Course Insights from the Final MAcc Quarter

As the finish line for the MAcc program officially comes into view, I have entered my fourth and final quarter of courses. When I was scheduling these classes, I did so with two specific goals in mind, preparing for the CPA exam and laying the groundwork for my professional career this fall.

Ethics and Crucial Conversations 

One of the most impactful parts of this term has been the Ethics in Accounting and Business course. While many students enter the workforce technically prepared, they are often unprepared for the complex ethical dilemmas they may witness or face themselves. This course has given us a space to critically analyze the professional consequences of our choices and discuss how to maintain integrity in high-pressure environments. Plus, since some aspiring CPAs must eventually pass an ethics exam, this class provides a vital head start.

Alongside Ethics, I am taking a Crucial Conversations course. Regardless of your position or company, you will eventually face high-stakes dialogue. This class offers a low-stakes environment to practice handling difficult topics. Learning how to remain productive and calm when emotions are high is a skill that I know will be invaluable as I begin working with audit teams and clients.

Building the Tax Foundation 

The rest of my curriculum this semester is focused on technical tax concepts. My courses, Tax Research, Taxation of Flow-Through Entities, and Advanced Topics in Accounting, serve as a deep dive into the topics I’ll eventually see on the CPA exam. Even though I have only recently begun my CPA prep by looking into FAR (Financial Accounting and Reporting), these tax classes are providing a rigorous introduction to the concepts I’ll be studying intensely later this summer.

Specifically, the Tax Research class has taught me how to navigate complex resources to find answers efficiently. Even though I am headed into an audit role, the ability to research and interpret guidance is a universal skill in public accounting.

The Final Stretch 

As I proceed through these final weeks at Fisher, I am focused on polishing these soft skills and absorbing as much technical knowledge as possible. I hope to utilize these classes as resources as I transition from a graduate student to a professional auditor.