Master of Accounting
- Mission Statment
The School of Accounting & Taxation creates a synergy between accounting, business, and economic theory and
contemporary practice to prepare working professionals and full-time students for careers in a global, culturally diverse,
information-driven economy.Three principles are central to our mission:
- Education – The first, and foremost, is fostering learning through excellent teaching, individual attention, and scholarship, which develops, assesses, and disseminates good practice.
- Research – The second is the application of theory to practice through applied research and scholarship, and the utilization of applied research to further learning in the classroom and through co-curricular activities.
- Community – The third is advancing contemporary practice and creating learning opportunities by contributing to the accounting profession and to business and the community.
- Student Learning Outcomes
- Certificate (Not Applicable)
- Associate Degree (Not Applicable)
- Graduate Degree
At the end of their study in the School of Accounting and Taxation, Master of Accounting students will:
- Be effective researchers and communicators.
- Will understand standards, laws, and regulations applicable to professional accounting.
- Be ethically aware.
- Be analytical thinkers.
- Be globally informed.
- Certificate (Not Applicable)
- Curriculum Grid
- Program and Contact Information
An accounting professional in today's environment must possess a high level of technical competence, a sense of commitment to service, communication skills, analytical skills, and the ability to work well with people. To obtain the required body of knowledge and to develop the skills and abilities needed to be successful accounting professionals, serious consideration must be given to study beyond a four-year baccalaureate program. The Master of Accounting (MACC) Program provides an additional year of training for the professional accountant. In addition, the MACC satisfies the requirements of the Utah Certified Public Accountant Licensing Act for those wishing to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination. It gives the students an opportunity to increase the depth of their understanding in key areas and allows a broadening of perspective by providing course work in a variety of areas that cannot be considered in an undergraduate program due to time constraints.
Contact Information:Dr. James Hansen
Weber State University
3803 University Circle
Ogden, UT 84408
Wattis Business Bldg, Rm 259
(801) 626-6433
- Assessment Plan
The latest guidance from AACSB suggests an AoL program that measures student performance less frequently while focusing more efforts on meaningful closing the loop activities. The School of Accounting and Taxation has adjusted our AoL schedule accordingly. We last collected direct measures of student performance in Spring 2020. We will collect again in Spring 2022. In the interim, we are implementing closing the loop activities (curricular changes) that we hope will result in improved student performance across our learning objectives.
Moving forward, we will collect direct measures of student performance and identify closing the loop activities in Spring 2020. We will implement closing the loop activities during Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Fall 2021, and assess the effectiveness of closing the loop activities in Spring 2022. The cycle will then begin again.
The School of Accounting and Taxation collects indirect measures of student performance in addition to direct, outcome-based measures of student achievement. The department meets regularly with our Advisory Board. Board members provide feedback regarding our curriculum, including suggestions for potential improvements based on ongoing changes in the accounting profession. Additionally, our graduating students complete an exit survey. Students answer questions addessing the degree to which they feel they’ve met the learning objectives identified in our curriculum map. The Master of Accounting faculty discuss these indirect measures during department meetings to identify possible curriculum improvements.
- Assessment Report Submissions
- 2021-2022
1) Review and comment on the trend of minority students enrolling in your classes (particularly lower-division, GEN Ed) and in your programs.
Fifty-eight percent of Master of Accounting and Master of Taxation students identified their ethnicity as “White” during the 2020-2021 academic year. The percentage of White students has consistently been around 60% since 2011-2012. Seven percent of students identified their ethnicity as “Latinx” during the 2020-2021 academic year. Over the last several years, the percentage of Latinx students has been around 5%. The percentage of Latinx students has grown since 2011-2012 when only 1% of students identified as Latinx.
The Goddard School has made a commitment to building a community that values equity, diversity, and inclusion (https://weber.edu/goddard/DEI.html). The faculty of the School of Accounting and Taxation are active participants in these efforts. Additionally, our faculty regularly attend recruiting events at local high schools in an effort to increase enrollment of minority students in our programs.
2) What support (from enrollment services, advising, first-year transition office, access & diversity, etc.) do you need to help you recruit and retain students?The Master of Accounting program is well supported by the program’s administrative specialist and by the marketing manager for the Goddard School.
3) We have invited you to re-think your program assessment. What strategies are you considering? What support or help would you like?The latest guidance from AACSB suggests an AoL program that measures student performance less frequently while focusing more efforts on meaningful closing the loop activities. The School of Accounting and Taxation has adjusted our AoL schedule accordingly. We last collected direct measures of student performance in Spring 2020. We will collect again in Spring 2022. In the interim, we are implementing closing the loop activities (curricular changes) that we hope will result in improved student performance across our learning objectives.
The School of Accounting and Taxation collects indirect measures of student performance in addition to direct, outcome-based measures of student achievement. The department meets regularly with our Advisory Board. Board members provide feedback regarding our curriculum, including suggestions for potential improvements based on ongoing changes in the accounting profession. Additionally, our graduating students complete an exit survey. Students answer questions addressing the degree to which they feel they’ve met the learning objectives identified in our curriculum map. The accounting faculty discuss these indirect measures during department meetings to identify possible curriculum improvements.
4) Finally, we are supporting our Concurrent Enrollment accreditation process. Does your program offer concurrent enrollment classes? If so, have you been able to submit the information requested from the Concurrent Enrollment office? Staff from OIE will reach out to you in the next few months to assist in finalizing that data submission as well as gather information for concurrent Gen Ed assessment.Our program does not offer concurrent enrollment classes.
The full report is available for viewing.
- 2019-2022
1) First year student success is critical to WSU’s retention and graduation efforts. We are interested in finding out how departments support their first-year students. Do you have mechanisms and processes in place to identify, meet with, and support first-year students? Please provide a brief narrative focusing on your program’s support of new students:
- Any first-year students taking courses in your program(s).
- N/A for the Master of Accounting program.
- Students declared in your program(s), whether or not they are taking courses in your program(s)
- N/A for the Master of Accounting program.
2) A key component of sound assessment practice is the process of ‘closing the loop’ – that is, following up on changes implemented as a response to your assessment findings, to determine the impact of those changes/innovations. It is also an aspect of assessment on which we need to improve, as suggested in our NWCCU mid-cycle report. Please describe the processes your program has in place to ‘close the loop’.
- The School of Accounting and Taxation discusses the Assurance of Learning process at least annually during faculty meetings. The department emphasizes that assessment should not be course-based assessment, but rather curriculum-based assessment. If students are not meeting the expectations established in the Assurance of Learning program, the department reviews a curriculum map to review where concepts are introduced, reinforced, and applied. A closing the loop activity might be necessary in the course that collects the data for the assessment point, but closing the loop activities might also be necessary in other courses to improve success at the assessment point. The department reviews its entire curriculum to determine appropriate closing the loop activities and when these activities should be introduced.
The full report is available for viewing.
- Any first-year students taking courses in your program(s).
- 2017
1) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?
- During the past four years, several new members have joined the faculty. Last year and continuing this year, we have started reviewing learning outcomes and changed faculty assignments for assessment based on this faculty change. We are continuing to work to have a greater portion of the faculty involved in assessment. Revisions will be on going.
2) We are interested in better understanding how departments/programs assess their graduating seniors. Please provide a short narrative describing the practices/curriculum in place for your department/program. Please include both direct and indirect measures employed.
- Besides the methods mentioned above, the major way that we assess students graduating from the Master of Accounting program is through the certified public Accountant (CPA) Exam. We are able to track how are students are doing on the CPA exam following graduation. We also give our graduating seniors a survey. One of the questions deals with employment upon graduation. This is an indirect way to measure whether the students have learned the material taught in the program and whether an external source (the employer )values and rewards the students learning by offering them a job.
The full report is available for viewing.
- 2016
1) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?
- During the past four years, several new members have joined the faculty. We have starting reviewing learning outcomes and changed faculty assignments for assessment based on this faculty change. We will now work to have a greater portion of the faculty involved in assessment. Revisions will be on going.
2) We are interested in better understanding how departments/programs assess their graduating seniors. Please provide a short narrative describing the practices/curriculum in place for your department/program. Please include both direct and indirect measures employed.
- Besides the methods mentioned above, the major way that we assess students graduating from the Master of Accounting program is through the certified public Accountant (CPA) Exam. We are able to track how are students are doing on the CPA exam following graduation. We also give our graduating seniors a survey. One of the questions deals with employment upon graduation. This is an indirect way to measure whether the students have learned the material taught in the program and whether an external source (the employer)values and rewards the students learning by offering them a job.
The full report is available for viewing.
- 2015
1) Reflecting on this year’s assessment(s), how does the evidence of student learning impact your faculty’s confidence in the program being reviewed; how does that analysis change when compared with previous assessment evidence?
- No response.
2) With whom did you share the results of the year’s assessment efforts?
- No response.
3) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?
- No response.
The full report is available for viewing.
- 2014
1) Reflecting on this year’s assessment(s), how does the evidence of student learning impact your faculty’s confidence in the program being reviewed; how does that analysis change when compared with previous assessment evidence?
- There is room for improvement towards the achievement of learning outcomes. Though this year’s round demonstrates the need to reevaluate learning outcomes and ownership requirements. During the course of the next year, learning outcomes will be revised and ownership will be spread more broadly across the MAcc curriculum.
2) With whom did you share the results of the year’s assessment efforts?- The Accounting Department Chair, the MTAX Program Director, and all outcome owners are provided with assurance of learning information.
3. Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?- While there is always room for improvement, current assessment data indicates largely successful learning outcomes.
The full report is available for viewing. - 2013
1) Reflecting on this year’s assessment(s), how does the evidence of student learning impact your faculty’s confidence in
the program being reviewed; how does that analysis change when compared with previous assessment evidence?- No response.
2) With whom did you share the results of the year’s assessment efforts?- No response.
3) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?- No response.
To view the full report select this link: Master of Accounting 2012/13 Annual Assessment Report
- 2021-2022
- Program Review