Master of Professional Accounting

Bruce Koch, PhD, MPAC Program Director

The Master of Professional Accounting program at Albers takes a two-pronged approach to accounting education:

• a thorough and rigorous academic program of accounting studies in the classroom, with a strong grounding in computer applications
• a broad mix of voluntary activities outside of the classroom designed to augment development of the student's skills in team work, organization, and communication

The Albers accounting program takes an active role in the placement of accounting students into their chosen profession by general exposure to the profession through student accounting organizations - the Accounting Society and Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting internship program, and formal career counseling and job placement services.

MPAC Program Duration

Part-time MPAC students taking two courses per quarter can complete the program in 2 to 4 years.

Full-time MPAC students taking 4 courses per quarter can complete the program in 1 to 2 years.

Students who have had an equivalent course with a grade of "B" (3.0) or better, may be eligible to waive up to eight fundamental business classes, and six fundamental accounting classes if completed within the past five years with a "B-" (2.7) or better.

MPAC Degree Requirements

from Seattle University's 2013-2014 Graduate Catalog

Minimum credits required for degree: 46-88

The MPAC degree requires 46 graduate credit hours (14 three-credit courses and 1 four-credit course) beyond the undergraduate degree and any of the basic business and accounting prerequisites.

I. Preparatory Course Work

Computer Skills
Business Calculus
Business Communications
Computer Skills and Business Calculus must be completed by the end of the first year in the program.  Business Communications must be completed by the end of the first quarter in the program.

II. Fundamental Business Courses*

*Students with previous comparable course work with a "B" (3.0) or better have the option of waiving these classes based on self-assessment materials regarding their proficiency. Students without previous course work are required to take these classes.  

III. Fundamental Accounting Requirements** 

**Students with previous comparable course work completed in the past 5 years with
a "B-" (2.7) or better have the option of waiving these classes.

IV. Management and Technical Core

V. Other Required Accounting Courses 

VI. General Electives 

With the permission of the chair of the accounting program, students with an undergraduate degree from Seattle University who have taken ACCT 436/539 and/or ACCT 413/533 may waive six credits for the MPAC program, and thus may have 40-88 credits. These courses will satisfy course requirements toward both the undergraduate degree in accounting and the masters in professional accounting.

For information on Learning Goals for this program, click here.