Taxation

The faculty in the School of Accountancy offer specialized professional programs leading to the Master of Taxation and Master of Accountancy and Information Systems degrees (see Accountancy and Information Systems). The MTax is a specialized degree program designed to equip students with the highly technical and demanding skills required to provide tax and business advice in the private sector and to administer the tax laws in the public sector of the economy. The program prepares students for entry-level positions in taxation and provides graduate-level education for tax professionals who desire to enhance their skills.

The faculty also participate in offering the program leading to the Master of Business Administration degree (see Master of Business Administration) and PhD degree in Business Administration (see Doctor of Philosophy).

For more information on faculty, programs, and courses, access the school’s Web site at wpcarey.asu.edu/acc.

Admission. All applicants are required to submit the supplemental application materials required by the school. Complete application packets and instructions may be obtained from the school’s Web site.

Students applying to this program must submit scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test. International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language and the Test of Spoken English exams. Preference in admission is given to those with degrees in accounting and business, although other exceptional candidates are considered.

Prerequisites. Access the school’s Web site for a current list of the program prerequisites.

Program of Study. The Master of Taxation consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours and is continually updated. Students acquire core knowledge and a set of professional skills from course work drawn from financial and managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, and information systems. These core courses, recommended by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants as “a fundamental part of any graduate level accounting curriculum,” build on a base level of knowledge and skills that students are presumed to have acquired from an undergraduate degree. Additionally, students take a sequence of courses on tax research, corporate and shareholder taxation, the taxation of flow-through entities, family tax planning, multijurisdictional taxation, and other special topics in taxation. Completion of the program results in students possessing an expanded understanding of the strategic role of accounting in business organizations and society. The significance of taxes in business decisions and tax compliance are also emphasized. Professional responsibilities and the ethical standards of the accounting profession, and especially the tax practice, are highlighted as well. Access the school’s Web site for a current program of study.

Course Load. Students are limited to 12 hours per trimester.

Foreign Language Requirements. None.

Thesis Requirements. None.

Final Examination. A final comprehensive written examination is required of all candidates.

For current information about research activity, access the School of Accountancy Web site at wpcarey.asu.edu/acc.