Arkansas, often referred to as the Natural State, is not usually famous for the quality of its higher education. However, there are plenty of great finance degrees available to students who study at colleges in Little Rock and other major cities. There are six major state universities in Arkansas, along with several highly rated private liberal arts colleges. Here is a look at eight of the top accredited finance degree programs in Arkansas.
University of Arkansas (“YOU of A”)
Walton College Graduate School of Business
A public, co-educational university located in the city of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas is the most famous name associated with education in the state. The university was established in 1871, and has continued to push the boundaries both in terms of education and research. The Walton College Graduate School of Business aims to provide students with a thorough learning experience of the business, accounting, and finance worlds. The college’s aim is to help students learn through both classroom and real world experiences, giving them the best possible preparation for their first post-college job.
Walton Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
With a terrific curriculum, outstanding placement record, and an excellent teaching staff, MAcc students at the University of Arkansas find themselves in a uniquely privileged position. Not only are the courses designed to teach core accounting skills that are useful in the job market, but the college’s reputation ensures that major companies will always come looking for new hires.
Aside from preparing students for the rigorous CPA exam, the Walton Master of Accountancy helps students integrate their basic accounting knowledge with the broader fields of finance and business. The MAcc program is an intense, one year program where 30 hours of credits must be completed by students. The fall semester includes Advanced Financial Accounting, Auditing Standards, Fraud Prevention and Detection, and Advanced Taxation courses. In the spring semester, students will learn about Asset Management, Financial Statement Analysis, and Accounting for Supply Chain & Retail Organizations.
Master of Business Administration/Financial Management
The Walton School of Business provides a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program for students who want an industry specific, job driven education. The MBA is a three semester program that begins in January and consists of 48 hours of intense coursework. Students will complete online prerequisite courses in the Fall semester, followed by coursework in the Spring Semester that includes Retail Consumer Marketing, Economics of Supply Chain and Retail, Business Analytics, and Financial Markets.
The Summer Semester is dedicated to internships or study abroad programs, with the college helping students find placements in companies and countries of their choosing. The coursework continues in two semesters of the second year, where classes include Ethical Decision Making, Strategic Management, Enterprise Systems, and Managing/Leading Operations.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC NCA)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
Marion Dunagan, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs
University of Arkansas
Sam M. Walton College of Business
Harmoon Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone: (479)575-5114
Email: mdunagan@walton.uark.edu
Website: http://gsb.uark.edu/
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (“UALR”)
Department of Accounting
Located in the capital of the state, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a public research facility that was first established in 1927. With more than 13,000 students, an excellent faculty of professors, and one of the largest libraries in the state, this is the perfect place for students to study accounting.
Aside from their extensive library, high tech computer labs, state of the art classrooms and school buildings, the U of A at Little Rock offers students the chance to come into contact with government leaders, business tycoons, and information technology companies. Little Rock is the financial and commercial hub of the state, and students at UALR are right in the thick of it.
Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Students with an undergraduate degree in accounting or finance are eligible for the MAcc program at UALR. The college’s MAcc program is designed to help students enter into the growing field of accountancy, learn key skills that are required to pass the CPA exam, and to add greater value to their accounting education.
Thirty semester hours must be completed in order to pass this accountancy program. The hours are divided into three groups: Master of Accountancy Core Courses, Master of Accountancy Breadth Courses and Electives. The core courses include classes such as Auditing Theory and Practice, Accounting Theory and Research, and Advanced Topics in Managerial Accounting. The breadth courses focus on tax issues, while electives can be selected from any graduate course that is approved by the department (students usually choose courses related to finance or business).
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC NCA)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
Department of Accounting
2801 S University Avenue
Little Rock, Arkansas 72204
Phone: (501)569-3351
Fax: (501)683-7021
Email: cobdean@ualr.edu
Website: http://ualr.edu/accounting/home-5/
Arkansas State University (“A-State”)
College of Business
Arkansas State University is a public college and is the flagship school of Arkansas’ State University system. First established in 1909, the school has grown immensely over the past century and now accommodates close to 22,000 students. There are 750 academic faculty at A-State, with 1,500 administrative staff members. There are close to 3,800 students who attend postgraduate programs at A-State, which include some of the top accredited finance degree programs in Arkansas.
Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
Consisting of 150 credit hours, the MAcc program at Arkansas State University is a professional program designed to prepare students for accounting jobs and the CPA examination. Unlike other accounting programs, this MAcc coursework ensures that students are ready to take on advanced positions at companies, instead of starting at the entry level.
Students who wish to study at A-State’s MAcc program must take the GMAT, TOEFL (if English is not your native language) and have an undergraduate degree in business, finance, economics or accounting. The prerequisite courses for this degree include Survey of Finance, Survey of Microeconomics, Survey of Statistics and Survey of Law. These are foundation courses, but do not count towards a student’s final GPA. Upper level accounting courses include Intermediate Accounting I, II and III, Cost Accounting, Managerial Emphasis, Individual Income Tax, Accounting Information Systems, and Auditing.
Master in Business Administration (MBA)/Finance
Students from all educational and professional backgrounds are welcome to apply for the MBA program at A-State. Taking the GMAT is the only prerequisite, along with having an impressive GPA and resume. Students will learn about the problem solving, decision making, and analytical skills needed to succeed in the modern business world. The program ensures that there is a deep understanding of the dynamic and complex problems that face small, medium and large businesses in the global economy.
Foundation Courses for the MBA are identical to the ones required for the MAcc degree, with the results not counting towards a student’s GPA. Other courses (adding up to 27 hours of core curriculum) include Accounting for Planning and Control, Managerial Economics, Corporate Financial Management, Global Strategic Initiatives, Business Analytics, and Strategic Management.
Accreditation
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC NCA)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
Arkansas State University
Reng Student Services Building
106 N. Caraway Building
State University, AR 72467
Phone: (870)972-3035
Fax: (870)972-3744
Email: jwasham@astate.edu
Website: http://www.astate.edu/business/
University of Central Arkansas (“UCA”)
Department of Accounting
Situated in Conway, Arkansas, the University of Central Arkansas is the third largest college system in this state. The college system is highly respected for its Education, Physical Therapy and Finance programs, despite the 90% rate of student acceptance. Students that attend this college have a choice of residential colleges, with three of the buildings established in the mid to late ’00s. The Student Center was remodeled in 2006, along with other college buildings, providing much needed renovation to this historical campus.
Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
The University of Central Arkansas’ accounting masters program is designed to help students bring together the skills of accountancy, business, economics and leadership. Instead of limiting the focus to the mathematical and structural elements of accounting, this program helps students develop the interpersonal skills to rise through major accounting firms. The world is changing, especially where business is concerned, and UCA’s program is a great way for students to get an in depth understanding of this profession.
Students must complete 10 courses to graduate from this program, with six courses required and four being electives. The program is typically run over the fall, spring and summer semesters. Two required courses are taken in the fall, three in the spring and one in the summer. Students can distribute the four required electives however they wish. The required courses are Tax Research & Planning, Advanced Accounting Theory, Seminar in Auditing, Seminar in Accounting Leadership, and Seminar in Case Studies of Accounting. Possible elective choices include Estate & Gift Taxation, Strategic Management, Financial Decision Making, Managerial Economics and Organizational Behavior.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC NCA)
Contact
University of Central Arkansas
Accounting Department
201 Donaghey Avenue, COB 204
Conway, Arkansas 72035
Phone: (501)450-3108
Website: http://uca.edu/accounting/macc/
Strayer University at Little Rock
College of Business
Compared to some other colleges around Arkansas, Strayer University was recently established. However, the college has already made a huge impression to the state’s education system, with undergraduate and graduate programs dedicated to providing students with real skills that they can use to get jobs in high-demand industries. The college’s focus is on accounting, business, health services, information systems, criminal justice, and public administration.
Master of Business Administration/Finance (MBA)
The Strayer University MBA is geared towards providing students with the key tools needed to broadly think about the economic issues facing companies around the world. Whether students are interested in small, medium, or multi national companies, the skills they learn during their MBA years will stand them in good stead for their professional careers.
This MBA program is designed to be completed in 54 months, with students given a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing the courses they will study. 91% of students who began their program in 2010 managed to finish in 54 months, with many of those students finding placements in companies and businesses around the country. Programs are shaped by a student’s interests, with courses involving management, marketing, project management, health services administration, finance, and accounting.
Master of Science in Accounting (MSAC)
By teaching advanced accounting procedures, updated regulations, and ensuring that students are prepared for the rigorous demands of working for an accounting firm, the MSAC at Strayer University is the perfect Master’s program.
Unlike other accounting programs across Arkansas, the MSAC requires 54 months to be completed. This means there is a significant time commitment that students must undertake, but the rewards are huge. MSAC students that complete their education and pass the CPA are in a fantastic position to land top accounting jobs.
Coursework for this program includes corporate accounting, forensic accounting, international accounting, public accounting, taxation, and much more. These five concentrations allow students to shape their MSAC the way they want. No two accounting students have the same interests, which is why Strayer gives students this freedom to focus on the areas that are closely related to their future career of choice.
Accreditation
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Contact
10825 Financial Centre, Parkway #400
Little Rock, Arkansas 72211
Phone: (501)708-0600
Website: http://www.strayer.edu/arkansas/little-rock/program
If you are an aspiring accounting or MBA student, these are eight of the best programs you should be looking to attend. Each of these schools has a unique appeal and charm, but they all provide students with the necessary tools to turn their ability into the skills needed to get a job.
