Major & Minor Flow ~ ~ ~

Colleges and Universities A-Z The University of Texas at Austin
1

<p>List best combinations for Major and Minors in the McCombs School of Business, taking into account the future job market and placement. </p>

<p>Accounting<br>
Entrepreneurship
Finance<br>
Insurance<br>
International Business<br>
Management<br>
MIS<br>
Marketing<br>
Production / Operations Management<br>
Quantitative Analysis<br>
Real Estate<br>
Supply Chain Mgmt / Logistics </p>

<p>Also, how beneficial is the MPA (Masters Professional Accounting) & FAP (Financial Analyst Program) for those who are interested in pursuing either one.</p>

2

<p>I know that MIS and Finance have specific course-plans designed for minors.</p>

<p>I am going to be doing MPA most likely, and the accounting program at UT is the #1 undergrad program in the nation and the graduate program is very highly ranked too. I know of a junior currently enrolled in the program, and he has already received several job offers at big-name accounting firms in California for when he graduates. (Highly paid too, if I might add.)</p>

<p>Accounting is a type of job where people can hire you to do specific job X and pay you for that. Some degrees are more vague (e.g. Management, Finance, Entrepreneurship) where you won’t find somebody offering jobs to you to do <em>exactly</em> what you learned, even though there are plenty of jobs available if you graduate from such a highly ranked school as McCombs.</p>

3

<p>lets assume that I don’t get into the MPA program. Then would finance and accounting double major be worth the time, money, etc…?</p>

<p>and if anyone knows anything more about the admissions criteria for MPA program, can you please post it on here?</p>

4

<p>I’m almost certain that you can’t double major inside of the Business school. You can double major with a non-Business major, but not two business majors. Minors are okay though.</p>

<p>MPA program, according to my BBA handbook:</p>

<p>Year - # of students applied - # of students accepted - Avg GPA - Avg SAT
2008 - 275 - 248 (90.18%) - 3.69 - 1293
2007 - 302 - 269 (89.07%) - 3.72 - 1303
2006 - 277 - 253 (91.3%) - 3.72 - 1300</p>

<p>Also see:
[Integrated</a> MPA (PPA), Department of Accounting, McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin](<a href=“http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/mpa/integrated/apply.asp]Integrated”>http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/mpa/integrated/apply.asp)</p>

5

<p>Well it sucks that they use SAT scores for admission. I didn’t really do too well in high school and it’s been like 3 years since I took my SAT. I got like a 650 on my Math but I did horrible on the Critical Reading.
But I have improved sooo much now that I can do anything now. lol</p>

<p>I still haven’t taken my Accounting classes yet but I do well under pressure so I am pretty sure I can make an A in both those classes.</p>

<p>And if you can’t double major in McCombs, then I am really screwed. The thing is that I feel more comfortable with doing Finance than Accounting. But looking at the economy and the job situation right now, I don’t think it would be wise to do Finance. I mean Finance is still good but it’s just not as safe. Accounting would be a safe major for sure.</p>

6

<p>“Business students may only declare one official major, as they may receive only one B.B.A. degree. Students may also declare a minor.” </p>

<p>[Declaring/Changing</a> Majors - Policy - Undergraduate Programs - The McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin](<a href=“http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/udean/advising/policy/declare_major.asp]Declaring/Changing”>http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/udean/advising/policy/declare_major.asp)</p>

7

<p>Accounting major and MIS minor flow quite well but I recently just happened to talk to a CFO of a company who graduated from an ivy league school (didn’t ask or told me which one) and his major was accounting. I was surprised how he is a financial officer if he majored in Accounting so he carried on a conversation saying how accounting teaches you in-detail and nobody can fool you in your work, etc.
When I told him I am thinking about a Finance Major with an MIS minor …he was like “What?! those two are totally two different fields. You should rather do a minor in accounting.” Now I gotta ask my adviser why they have in their handbook that “In our technology-enabled world, an MIS minor is a differentiator for any major.”
I also asked him about doing Masters after Bachelors which he didn’t think was a good idea if you are going into finance or economics; rather do an MBA after 4-5 years of work experience.
Now for those who are tied between an MPA (integrated or non) or a Finance degree with possibly a minor in accounting and an MBA later on, it is a tough choice to make. Gotta weigh the benefits, costs, and especially motivation.</p>

8

<p>Most good MBA programs want to see work experience before you enroll. It’s almost necessary. There’s another forum somewhere on this website all about Graduate Business/MBA stuff.</p>

<p>Just remember also that this is one person’s opinion/anecdote. It can depend.</p>

<p>And it is true that certain degrees are very close. You can get a job in Finance by majoring in Accounting, since you will be taking Finance classes too. My dad majored in Macroeconomics and ended up as VP of Finance for Blockbuster for a while. All three fields are very closely related.</p>

9

<p>yea and contrary opinions after a while are very interesting. I am looking forward to many different point of views from faculty members and senior students at UT before I declare my major.</p>

<p>However, this thread was to list best possible combination and possibilities of majors and minors and MPA & FAP so keep on replying.</p>

10

<p>I am seriously considering the MPA program but I am in a bad situation for the MPA program. Can anyone help me clarify this MPA admission process.</p>

<p>I have 53 hours transferred to UT right now and I will take another 24 at UT this year to get into McCombs. So that will put me at 77 hours at the end of next spring. I still haven’t taken Accounting 311 and 312 yet.</p>

<p>I have two options:

  1. Take Accounting 311 and 312 at ACC this year so I can apply to the MPA program for the Fall of 2010. I read it on the website that I can still apply to the MPA program even if I am in the process of transferring into McCombs. I don’t want to take any Accounting classes at UT this year simply because I want to be 100% sure I get into McCombs. Even though I do well under pressure, I simply cannot risk anything because I only have one shot of getting into McCombs. If I do this option, then I will have around 84 hours by the time I apply.
  2. The other option would be to wait until I get into McCombs. I can take my Accounting classes at UT and then apply for MPA for the Fall of 2011. If I choose this option, I would have around 101-110 hours by the time I apply.</p>
11

<p>My son happens to be home this weekend, so here’s the take on MPA</p>

<p>They don’t use SAT in the application process, all they ask for is - enough hours, you’ve taken the mandatory pre-BBA courses like stat, micro and macro econ, calc 1&2, BA101. Then you have to have acctg 311 & 312, and definitely you have to have made an A in one of them. You have to have a good gpa - like 3.5 or better, but the main thing is having an A in your acctg class.</p>

<p>You absolutely CANNOT transfer in your acctg classes from a CC and get in MPA.</p>

<p>Really the only way to stay with the MPA program is if you actually like accounting. 311 & 312 are weed out courses, they make them extremely hard in order to get the people out of the accounting track unless they are good at it and like it.</p>

<p>One last word of advice - don’t take Doug Devidal for 311 if you can help it, he’s teaches the MPA financial accounting and he treats 311 like it’s an MPA class. You’ll really learn in his class, but he’s almost impossible to make an A. </p>

<p>If you can get Carla Power for 312, it’s always an 8:00 am class, but she’s awesome! You’ll really learn managerial acctg., but mainly because she only teaches one class, she gets to know each of her students and she cares that they do well.</p>

<p>For BA324 - John Donnolan is the hardest of all the teachers based on the assignments, but because you work with real businesses, and interview real professionals, you actually get something out of the class. The other professors for the most part use hypothetical situations, so the assignments are graded easier.</p>

<p>topowala, the number of hours is not the problem, it’s just a little late without having any accounting classes to think you are going to do MPA, unless you want to be in college for 7 years. You’re already a junior, you leave MPA with 120 something hours undergrad and 30 something graduate hours. You can take 311 & 312 in the same semester, but if you don’t have basic understanding of financial accounting, you’re not going to do well in managerial.</p>

<p>If he thinks of anything else before he heads back to Austin, I’ll let you know.</p>

<p>If you have any other specific questions let me know and I’ll ask him.</p>

<p>One more thing, the statistics for people who applied and people who are accepted into MPA is misleading. While it looks like your odds are great to get in because so many people who apply get in, it is already “self selected” in that people who make 2 b’s in 311 & 312, or who have made a C in one, don’t apply.</p>

12

<p>Oh ok thank you for the info. And I think I am going to try to get in McCombs first and then take the Accounting classes at UT and see how I do in it. If Accounting doesn’t work out for me, then I can always do Finance anyways.</p>

13

<p>You say that I could take 311 and 312 in the same semester, but the Pre-reqs state that you have to have credit for 311 to take 312. I’m not really considering doing so because I want an A in both (and in all my classes too…).</p>

<p>My main gripe about MPA is that you can’t get in until a fall semester. I am taking 311 in Spring 09, 312 in Fall '10, and then I’d be ready to start in the spring, but I wouldn’t be able to. I have to waste a semester taking a bunch of elective credits. I will already have completed the majority of the upper-division BBA requirements by that point. My main concern is being able to finish in 4 years instead of 5. The raw number of hours I need is not difficult at all, but all the pre-reqs are killing me, especially MIS301 being required before BA324. That’s my big one. Does anybody know if an advisor can wave the pre-req for me, since I would be enrolled in both in Spring '10 (if possible).</p>

14

<p>There is another alternative to the MPA program. Since I didn’t wanted to enroll in the MPA program right away and take all those accounting classes throughout until my bachelors, what my adivser said was that I could Major in Finance for my bachelors and then apply in my senior year for the MPA program. But the catch was that it would be a little more difficult process than if you would enroll starting your junior year.</p>

15

<p>Whytwokay, I think you are correct that 311 is the prereq for 312. I’m not sure if my son knows differently, but he says it can be taken concurrently but that it would be a mistake to do so.</p>

<p>Topawala, apparently finance is the major kids most commonly switch to after finding that acctg is not their thing. 311 and 312 have a way of pointing out if it’s for you or not.</p>

16

<p>Whytwokay, why don’t you take 312 in the summer after 311. Two of my son’s friends did that and they are a year ahead of him.</p>

<p>My son is kicking himself for not doing that!</p>

17

<p>Even if I did so, it doesn’t get me into the MPA program any faster, since the deadline for admission is June 1st. I did think about it though, but I figure it’s a bit of a waste of money since it doesn’t help me in that way. Plus, I’m already taking very few hours in Spring '10, due to my ridiculous AP-test credit hours and therefore a general lack of non-electives to take. It would seem silly to take 12 hours in a semester, and then take summer school immediately after.</p>

<p>The only way to pull it off would be to take MIS301 and ACC 311 right now. Then ACC 312 and BA324 in the Spring '10, apply to the MPA program that semester, and start it in the fall. I’ll have 77 hours (or so) starting my sophomore year, at that rate. But it won’t work since I can’t manage to take 311 and MIS301 this semester, since registration is locked and I need to get good teachers, so hoping for a student to drop isn’t the best idea.</p>

<p>But, I will get to register as a Junior for the Spring '10 semester, so this gives me a huge advantage over the other freshmen I am competing with for good teachers/class times.</p>

18

<p>S said that when you apply, it shows what credits you have and what you are currently enrolled in, which counts as part of the reqd courses. His friends took 311 in the spring, and were enrolled in 312 in the first summer session. They were accepted contingent on their completion of 312 with a satisfactory grade.</p>

<p>As far as getting a class, wait until the add/drop and you can most likely get a class. Also, as someone mentioned in another thread, many people forget to pay their tuition on time, so classes open then as well.</p>

<p>Anyway, I’d look into all the options of getting out in 4 years, it will save you a ton of money!!</p>

19

<p>That sounds good. If I do 312 in the summer, I don’t have to change anything about this semester, and I’ll only take 311 now if it really fits well. I’ll talk to my advisor about it and see what he says before I register for Spring classes.</p>

20

<p>ag54: Are you saying that if I take Accounting 311 next spring (spring of 2010) and then take Accounting 312 that first summer session, I can get into the MPA program?</p>

<p>On the website it says that “*NOTE: Priority in admissions decisions will be given to applicants who have completed program prerequisites by the application deadline.”</p>

<p>If that’s the case, then how much disadvantage do I have if I did this? My plan right now is to get a 4.0 this first semester so I can be in a good situation for McCombs. If I am able to get a 4.0 my first semester, then I will most likely take Accounting 311 in the spring so even if I end up making a B, it won’t mess my GPA up that much.</p>

<p>But before that, do you know a way I can get into the Accounting class even though I am not in McCombs? I am currently in Liberal Arts (Economics) and Accounting classes are restricted for only McCombs students.</p>