Master's Program

Master of Professional
Accountancy

96% Placement Rate and 76% Five-Year Pass Rate

As the field of accounting grows increasingly complex and educational requirements for taking the CPA exam increase, many students are seeking an advanced accounting education. Perhaps that’s your goal, too. With an MPA degree from Nebraska, you will be qualified to sit for the CPA exam and prepared for the workplace you will enter now and in the future. We’ll help you along the way by providing opportunities for financial support and mentorship and classes meant to further develop your technical education and refine your communication and critical thinking skills.

Start Your Application

Fall Start
U.S. Students - Apply by July 1
International Students - April 15

Spring Start
U.S. Students - Apply by December 1
International Students - October 1

Summer Start
U.S. Students - Apply by May 1
International Students - February 1

Review Admission Requirements

Review Admission Process

Admission Requirements

Admission Deadlines

There are several deadlines for admission throughout the year.

Fall - July 1 (U.S. students) and April 15 (international students)
Spring - December 1 (U.S. students) and October 1 (international students)
Summer - May 1 (U.S. students) and February 1 (international students)

Apply early! You can apply to the MPA program in your final year of your undergraduate studies. Once you have completed 4 of the following 5 junior level courses, you are eligible to apply: ACCT 308, ACCT 309, ACCT 312, ACCT 313, and ACCT 314.

Assistantship Deadline

To be considered for an assistantship, all MPA application materials must be received by March 1. If you are given an assistantship, you cannot have other employment. You may apply for an assistantship by sending a resume to the MPA advisor Jina Morris, jmorris7@unl.edu.

School Admission Requirements

To begin, apply online. A typical successful applicant for the MPA program will have:

- Graduate Studies application form
- Two letters of recommendation (at least one from an accounting professor)
- Resume
- One page statement of purpose
- One copy of your official transcript
- Overall GPA and an accounting course GPA of 3.0 or higher
- GMAT entrance exam is waived if you meet the GPA requirement

Your entire file is considered by the admission committee.

GMAT – Graduate Management Admission Test

If submitting a GMAT score you must have the results forwarded to Nebraska (use institution code S40-HW-48).

The recommended GMAT score for admission is 550.

International Students with a degree outside the United States must also include:
- TOEFL score (minimum score of 550 written, 213 computer based or 80 iBT) (use institution code 6877)

The International Student and Scholar Office provides orientation, counseling and advising to international students, and serves as the official liaison between your sponsoring agency and the United States government. Staff members are also available to help you make contacts on campus and in the Lincoln community.

Guidelines for International Students

Admissions Process

Apply

Apply online and submit the $50 application fee.

Apply Online Now

Upload Supporting Documents

All Supporting Documents including unofficial transcripts and test scores are uploaded directly via the graduate application.

You are required to submit an unofficial transcript from each post-secondary institution you have attended during the application review process.

Submit Official Transcripts

If you are admitted, you will be required to submit an official transcript sent directly from each institution you have attended to The Office of Graduate Studies. We recommend that you complete this task before your admitted term begins. A hold will be placed on your account if they do not receive your official transcripts by October 1 for the fall term, February 1 for the spring term and July 1 for the summer term. Students will have until that day to submit official transcripts or your admission will be rescinded.

Transcripts can be sent electronically to graduate@unl.edu or by mail to

University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Graduate Admissions
1100 Seaton Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588-0619

International Student Transcript Submission

If you are an international student, please refer to the Nebraska Office of Graduate Studies for transcript and document information.

International Transcript Information

Additional information on Application Requirements can be found at Graduate Studies website.

Program Financial Assistance

Scholarships are awarded each FALL semester to students admitted to the program that are not awarded a graduate assistant position. Once admitted students are considered for these scholarships based on merit.

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Scholarships are awarded each FALL semester to students admitted to the program that are not awarded a graduate assistant position. Once admitted students are considered for these scholarships based on merit.

60% tuition reduction program for out-of-state domestic students, from $1,275 to $510 a credit hour

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60% tuition reduction program for out-of-state domestic students, from $1,275 to $510 a credit hour

Apply by February 1 to be eligible to apply for a graduate assistantship to work in one of the college's departments for 12 credit hours of tuition reimbursement and a cash stipend. There are a limited number of these positions, and they are awarded to MPA students who completed their undergraduate degree at UNL.

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Apply by February 1 to be eligible to apply for a graduate assistantship to work in one of the college's departments for 12 credit hours of tuition reimbursement and a cash stipend. There are a limited number of these positions, and they are awarded to MPA students who completed their undergraduate degree at UNL.

Watch an informational video recorded by faculty about the
Master of Professional Accountancy

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Increase Your Earning Potential

Earning a graduate degree in accounting increases your earning potential by $22,000 a year (on average) according to a Georgetown University analysis of salary data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Program Paths

BSBA AND MPA Who pursues a degree in BSBA and MPA Program? As an undergraduate accounting student, you may enter the master’s program while in your final year of your undergraduate studies. To qualify, you must have maintained good academic standing with the university and taken the following courses during your undergraduate studies: - ACCT 201/202 (Principles of Accounting) - 6 credit hours - ACCT 313/314 (Intermediate Accounting) - 6 credit hours - ACCT 308 (Managerial Accounting) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 309 (Accounting Systems) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 312 (Individual Tax) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 410 (Auditing) - 3 credit hours What are the MPA Course Requirements? In a typical MPA program, nine hours is considered full-time status. A maximum of 15 hours is permitted in the fall and spring semesters, and a maximum of 12 hours is permitted during the summer sessions. In total, 30 hours are required to earn your MPA. - ACCT 803 (Fall Only) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 804 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 808 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 813, ACCT 815 or ACCT 819 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 831 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 850 (Fall Only) - 3 credit hours - ACCT Electives - 6 credit hours* - ACCT or Business Electives - 6 credit hours* * These courses have to be graduate courses within the College of Business.
MPA Who pursues a degree in the MPA Program? If you are a student who has already earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting or in an area outside of accounting, you can be considered for admission into the MPA program. Before admission, you must take the GMAT exam and complete the following accounting courses. If these courses have not been completed prior, you will take them during your MPA program in addition to the 30 credit hours required to earn your MPA. - ACCT 201/202 (Principles of Accounting) - 6 credit hours - ACCT 313/314 (Intermediate Accounting) - 6 credit hours - ACCT 308 (Managerial Accounting) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 309 (Accounting Systems) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 312 (Individual Tax) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 410 (Auditing) - 3 credit hours What are the MPA Course Requirements? In a typical MPA program, nine hours is considered full-time status. A maximum of 15 hours is permitted in the fall and spring semesters, and a maximum of 12 hours is permitted during the summer sessions. In total, 30 hours are required to earn your MPA. - ACCT 803 (Fall Only) - 3 credit hours - ACCT 804 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 808 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 813, ACCT 815 or ACCT 819 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 831 - 3 credit hours - ACCT 850 (Fall Only) - 3 credit hours - ACCT Electives - 6 credit hours* - ACCT or Business Electives - 6 credit hours* * These courses have to be graduate courses within the College of Business. Apply to the College of Business
JOINT MPA-JD Why pursue a joint degree in MPA AND JD? As the world of business is ever changing, the need for professionals with backgrounds in both accounting and law is rapidly increasing. Retirement and estate planning, internal auditing, corporate accounting and forensic accounting are growing fields, and tax attorneys and FBI tax agents are in high demand. This joint program, offered by the School of Accountancy and the College of Law, combines concepts and analytic methods from both fields. By completing the two degrees in a joint program, you gain valuable interdisciplinary insights and become better prepared to advance your career in the business world. Additionally, the wide breadth of courses prepares you to sit for both the Bar exam and CPA exam. How does the joint MPA-JD program work? The program typically takes four years of full-time course work to complete. This time period is less than if the two degrees were pursued separately. You must complete a total of 87 credit hours at the College of Law and 30 credit hours at the College of Business. Because the program is supervised by both the School of Accountancy and the College of Law, you must apply to and be admitted by both to qualify for the joint program. If you are an accounting student, you may choose to enter the MPA program prior to your admission to the College of Law. If you are a law student, you would typically be admitted to the joint program after completing your first year at the College of Law. Apply to the College of Business Apply to the College of Law

Public Accounting

Accountants may establish or join a firm in which they use a breadth of knowledge to assist clients in their accounting needs.

Interested in public accounting?

Public accounting clients may consist of businesses, individuals, nonprofit organizations or governments. Whether you’re pursuing a career as an auditor, tax accountant, forensic accountant, accounting analyst or another path, we offer specific courses to help you prepare:
- Auditing preparation and review: ACCT 831 and 832
- Tax Planning: ACCT 813, 815, and 819
- Estate Planning: Law School
- Consulting accounting systems, mergers and acquisitions: ACCT 404/804, 409/809, 840

Want to connect with employers?

Many Nebraska accounting graduates have the opportunity to work or intern at top organizations all over the country. Below are some that have previously hired Nebraska graduates:
- Deloitte & Touche, LLP
- KPMG, LLP
- Ernst & Young
- PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
- FORVIS
- Lutz & Company, PC
- McGladrey
- HBE Becker Meyer Love, LLP
- Dana F. Cole & Company
- Seim Johnson, LLP
- Kennedy & Coe
- Hancock & Dana, PC
- McDermott & Miller, PC
- Orizon CPAs, LLC
- Labenz & Associates
- Frankel Zacharia, LLC
- EKS&H Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman, PC
- Koski Professional Group
- Nebraska Society of CPA’s
- Baker Tilly

Benefits

If you choose to pursue an MPA, you’ll open the door to benefits including internship course credit, financial aid, and teaching and research assistantships.

Internships

If you obtain an internship while in the MPA program, you can enroll in an internship course to earn 3 credit hours of coursework towards your MPA degree.

Financial Aid

As a full-time MPA student, you are eligible for scholarships and fellowships. The exception to this is if you are known to have violated the Student Code of Conduct.

Scholarships and fellowship awards are based on merit, but we aim to offer as many awards as possible. In recent years, 50-100 percent of our MPA students have received awards of $1,000 or more. Awards are distributed automatically by the School of Accountancy at the beginning of each academic year. There is no application process.

Current Information on Tuition and Costs

Teaching/Research Assistantships

We award a limited number of assistantships each semester. If you receive an assistantship, you will be assigned to work with one or two faculty members to assist them in collecting data for research and/or to assist in teaching activities (such as grading projects, homework and exams, leading recitation sessions or reviews for exams and monitoring exams).

Compensation is a waiver of 12 credit hours worth of tuition per semester and a cash stipend. If you have been awarded an assistantship, you cannot have other employment.

Apply by sending a resume and cover letter expressing your interest to the Director of the School of Accountancy.

CPA Exam Preparation

We work diligently to provide you with the resources useful to be successful in your graduate education. Our MPA program will equip you with the knowledge necessary to sit for the CPA examination.

For more information on how to prepare for the CPA exam, please refer to the following websites:
- National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
- NASBA Candidate Bulletin
- Nebraska Board of Public Accountancy (NBPA)

STEM Designation

Our Master of Professional Accountancy program is an approved STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Designated Degree Program. Under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, international students who graduate from the program may stay in the United States and receive training through work experience for up to 12 months. They can also remain for an additional 24 months on an OPT STEM extension.

Join the Nebraska Society of CPAs

Accounting students at Nebraska can join the Nebraska Society of CPAs at no cost as a student affiliate.

Join Now

Why Nebraska?

Home to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the city of Lincoln consistently ranks among the highest U.S. cities for livability thanks to a low cost of living, great schools and friendly, community-minded residents. Set amidst a big sky and open landscape, the city is simple to navigate with a nationally noted low crime rate, a wide range of housing choices and a reliable public transit system. As one of the fastest growing metro areas in the Midwest, Lincoln boasts a growing technology sector, more parkland per capita than all but a few U.S. cities, an extensive bike trail network and numerous options for recreational and personal interest activities. It’s easy to feel at home here. We are now offering a 60% MPA tuition reduction program for out-of-state domestic students!

Points of Pride About Lincoln Local Events

Cost of Living Comparison (2018)

	Lincoln	Ann Arbor	Boston	Austin	College Station	Raleigh	Seattle	United States
Overall	96	127	182	130	99	111	204	100
Grocery	92.9	90.7	105.7	88.7	87.5	93.4	100.4	100
Health	120	90	83	92	91	103	82	100
Housing	94	190	314	185	125	139	407	100
Utilities	92	99	117	99	96	99	69	100
Transportation	87	115	152	131	83	100	157	100
Miscellaneous	98	95	129	100	89	98	120	100

Contact

Jina Morris

Associate Professor of Practice in Accountancy and Master of Professional Accountancy Coordinator

HLH 435 F

P.O. Box 880488

Lincoln, NE 68588-0488

402-472-2337

Jmorris7@unl.edu

Master of Professional Accountancy