Accounting (Graduate)

Faculty

Alan Blankley, Chair, Professor
Cynthia F. Lohrke, Professor
James P. Reburn, Professor
William H. Belski, Associate Professor
Brandi L. Holley, Assistant Professor
Michelle R. Newberry, Assistant Professor
Cameron C. Pearce, Instructor

Graduate Programs and Requirements

Degree
Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.)

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program
Professional Accountancy Program (B.S.B.A./M.Acc.)

Joint Degree Pathway Programs
Master of Accountancy/Juris Doctor (M.Acc./J.D.)
Master of Accountancy/Master of Business Administration (M.Acc./M.B.A.)
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The Department of Accounting offers the master of accountancy (M.Acc.) degree.

The department also offers a special accelerated bachelor-to-graduate pathway program, leading to a B.S.B.A. in accounting initially, but ultimately to a master of accountancy (M.Acc.). This program is only available to students enrolled as undergraduates pursuing a B.S.B.A. in accounting at Samford and is designed to allow students to earn both the B.S.B.A. and M.Acc. degrees upon completion of 150 credits.

At the graduate level, the department offers several joint degree pathway programs in cooperation with other Samford schools/departments: a M.Acc. combined with a juris doctor (J.D.) and a M.Acc. combined with the master of business management (M.B.A.). Some credit sharing is allowed and overall credits of the combined programs are reduced.

Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.)

Admission Requirements

Academic ability is evaluated on the basis of undergraduate and graduate academic records, scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE), recommendations, and academic recognition. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution prior to enrolling in the program.

The candidate will be considered for admission to the Brock School of Business graduate program(s) upon submission of the following required materials:

Completion of online application. Personal email addresses should be used in application.
$35 application fee. This non-refundable fee is payable by credit card and is waived for Samford alumni and for current Samford students, faculty, or staff.
Receipt of official transcript(s) showing a completed undergraduate degree.
Receipt of official GMAT or GRE score from testing agency, if GPA is below 3.00.
Professional résumé.

Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants are informed of the application decision by email. Once a student is admitted to the program, he/she has an individual advising session and orientation with a graduate program advisor.

Visit http://www.samford.edu/business/ for the online application link.

International Applicants

An international candidate will be considered for admission to the Brock School of Business graduate program(s) upon submission of the following required materials:

Completion of online application. Personal email addresses should be used in the application. If working with a recruiter, applicants should list the recruiter’s email address on the application. By listing an international recruiter’s email address on the application, the student authorizes Samford to release information related to admission and the visa application process to that agency.
$35 application fee. This non-refundable fee is payable by credit card and is waived for Samford alumni and for current Samford students, faculty, or staff.
Official transcript(s) from all accredited higher education institutions attended. Transcripts are considered official only when they bear the issuing institution’s seal and arrive with the seal intact. Transcripts can be sent electronically to gradbusi@samford.edu or by mail. A transcript evaluation from a NACES approved evaluation agency is required for applicants with a degree from a non-U.S. institution. WES is the recommended evaluation agency.
Professional résumé.
Personal statement. The essay should describe the three experiences that have been most significant in shaping the applicants future personal and career goals and explain how obtaining a business degree at the Brock School of Business will assist in reaching their goals.
Official TOEFL or IELTS scores. International applicants must score at least a 90 on the TOEFL or 6.5 on the IELTS to be eligible for admission. Official scores should be sent directly to Brock School of Business from the testing agency.
Financial affidavit: After admission, students will receive an email from Jennifer Beck, International Student Coordinator, with detailed information regarding how to complete the financial affidavit. Financial documents verifying sufficient financial support in U.S. dollars must accompany the completed financial affidavit. The completed affidavit and financial support documents will be uploaded to the application status page.
International student identification. A copy of the applicant’s passport (and visa if applicable) must be uploaded to the application status page.

Additional information can be found at the following link: https://www.samford.edu/business/international-applicant

Transfer Credit

Graduate students are permitted to transfer up to 6 credits for the M.Acc. from an accredited college or university. The student must have earned a B (3.00) or better in the course in order for credits to be eligible. Credits earned 10 years from date of application are ineligible for transfer. Transfer credits will be evaluated for applicability to the graduate program.

Exemptions

M.Acc. Course Exemptions: Exemptions from ACCT 510 , ACCT 515 , and ACCT 540 may be awarded if the student took an equivalent undergraduate course at an AACSB institution, with a grade of B (3.0) or better. Exempted courses do not count towards the 30 required graduate accounting credits.

Transient Credit

A graduate student may take up to 6 graduate credits at another AACSB accredited institution as a transient student. Professional accountancy majors may take up to 3 graduate credits as a transient student. These credits count toward the maximum of 6 allowed transfer credits. A student must be in good academic standing with a 3.00 GPA or higher. A student must earn a B (3.00) or better in the course to be eligible for transfer. The transient grades are not included in the Samford GPA.

Progression Policies

Students must maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA or higher throughout their tenure in the program. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below a 3.00 GPA, then the student will be placed on academic probation. The student must improve his/her GPA in the next semester. If the student fails to raise his/her GPA in the next semester, the student will be terminated from the program.

The status of good standing is required for transient work, adding a concentration, and graduation.

The minimum grade in a graduate class is a C-. If a student earns a D, he/she must repeat the course in the next term offering.

If a student earns an F in any M.Acc. course (except ACCT 511 , ECON 512 , and FINC 514 ), then the student may be terminated from the program.

Time-to-Degree Completion Plan

The M.Acc. is typically completed in one year, but students are allowed seven years to complete the program

Programs

Master

Accountancy (M.Acc.)

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program

Professional Accountancy Program (B.S.B.A./M.Acc.)

Courses

Accounting