Master of Accountancy, MAc

This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.

The Master of Accountancy (MAc) is a nonthesis program. Coursework focuses on the conceptual and economic foundations of accounting with applications to current and emerging problems of professional practice. MAc students also have the opportunity to acquire expertise in one of four subprogram areas: financial accounting and auditing, business analytics, taxation, and managerial accounting.

Graduate students in accounting are subject to the probation and dismissal rules of the Graduate College and are governed by the Iowa MBA program and master’s honor code.

Learning Outcomes

The MAc program develops and enhances accounting skills with a particular focus on research, analysis, interpretation, and the use of technology while emphasizing the problem-solving and communications skills necessary for professional success.

To develop these skills, students should be able to:

  • identify a problem in an unstructured setting;
  • consider the goals of the decision-maker(s), identify an appropriate solution methodology, and develop possible decision options;
  • know how to obtain, assess, and organize information to evaluate the decision options;
  • utilize the appropriate data analytics, management tools, and information technologies to evaluate options;
  • include qualitative issues—strategic, social, and ethical—when picking the option to execute; and
  • communicate the solution in an effective manner.