10 Years of the MAcc

Hello Accounting Alumni and Friends of the Program,

I want to devote my message this spring to reflecting on the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program’s achievement of providing high quality graduate education for the past 10 years. Based on feedback from firms and alumni, we developed the MAcc program to create a more meaningful educational pathway to help students achieve Certified Public Accounting (CPA) licensure, obtain the technical skills to thrive in a dynamic profession, and prepare the future leaders in business. By all respects, we believe we have achieved these goals. Over the past 10 years, we have graduated nearly 250 Master of Accounting students, starting with 13 in our first year to a record number of MAcc graduates this academic year. Just as important, our graduates are doing amazing things! MAcc graduates now hold the positions of partner, principal, director, manager, controller, business owner, and professor to name a few. We are constantly reminded of the success of our graduates and appreciate their contributions to the both the profession and University as alumni.

Much of the success of the MAcc is because of the program’s ability to change and provide flexible education options for students. Initially, the MAcc started as an on-campus, night class program, knowing that we would be serving both working adults and traditional-aged college students. We quickly transitioned to a telepresence program where classes were offered simultaneously in Mankato and the South-Metro, as we draw significant interest from individuals in the Twin Cities. More recently, we moved to an all-online program, with a combination of asynchronous and synchronous classes, which provides the maximum amount of flexibility to our learners. This has been an effective approach as the fall of 2023 term will be our biggest start class ever for the MAcc.

Equally important to the MAcc’s achievements is the faculty’s interest in the success of our students. This consideration for students goes well beyond the classroom through faculty providing advice, encouragement, and mentorship both in the program and as individuals enter the accounting profession. Ultimately, the accounting faculty place a premium on creating a culture of care for our students.

Looking forward, we continue to survey our students and engage with alumni and the profession to adapt and change the MAcc curriculum to not only address the issues of today but also provide the skills necessary to be successful in the future. Currently, we are placing heavy emphasis on leveraging the reputation and flexibility of our program to bring more individuals into the profession to meet the shortage of accountants/CPAs. Regardless of what the future holds, we will continue to provide a world class education at an affordable price.

I would like to conclude by expressing our gratitude for the Minnesota State Mankato accounting alumni and firms/companies that support our program. Your support is a big reason why our accounting program is truly special. Please feel free to reach out to me directly (byron.pike@mnsu.edu) if you are looking for help with recruitment, engagement, or wish to provide scholarships to our students.

Go Mavs!

Byron J. Pike, Ph.D., CPA

The Allen Lenzmeier Accounting Professor of External Partnerships Master of Accounting (MAcc) Program Director