Notre Dame’s accounting programs take top rankings

In a just-released ranking by The Public Accounting Report, the Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) program at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business jumped two spots to No. 4 in the nation, while the undergraduate accountancy program retained its No. 5 spot.

For the first time, the report included an additional ranking based on the number of full-time faculty. In its category (16-21 faculty members), the Notre Dame MSA program ranked No. 1; the undergraduate accountancy program ranked 2nd in the nation.

“The department benefits from excellent students and incredible support from the University, College, accountancy professors and staff, employers, and alumni,” said Fred Mittelstaedt, Deloitte Foundation Professor of Accountancy and Department Chair. “Our alumni are leaders in business and the accounting profession.  I am honored to be chair of the department.”

The Public Accounting Report (PAR) 32nd Annual Professor Survey ranks the top 25 programs based on professors’ rankings of accounting programs at American colleges and universities that offer master’s degrees in accountancy and/or tax. The survey, which was conducted during May and June 2013, highlights undergraduate and graduate programs offering degrees in accounting that most consistently produce students capable of someday attaining partner status.

The Notre Dame MSA program enrolls about 100 students annually. The one-year, two-semester degree-program satisfies the 150-hour educational requirements adopted by more than 48 states and jurisdictions for certification and licensure as a CPA. Its broad-based curriculum allows students to choose from two tracks: 1) tax services, and 2) financial reporting and assurance services. Its signature curriculum integrates the study of ethics throughout in accordance with the Mendoza College mission, and provides the opportunity for an international immersion. Admission is granted on a rolling basis for fall or spring semester entry.

MSA graduates are heavily recruited by the world’s most prestigious and competitive firms. Historically, the program’s average placement statistics range between 95-100 percent, with more than 80 percent of the students choosing employment with the Big 4 accounting firms.

Undergraduate students at the Mendoza College can select accountancy as their major at the end of their sophomore year. In addition to being ranked 5^th in the PAR survey, the undergraduate accountancy program is currently ranked No. 2 by Bloomberg Businessweek and 6^th by U.S. News and World Report. Approximately 150 to 180 students graduate from this program each year. Generally, two-thirds of the students work immediately in public accounting or industry, with 80 percent going to the Big 4 accounting firms. The remaining third continue to graduate school, with the largest percentage entering the Notre Dame MSA program.

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