Academics and Curriculum

Elevate your accountancy knowledge at one of the top-performing MPAc programs in the country.

Powerful connections

Through a collaborative learning environment, you will build strong connections with globally ranked professors and motivated students who will know you by name and work with you to meet your educational and professional goals.

"To be a successful accountant, you have to be a dynamic person, a global thinker. Our program is redefining graduate accounting education, and I am enthusiastic about sharing my knowledge and experience with our students, motivating them to learn, understand and ultimately thrive."

— Will Snyder, MPAc Executive Director, UC Davis Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching Award (2018)

Curriculum

A breakdown of your MPAc program

Our STEM-designated MPAc program will equip you with accounting knowledge and skills that are applicable and relevant in virtually any industry, both in the public and private sector, giving unlimited potential and possibilities to your career.

Program prerequisites: 

  • Introduction to Financial Accounting
  • Introduction to Managerial Accounting
  • Business Law
  • Statistics

Program details:

MPAc is a lock-step program. Students must complete 48 units (16 units per quarter) with a minimum 3.0 GPA and pass a comprehensive exam to meet graduation requirements. Students are required to have access to a PC with Windows OS.

2023-24

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter
  • ACC 261 Communications for Professional Accountants
  • ACC 211 Tax Reporting & Analysis
  • ACC 251 Managerial Accounting & Controls
  • ACC 201 Financial Reporting (waivable*)
    • If waived, elective: MGT 469 Machine Learning with Python
  • ACC 271 Accounting Ethics
  • ACC 213 Intermediate Tax Reporting & Analysis
  • ACC 253 Accounting Information & Control Systems
  • ACC 203 Intermediate Financial Reporting (waivable*)
    • If waived, elective: ACC 215 Advanced Tax Reporting & Analysis
  • ACC 243 Auditing & Attestation Services
  • ACC 455 Audit Data Analytics
  • ACC 231 Analysis & Use of Accounting Reports
  • ACC 205 Advanced Financial Reporting

*Waivable with approval of MPAc Graduate Advisor. Students must have completed comparable course with minimum grade requirement.

Notice regarding professional licensure and certification:

The UC Davis MPAc curriculum supports the educational requirements for CPA licensure in the state of California by fulfilling the 24 semester units in "Accounting Subjects", the 20 semester units in “Accounting Study” and, the 10 semester units in “Ethics Study”. Depending upon your undergraduate coursework, you may need to take additional courses outside of the MPAc to fulfill the 24 semester units in "Business-Related Subjects". Students with undergraduate degrees in business, economics, mathematics, computer science, or related areas will most likely have met the "Business-Related Subjects" requirement. To determine how your completed and projected coursework corresponds with the California CPA requirements, please consult the California State Board of Accountancy. 

We are unable to determine if the curriculum meets the educational requirements for any of the remaining U.S. states and jurisdictions. Individuals are recommended to consult the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy to determine examination procedure and licensure requirements outside of California.  

Please note that admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the University of California and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.