Reflecting on my First Semester in the MAcc Program
In this blog post, I will guide you through some of my most important takeaways, whether academic, professional, or personal, in addition to how the first half of the MAcc program has prepared me for the second half.
It would be impossible to recap the first semester of the MAcc program without discussing the three required courses. I believe that Data Analysis (ACCT 6001) and Financial Reporting (ACCT 6200) established an amazing foundation for the rest of my MAcc coursework. Financial Reporting provided me with an opportunity to bolster my existing accounting knowledge, as well as expand further, whereas Data Analysis served as a completely new lens to consider accounting information and accounting-related issues through. These two courses are followed by Managerial Accounting (ACCT 6000), which adds another dimension to the program's development of accounting expertise. While all of these courses are unique in their subject matter, all of them relied heavily on participation and discussion in the classroom, and collaboration with fellow MAcc students outside of the classroom.
One of the most unique and exciting things about the MAcc program at Fisher College of Business is its heavy concentration on electives. My favorite accounting elective I took was Professional Research in Accounting (ACCT 6201) with Professor Gee. The course revolves around cases which present complex business events that encourage students to explore the Accounting Standards Codification and other forms of authoritative guidance to defend their opinion of the accounting treatment for the event. In addition, Professor Gee is incredibly knowledgable, asks thought provoking questions, and is passionate about the subject.
Outside of Accounting electives, the MAcc at Fisher also offers students the option to explore other graduate-level courses in the business college. My favorite non-accounting elective was Negotiations with Professor Lount. Taking a class with MBA, MHRM, and SMF students opened my eyes to many different perspectives, especially when working in a situation as abstract as a negotiation. Both the hard skills in negotiation and conflict resolution as well as the soft skills in working with a diverse group of student will prove useful well into my career and personal life.
Reflecting on my first semester in the MAcc program, there are a couple of things I am very excited for. First, I am excited to immerse myself in new electives that are tailored to my interests. The electives I took during the first semester taught me a lot about what I was truly curious about, and I am excited to double down on those areas. In addition, I am excited to meet more of my MAcc cohort. While our courses provide us with plentiful opportunities to collaborate, the size of the cohort means that you don't always get to work with everyone. As such, the premise of being in new classes and being on new teams is very exciting. Finally, I am excited to join this year's MAcc trip to Washington DC through the Washington Campus to gain insight into new and unique topics in accounting.
I hope this blog post was informative and that you can envision yourself succeeding in the MAcc yourself!
