a minimum number of required credit hours per semester?
Prerequisites
- What prerequisites are necessary to enter the program?
- Do I have to complete the prerequisites before being accepted into the MAcc program?
- Can I take the prerequisites at another school?
- Can I transfer ACCT101 and ACCT 102 from Pima?
- Can I take all of the prerequisites during the summer session?
Application Topics
- Do I have to apply online for both the University of Arizona Graduate College and the Department of Accounting?
- Do I need to re-complete my Domicile Affidavit even though I attended the University of Arizona?
- Can I submit an application that is missing my GMAT score or other information?
- Where do I send my supporting materials (financial guarantee, GMAT...)?
- How do the letters of recommendation work?
- What are the topics of the three short essays?
- What prerequisites are necessary to enter the program?
- Where can I download forms?
International Applicants
- Where may I find information regarding the application process for international students?
- Which English proficiency examinations are accepted?
- Am I required to take the TOEFL?
- If my Bachelor's Degree was from a three-year program then what other requirements are necessary for me to fulfill the four-year Bachelor's Degree requirement?
GMAT
- What is the GMAT? How do I take it?
- Is the GMAT required for all applicants?
- Is there a minimum GMAT score requirement?
- Can I take the GMAT more than once?
- How long are my GMAT scores valid?
General Admissions Topics
Will the MAcc program allow me to meet the Arizona CPA educational requirement?
Yes, the Master of Accounting program will give you the opportunity to earn the 36 credits of accounting required to meet the CPA educational requirement in Arizona. Please see the Arizona State Board of Accountancy for more information.
What is the typical program length?
The Master of Accounting program is a 30 unit program (not including pre-requisites, if applicable), with no less than 18 units of accounting. Therefore, if a student that already completed the pre-requisites were to take 15 units per semester (as most do), the program length would be one year.
What are the costs associated with the program?
The estimated costs of the program will vary depending on how many semesters a student plans to be enrolled, how many units per semester the student is planning to take, and whether the student is an in-state, out-of-state, or international student. For an estimated cost of attendance (please note, tuition will be different than that presented on this webpage), please click here. For additional information on specific tuition fees for the Master of Accounting program, please visit the Bursar Office for a breakdown of the MAcc program fees.
How long do I have to complete the program?
All requirements for a graduate certificate must be completed within 4 years. Time-to-degree begins with the earliest coursework to be applied toward the degree including any credits transferred from other institutions. Work more than 4 years old is not accepted toward meeting certificate requirements.
Can I transfer graduate coursework I have earned at another university?
The MAcc program allows transferred graduate coursework. However, there are number of restrictions:
- Coursework taken more than two years prior to admission cannot be transferred
- Not more than 6 credits may transfer
- The transferred coursework must have a grade of A or B
- Correspondence courses or extension work from other institutions will not be accepted for graduate credit
What is the average GPA, GMAT score, work experience, and TOEFL score?
You may learn more about applicants accepted in prior semesters by visiting the Class Profiles page.
Is work experience required for admission into the program?
Work experience, accounting-related or otherwise, is not required to be considered for admission.
What form of financial aid does the University of Arizona offer?
Please see the scholarship page for information about different financial aid offered by the University of Arizona.
For international students, United States government backed loans are not available and the Accounting Department typically does not offer financial aid to international students.
Do I have to reapply to the MAcc program even though I was previously admitted?
Even though you were accepted into our program earlier, you must reapply to get into the program unless you discussed this issue with the appropriate personnel and worked something out.
May I take 500 level accounting classes before I am admitted to the Master of Accounting program?
Unfortunately, only Master of Accounting students may take graduate level accounting courses. Non-degree seeking graduate students may not take 500 level accounting classes (including pre-requisites)
Are there a minimum number of required credit hours per semester?
Students may enroll in a minimum of 3 units, unless they are holding teaching or research assistantships/associateships, in which case the minimum enrollment is 6 units. For more information regarding minimum enrollment, click here.
According to the International Student Programs and Services Department, you need to take a minimum of 9 credit hours (as a graduate student) to maintain your full time F1 status. If you need an exemption, you may view a list of possible exemptions for full-time enrollment here.
Prerequisites
What prerequisites are necessary to enter the program?
Please see the Requirements web page for the list of the five required prerequisites courses. Graduate Tuition rates will apply for all 500 level classes. Tuition rates for Acct 200 and Acct 210 will be determined based on your choice of enrollment.
Do I have to complete the prerequisites before being accepted into the MAcc program?
No, you may still be admitted into the program as a provisional student if you have not completed the prerequisite courses.
Can I take the prerequisites at another school?
Prerequisites may be satisfied by taking comparable courses at an acceptable accredited institution. Please visit the Eller Undergraduates Program's webpage for information about transferring credits and transfer course evaluation.
Can I transfer ACCT101 and ACCT 102 from Pima?
Yes, ACCT101 and ACCT102 at Pima is equivalent to ACCT 200 and ACCT 210 at U of A, respectively. Students are strongly encouraged to complete at least ACCT 210 at U of A.
Can I take all of the prerequisites during the summer session?
You will not be able to take all the prerequisites for the program in the summer. You are encouraged to take what you can though, especially ACCT 200 and ACCT 210.
Application Topics
Do I have to apply online for both the University of Arizona Graduate College and the Department of Accounting?
Yes. Please see the Apply Now webpage for the links for the online applications.
Do I need to re-complete my Domicile Affidavit even though I attended the U of A?
Even if you were classified as an Arizona resident during your undergraduate career at the University of Arizona, you are required to submit a Domicile Affidavit to the Graduate College to ensure that you receive resident tuition rates for graduate school. Download the form here.
Can I submit an application that is missing my GMAT score or other information?
For matters, such as not taking the GMAT or not having information available, you may submit an incomplete application. Please note that even though your application has been submitted, you will still be responsible for getting the incomplete information to the Masters of Accounting Program Coordinators as soon as it becomes available.
Where do I send my supporting materials (financial guarantee, GMAT...)?
Graduate College
- Financial guarantee (international applicants). Click here for more information.
- Domicile Affidavit (Arizona residents only)
All supporting material to be sent to the graduate college may be mailed to:
University of Arizona
Graduate College Admissions
Administration 322
PO Box 210066
Tucson, AZ 85721-0066
Department of Accounting
- Transcripts from all universities attended for college credit (this includes University of Arizona transcripts if applicable)
Official transcripts from all universities attended for college credit (including transcripts from the University of Arizona, if applicable) should be mailed to:
Master of Accounting Program Coordinator
Department of Accounting
McClelland Hall 301
University of Arizona
PO Box 210108
Tucson, AZ 85721-0108
If you are admitted to the Master of Accounting program, the Accounting Department will forward your transcripts to the Graduate College.
- TOEFL (please refer to the Admission Information by Home Country to see if the TOEFL is required)
- GMAT score
- 2 letters of recommendation*
- 3 short essays*
- Resume*
*The letters of recommendation, essays, and resume are submitted online when completing the department specific MAcc application.
How do the letters of recommendation work?
When completing the online application for the Department of Accounting, you need to include at least two reference writers (Step 7).
For each reference writer, you will be asked to input their personal information, phone number, email and address. You will then be able to access the reference forms with instructions for the letters of reference to give to each writer. You will have the option to have your reference writer submit their recommendation online or you may print the reference form and have your reference writer mail it in. Free form letters accompanying the reference form are also acceptable.
What are the topics of the three short essays?
When completing the online application for the Department of Accounting, you will be asked to submit three separate essays answering department specific questions as part of your application (Step 8).
The three required essay questions are as follows:
- Why are you pursuing a degree in accounting at this time?
- What are your career objectives as they relate to graduate study in accounting?
- What information would be helpful to the admissions committee in considering your application for admission?
Essays should be about 250 words each. There is no specific format for these essays, but rather the Admission's Committee is simply interested in knowing a little more about you.
What pre-requisites are necessary to enter the program?
Please see the Requirements web page for the list of the five required pre-requisites courses. Graduate Tuition rates will apply for all 500 level classes. Tuition rates for Acct 200 and Acct 210 will be determined based on your choice of enrollment.
On the graduate college website, there is a central location for a majority of the forms necessary once you are in the program and a few others that you may need before you enter. These forms can be accessed at http://grad.arizona.edu/current-students/forms.
On this page, you will find both forms that can be accessed without logging in and others that require you to log in with your UA Net ID.
International Applicants
Where may I find information regarding the application process for international students?
Information for international applications may be found here.
Which English proficiency examinations are accepted?
All international applicants must submit their TOEFL score (please refer to the Admission Information by Home Country to see if the TOEFL is required) to the Department of Accounting. You will select to forward your TOEFL score when you complete the exam.
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination can be submitted in lieu of the TOEFL. The minimum IELTS score requirement for admissions consideration is a score of 7, with a score of no less than 6 on any individual module.
In the case of both the TOEFL and the IELTS, test scores must be dated within two years of the date of enrollment.
Also, in the case of both the TOEFL and the IELTS, a student's official scores will be sent directly to The University of Arizona if you request it on your application form. For TOEFL, you are asked to enter the The University of Arizona institution code which is 4832. The IELTS requires that you include the university's address:
Graduate Admissions
Administration Bldg. Room 322
P.O. Box 210066
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.
Please visit the Graduate College Proficiency in English page for more information regarding TOEFL and IELTS exams.
Requirements for entrance are listed below:
- International applicants must have a Paper-Based TOEFL score of at least 600 (CBT 250, iBT 100)
- Test scores must not be more than 2 years old
For a comparison of how the iBT scores compare to the CBT and Paper-Based TOEFL exams, please click here.
Am I required to take the TOEFL?
This will depend upon the student’s home country and if the student qualifies for an exemption. Please click here to see if the TOEFL is required. Please click here to see if you qualify for an exemption from the TOEFL.
If my Bachelor's Degree was from a three-year program then what other requirements are necessary for me to fulfill the four-year Bachelor's Degree requirement?
In cases where a 3 year degree is held, then the student must hold either a 2 year Master's degree or a 1 year Post-Graduate Diploma in the same field as the Bachelor's degree.
As long as the Post-Graduate Diploma received is from an accredited university/institution, there is no requirement as to how it was administered (i.e. nights/weekends/correspondence, etc.)
Any further evaluation would require that the student submit an application.
GMAT
What is the GMAT? How do I take it?
The following is directly from the GMAC website:
The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) examination is a standardized test designed to measure basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that have been developed over a long period of time through education and work. It does NOT measure—
- knowledge of business
- job skills
- specific content in undergraduate or first university course work
- subjective qualities such as motivation, creativity, and interpersonal skills
- abilities in any other specific subject area
To learn more or set up an exam appointment, please visit http://www.gmac.com.
Is the GMAT required for all applicants?
Yes, the GMAT is required for everyone. There are no alternatives, such as classes or any sort of paperwork that may defer this necessity. You may not substitute a GRE or LSAT score. You also may not substitute work experience, credentials (CPA, etc) or any other consideration in lieu of the GMAT.
A suggestion would be to take a review course for the GMAT or to use GMAT exam prep material, which may be offered online, on CD, or in text book form.
Is there a minimum GMAT score requirement?
We do not have a minimum requirement for the GMAT as applications are weighed as a whole. If you would like to see how your GMAT score compares to the scores of those who were accepted into the program in prior semesters, please see the Class Profiles.
Can I take the GMAT more than once?
If you didn't score as well as you liked on the GMAT, we highly encourage that you take it again. Applicants who take the GMAT more than once are not looked down upon or graded negatively. Also, we accept your highest GMAT score so if you don't feel like you did your best the first time, it can only be to your benefit to retake the GMAT.
How long are my GMAT scores valid?
GMAT scores, even if high enough, are only valid for a period of 5 years after your test date. If it has been more than five years, you must retake the GMAT and receive an appropriate score to enter the MAcc program.
For more information, please contact us.
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