Program Overview

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Business: Accounting: Tax, MAcc

The MAcc in Business: Accounting degree has an available named option in Tax, which is designed for students preparing for a career in tax. This option focuses on deep knowledge in a variety of tax topics, providing the qualifications for a career in the tax discipline in public accounting or industry.

Admissions

• Admissions to the Accounting: Tax, MAcc are suspended as of spring 2026 and will be discontinued as of fall 2028.
• Graduate Admissions Requirements:
  • Fall Deadline: See program webpage
  • Spring Deadline: This program does not admit in the spring
  • Summer Deadline: This program does not admit in the summer
  • GRE (Graduate Record Examinations): May be required in certain cases; consult program
  • English Proficiency Test:
    • Applicants should direct the Educational Testing Service to forward their test results, taken within two years of the intended start term, to the University of WisconsinMadison (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 admitted applicants to the program
  • The TOEFL is waived for applicants 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
  • Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT): GMAT may be required in certain cases; consult program
  • Letters of Recommendation Required: 2

Program Requirements

• The Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program is open to any applicants who have earned a four-year undergraduate degree, or the equivalent, in any discipline, from an accredited institution
• For accounting students in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business (WSB), or accounting students from other UW institutions, 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
• Applicants are not required to have previous full-time work experience
• Additional application requirements include:
  • Undergraduate transcripts
  • Resume
  • Essays
  • English proficiency scores for non-native English speakers

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 University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business
  2. Undergraduate degree from a US accredited university or college
     • Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
     • At least one math course or quantitative course like finance or accounting with a B or better
  3. Undergraduate degree completed outside of the US
     • Submission of original transcripts, along with transcripts evaluated by World Evaluation Services (WES)
     • Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher
     • 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 US institution

International Financial Statements

• International Financial Statements are only required of applicants admitted to the program

Funding

• The Bursars Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student
• 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
• All students in the Business: Accounting, MAcc 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

Curricular Requirements

• Minimum Credit Requirement: 54 credits
• Minimum Residence Credit Requirement: 24 credits
• Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement: 27 credits must be graduate-level coursework
• Overall Graduate GPA Requirement: 3.00 GPA required
• Other Grade Requirements: 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

• The Tax named option in the MAcc stresses in-depth study of tax law in a variety of areas, including business tax, individual and estate tax planning, multijurisdictional tax issues, and tax administration
• Courses are closely integrated with law school tax offerings and in some cases, are cross-listed with the law school
• In addition, this named option requires additional courses in auditing, financial reporting theory, or strategic cost management
• Course List:
  • First Year:
    • Fall:
      • ACCT I S 340: Accounting Information Systems (3 credits)
      • ACCT I S 620: Fundamentals of Taxation (3 credits)
      • ACCT I S 701: Financial Reporting I (3 credits)
      • ACCT I S 710: Managerial Accounting (3 credits)
    • Spring:
      • ACCT I S 630: Foundations of Auditing (3 credits)
      • ACCT I S 702: Financial Reporting II (3 credits)
      • GEN BUS 301: Business Law (3 credits)
      • Business Elective (3 credits)
  • Second Year:
    • ACCT I S 406: Accounting and Analysis for Reporting Entities (3 credits)
    • ACCT I S 621: Corporate and Advanced Taxation (3 credits)
    • ACCT I S 724: Tax Research, Procedure & Analysis (3 credits)
    • ACCT I S 772: Analysis of Taxes & Business Decisions (3 credits)
    • ACCT I S 722: Analysis of Taxation for Pass-Through Entities (3 credits)
    • ACCT I S 725: Analysis of International Taxation (3 credits)
    • Choose 2 (6 credits):
      • ACCT I S 603: Financial Statement Analysis
      • ACCT I S 640: Foundation in Accounting Analytics
      • ACCT I S 730: Advanced Auditing: Analysis, Policy, and Judgment
      • ACCT I S 740: Information Risk, Control, & Forensics
      • ACCT I S 770: Accounting Theory: Reporting Incentives and Consequences
      • ACCT I S 771: Analysis of Performance Measurement & Control
    • Business Electives (6 credits): Any course numbered 300+ offered by the School of Business can be used to fulfill the business elective course

Graduate School Policies

• The Graduate Schools Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously

Named Option-Specific Policies

• Prior Coursework:
  • Graduate Credits Earned at 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 transfer toward the degree
  • Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison: Up to 6 credits from courses numbered 300 or above will be allowed to apply toward the minimum credit requirement
  • Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers): Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy
  • Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UWMadison: With program and department approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 15 credits of coursework numbered 600 or above taken as a UWMadison University Special Student
• Probation: Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy
• Advisor / Committee: Every graduate student is required to have an advisor
• Credits Per Term Allowed: 15 credits
• Time Limits: Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy
• Grievances and Appeals:
  • These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns
  • The person against whom the complaint is directed 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
  • Steps for filing a grievance:
    1. If the student feels comfortable/safe doing so, the student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed
    2. If the complaint involves an academic department, the student should contact the chair of the department
    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
    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
    5. In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the appropriate associate dean
    6. On receipt of such a written complaint, the Chief Engagement, Culture, and Organizational Effectiveness Officer will convene a subcommittee of relevant stakeholders pending the nature of the issue
    7. The 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
    8. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Business who will render a decision

Professional Development

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