AICPA MTC in graduate accounting programs.

• Author: Dresnack, William H.
• Position: Tax Education

Originally published in 1996, a revised AICPA Model Tax Curriculum (MTC) was issued in 1999. In calling for change, the MTC project asserted that some aspects of tax curricula are obsolete and also recommended both improved and broader skills for today's practitioners. The MTC has several undergraduate and graduate variations, including three different curricula for just as many types of accounting master's degree programs.

This column examines the degree to which the graduate programs in accounting and taxation have adopted the MTC. It uses survey data and analyzes information gleaned from course syllabi provided by the colleges surveyed. While several published MTC studies exist, none specifically addresses graduate programs. Yet, higher education is of growing importance to firms and industry, due largely to the states' 150-hour requirement. As more states adopt that criterion, fewer new hires at CPA firms will have only a bachelor's degree. Further, industry is competing for the same talented students.

Colleges Surveyed and Data Collected

Member institutions of the Federation of Schools of Accountancy (FSA) were sampled for this study. The FSA requires member schools to use an accrediting organization (currently, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)) recognized by the FSA's board of directors, to independently accredit their accounting graduate degree programs and commit to the FSA's objectives (establishing and maintaining processes that ensure quality graduate accounting programs). Members must be active in improving both the profession and the academic discipline of accounting. Thus, FSA-member schools were chosen for this study, because they are likely to pursue proposals (such as the MTC's) to improve accounting curricula. The respondents are located in 24 different jurisdictions (FSA-member schools are in 37 states and the District of Columbia).

To solicit information about MTC implementation, 85 member schools were contacted in March 2002 and asked to (1) supply course syllabi for all required graduate tax courses and (2) fill out a questionnaire about their MTC program. Of the 85 schools, 31 submitted a completed survey (a 36.4% response rate). Six of the respondents indicated that they offer no graduate programs (despite the FSA'S stated objectives and mission), totaling a final sample size of 25 schools.

MTC for Graduate Programs

The general introduction to the MTC applies to all its curricula, and is concise and direct. Foremost, the introduction emphasizes the need for students to develop (1) communication and leadership skills, (2) an ability to support strategic decisionmaking, leverage technology and anticipate the changing needs of clients, employers, customers and markets and (3) an awareness of business and professional ethics. After the introduction, an individualized preamble addresses each MTC program. The heart of the MTC, which follows the preamble, is a detailed list of suggested topics for each program. At the graduate level, the MTC provides details for three distinct approaches:

1. A master of accounting degree program with a tax emphasis (MA/MS), to include programs titled master of arts, master of science, master of...