The Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program is open to any student who has earned a four-year undergraduate degree, or the equivalent, in any discipline, from an accredited institution. 

For accounting students in the WSB, or accounting students from other UW-intuitions, who have been identified as candidates for admission to the Master of Accountancy program during their undergraduate studies, the application for graduate school will be open from September 1 – October 15 during the last year of their undergraduate program.

For all other students interested in pursuing the MAcc degree, there will be a rolling admissions process throughout the year to accommodate both fall and spring term enrollments.

Fall Enrollment

  • 12/15: Application opens
  • 6/30: Application closes
  • 8/1: Final day to accept admission and pay deposit

Spring Enrollment:

  • 9/1: Application opens
  • 11/30: Application closes
  • 12/15: Final day to accept admission and pay deposit

Applicants are not required to have previous full-time work experience.  Application requirements include:

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Undergraduate transcripts
  • Resume
  • Essays
  • GMAT score (WSB GMAT code: 79K-2S-23)
  • TOEFL/IELTS score for non-native English speakers (institution code 1846)

Transcripts

It is not necessary to send official transcripts at the date of application.  Applicants will be asked to upload an electronic transcript into the online application system.  Applicants later admitted to the program will be asked to send their official (final) transcripts reflecting an undergraduate degree.

Schools outside the United States may be verified by World Education Services at the individual class level.

GMAT
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) may be an acceptable alternative to the GMAT test on a case by case basis.  Scores should be submitted to the University of Wisconsin – Madison, institution code 1846.

The GMAT score will be waived if you meet one of the four sets of criteria below:

  1. Undergraduate degree from the Wisconsin School of Business
  2. Undergraduate degree from a U.S. accredited university or college
    1. Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
    2. At least one math course or quantitative course like finance or accounting with a ‘B’ or better
  3. Undergraduate degree completed outside of the U.S.
    1. Submission of original transcripts, along with transcripts evaluated by World Evaluation Services (WES)
    2. Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher
    3. At least one math course or quantitative course like finance or accounting with a ‘B’ or better
  4. Awarded an advanced degree, such as an MBA, JD, MD, PhD, from an accredited U.S. institution

Test of English as a Foreign Language

The TOEFL is waived for students who have earned a four-year undergraduate degree and/or master degree (minimum of eight semesters total) with instruction in English or who will complete such a degree prior to matriculation in the Master of Accountancy program.

Students should direct the Educational Testing Service to forward their test results, taken within two years of the intended start term, to the University of Wisconsin–Madison (institution code: 1846). A minimum TOEFL score of 104 is required for consideration of admission into the program. International Financial Statements are only required of students admitted to the program.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

All students in the Business: Accounting, M.Acc. program are eligible to compete for program-level financial support in the form of teaching assistantships, scholarships and project work.  The Professional Programs Committee evaluates applications from existing students each spring for opportunities the following academic year.  

On This Page

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Named Option Requirements

MODE OF INSTRUCTION

Face to Face Evening/Weekend Online Hybrid Accelerated
Yes No No No No

Mode of Instruction Definitions

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Credit Requirement 54 credits
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement 24 credits
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement Half of degree coursework (27 credits out of 54 total credits) must be completed graduate-level coursework; courses with the Graduate Level Coursework attribute are identified and searchable in the university's Course Guide (https://registrar.wisc.edu/course-guide/).
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement 3.00 GPA required.
Other Grade Requirements The Graduate School requires an average grade of B or better in all coursework (300 or above, not including research credits) taken as a graduate student unless conditions for probationary status require higher grades. Grades of Incomplete are considered to be unsatisfactory if they are not removed during the first four weeks of the following semester. Students may be required to retake a course in which they receive a grade lower than a C.
Assessments and Examinations No required assessments or examinations beyond course requirements.
Language Requirements No language requirements.

Required Courses

MAcc students seek advanced preparation for careers in various aspects of accounting. The degree stresses in-depth study of accounting theory, auditing, taxation, information systems, applications, policy, and decision making. The program can be undertaken by students possessing an undergraduate accounting degree from UW–Madison or an undergraduate degree in a non-accounting field from any school.

The first year of the MAcc program emphasizes accounting and core business knowledge necessary to work in the accounting profession.

Students are encouraged to complete a paid internship during the summer between the first and second year of the program. The second year of the program is designed to build on the internship experience through in-depth study of accounting issues. The second-year curriculum for students pursuing the standard MAcc plan is as follows (30 total credits).

The MAcc program requires a minimum of 54 credits over two years.

The second year also provides students with some flexibility to promote breadth of knowledge across a number of business disciplines.

First Year
Fall
ACCT I S 340 Accounting Systems3
ACCT I S 620 Fundamentals of Taxation3
ACCT I S 701 Financial Reporting I3
ACCT I S 710 Managerial Accounting3
Spring
ACCT I S 630 Audit and Assurance Services3
ACCT I S 702 Financial Reporting II3
GEN BUS 301 Business Law3
Business Elective3
Second Year
Select a minimum of 4 courses from the following:12
ACCT I S 603
 Financial Statement Analysis
ACCT I S 621
 Corporate and Advanced Taxation
ACCT I S 730
 Advanced Assurance Services
ACCT I S 706
 Advanced Financial Reporting
ACCT I S 770
 Seminar in Financial Reporting Theory
ACCT I S 771
 Seminar in Strategic Cost Management and Performance Measurement
ACCT I S 765
 Contemporary Topics
Complete a minimum of four and a maximum of six elective graduate courses12-18
Total Credits54

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

Graduate Work from Other Institutions

With program and department approval, up to 6 credits of graduate coursework completed two years prior to admission at an AACSB accredited institution, in which a grade of B or better was earned, may count toward the degree. 

UW–Madison Undergraduate

Up to 6 credits from courses numbered 300 or above will be allowed to apply toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

UW–Madison University Special

With program and department approval and payment of the difference in tuition (between special and graduate tuition), students are allowed to count no more than 15 credits of coursework numbered 600 or above taken as a UW–Madison University Special student. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements. 

Probation

The Graduate School regularly reviews the record of any student who earned grades of BC, C, D, F, or Incomplete in a graduate course (300 or above), or grade of U in research credits. This review could result in academic probation with a hold on future enrollment or in being suspended from the Graduate School.

ADVISOR / COMMITTEE

Every graduate student is required to have an advisor. An advisor is a faculty member, or sometimes a committee, responsible for providing advice regarding graduate studies.

CREDITS PER TERM ALLOWED

15 credits

Time Constraints

Master’s degree students who have been absent for five or more consecutive years lose all credits that they have earned before their absence. Individual programs may count the coursework students completed prior to their absence for meeting program requirements; that coursework may not count toward Graduate School credit requirements.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

Any student who feels that they have been mistreated by a faculty or staff member has the right to lodge a complaint. Complaints may concern course grades, classroom treatment, program admission, or other issues. To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint and to protect both the student's rights and the person at whom the complaint is addressed, the grievance procedures below are used in the Wisconsin School of Business.

The person whom the complaint is directed against must be an employee of the School of Business. Any student or potential student may use these procedures unless other campus rules or contracts cover the complaint:

  1. If the student feels comfortable/safe doing so, the student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. If the complaint is directed against a teaching assistant (TA) and the student is not satisfied after discussion of the grievance with the TA, the next step would be to talk to the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student may continue to step 2.
  2. If the complaint involves an academic department, the student should contact the chair of the department. The chair will attempt to resolve the problem informally. If this cannot be done to the student's satisfaction, the student may submit the grievance to the chair in writing. This must be done within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
    1. If the complaint does not involve an academic department, the procedure outlined in Step 4 below should be followed.
  3. On receipt of a written complaint, the chair will refer the matter to a departmental committee, which will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed. This response shall be shared with the person filing the grievance. The chair will provide a written decision within 30 days to the student on the action taken by the committee.
  4. If either party is not satisfied with the decision, they have five working days from receipt of the decision to contact the dean's office (at the number below), indicating the intention to appeal. If the complaint does not involve an academic department in the school, the student must contact the dean's office within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
  5. In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the appropriate associate dean. If this cannot be done, the complaint can be filed in writing with the Office of the Dean. This must be done within 10 working days of the time the appealing party was notified that informal resolution was unsuccessful.
  6. On receipt of such a written complaint, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will convene a subcommittee of relevant stakeholders pending the nature of the issue. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and may hold a hearing at which both parties will be asked to speak separately. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Business who will render a decision. Unless a longer time is negotiated, this written decision shall be made within 20 working days from when the grievance was filed with the Office of the Dean.

Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Business, Office of the Dean, 4339 Grainger, 975 University Avenue, 608-262-7867.

State law contains additional provisions regarding discrimination and harassment. Wisconsin Statutes 36.12 reads, in part: "No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions or center because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status." In addition, UW–System prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression. Students have the right to file discrimination and harassment complaints with the Office of Compliance, 361 Bascom Hall, 608-265-6018, uwcomplianceoffice@wisc.edu.

The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/

Other

Department-sponsored funding is available on a competitive basis to all MAcc students. In addition, students can apply for a teaching assistantship but should have completed one year (either graduate or undergraduate) with the department before applying.

Graduate School Resources

Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

For more information about the faculty and their research interests, please visit the directory.

Willie Choi, BSBA, MAcc, Ph.D. 
Associate Professor
David J. Lesar Professor in Business
willie.choi@wisc.edu

Mark Covaleski, B.S., MBA, Ph.D.
Professor
Robert Beyer Professor in Accounting
Department Chair of Accounting & Information Systems
mark.covaleski@wisc.edu

Ruyun (Ivy) Feng, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
ivy.feng@wisc.edu

Fabio Gaertner, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
fabio.gaertner@wisc.edu

Emily Griffith, BBA, M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
emily.griffith@wisc.edu

Stacie Laplante, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
David J. Lesar Chair in Business
stacie.laplante@wisc.edu

Thomas Linsmeier, BBA, MBA, Ph.D.
Professor
Thomas G. Ragatz Accounting and Law Distinguished Chair
thomas.linsmeier@wisc.edu

Dan Lynch, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Professor
daniel.lynch@wisc.edu

Ella Mae Matsumura, B.A., M.S., Ph.D.
Professor
Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs
Director of the Beyer Center
ellamae.matsumura@wisc.edu

Brian Mayhew, BBA, Ph.D.
Professor
Associate Dean, Wisconsin BBA Program
Executive Director of the Arthur Andersen Center for Financial Reporting and Control
brian.mayhew@wisc.edu

Vallabh Sambamurthy, B.E., MBA, Ph.D. 
Albert O. Nicholas Dean
vsambamurthy@wisc.edu

Tyler Thomas, B.A., MBA, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
tyler.thomas@wisc.edu

Dan Wangerin, BBA, MPA, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
David J. Lesar Professor in Business
daniel.wangerin@wisc.edu

Terry Warfield, B.S., MBA, Ph.D.
Professor
PwC Professor in Accounting
Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research
terry.warfield@wisc.edu

John Wild, BBA, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor
john.wild@wisc.edu

Karla Zehms, BBA, M.S., Ph.D.
Professor
EY Professor in Accounting 
karla.zehms@wisc.edu