[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

I was denied admission to my 5 year integrated BBA/MAcc program at UT Austin so I am going to have to apply for my MAcc program traditionally by first gaining a BBA in Accounting at UT Austin and then going into a masters program. With this I was wondering what jobs can I get with a traditional BBA In Accounting?

Like some of you on this forum my goal is to get into the Big 4 (audit), but there are rumors here that the integrated BBA/MPA students steal the Big 4 jobs from the traditional BBA Accounting students but I am still skeptical about that. With this I had a few questions:

1) As far as career options go do the Big 4 take traditional BBA accounting students or just those already enrolled in a joint integrated program like the 5 year integrated MAcc/BBA program where they will DEFINITELY be able take the CPA exam their 5th year of the program.

2) If they do take traditional BBA accounting students how would the job progression work since I am looking to enter work after graduation? Do they let you go after 2 or so years since you don’t have a CPA or do they reimburse you to go back to school get a MAcc and sit for the CPA?

3) What other career options are there for a traditional BBA accounting student outside of Big 4 (Besides regular bookkeeping or clerical jobs)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

[barelystayingsane]

I don't know what the requirements are to sit for the CPA exam in Texas, but in my state you don't need a Masters of Accountancy to sit for the exam. I triple majored in accounting, finance, and risk management, which kept me in school for five years (long enough to get my 150 credits), and I am currently sitting for the CPA exam. I also landed a Big 4 job without having a MAcc, so yes, they do hire just BBA students. My advice is to find some extracurricular activities that truly set you apart from your peers, especially those working towards their MAcc. Some of the Big 4 firms host case competitions that you can participate in. It's a great way to network and looks great on a resume.

[kmaahs]

I'm not in Big 4, but I can share what I know about public accounting firms.

They, generally, don't care what degree you have (Bachelor's vs. Masters).

But in order to sit for the CPA exam you need 150 credit hours, so you might as well go for a Masters after undergrad. The other option is to double major. My friend did this (Acc and PolySci) and he works at E&Y now.

Realistically, your odds of getting hired in before you are even eligible to sit for the exam are very low, especially big 4.

If you have a BBA and start work, you have at least another year or two of school before you can sit for the exam. After you can sit, you will likely need another year or two to pass the CPA exam (working full time and studying for this test is utterly insane). So from the firm's standpoint, hiring you is a big gamble. It will be at least 2-5 years before you can be a cpa, and in the mean time, there is a lot of stuff you can't sign off on and work you can't go at alone because you are not a CPA. There is also no guarantee you can pass the tests (this is not anything personal, but it is something the firm will consider) if you can't pass the test, you can't be a CPA, and thus, can't really be in a CPA firm. Also, I have heard of reimbursement for cpa exam fees and study materials, but not of reimbursement of “going back” for a masters. A masters (or credit hour equivalent) is more of a prerequisite for public accounting than a promotional move. I do know of a regional firm, Doren Mayhew, that will pay for a Master's in taxation for its staff members who wish to move into management of its tax practice. But i doubt this would extend to people who aren't already CPA's.

My advice: after you get your BBA, go straight into your Masters program (be it at UT Austin or elsewhere) and while doing this fight hard to intern over a couple summers. Accounting internships pay very well, and will help with bills as you wrap school up. This way, when you get your MS, you may have a full time offer waiting for you, you will have some professional contacts, and you will have a rocking resume come recruiting season.

C.P.A.

[wizards8507]

In the name of honesty…

Why didn't you get into the five-year program? If you have weak educational performance, it's unlikely that you'll have much success getting into a Big 4 firm anyways.

I disagree with @kmaahs about going straight into your Master's program after your undergrad. A master's degree is nowhere near necessary to get a full time offer. I graduated in 2011 and had three offers by Christmas of my senior year at $47K, $57K, and $70K. If you go straight into your master's program, you 1) lose a year of income, and 2) either pay for tuition or bury yourself in student loan debt. If you're working full time, there's a chance your employer will pay for your master's degree, as mine did, and at the very least you'll have the income to support a MAcc. Most of the online and/or part-time MAcc programs are VERY easy because they know people only do them to get their CPA credits.

UT should have a huge alumni network and big on-campus recruiting so utilize your career center, career fairs, etc. Most schools' undergraduate programs are separate from their master's programs so you definitely don't need to be in some kind of five-year halfsie hybrid program to get a job.

NY CPA

[kmaahs]

@wizards8507

I suppose it is going to be relevant what kind of job he is looking for specifically, and what the job market in the Texas area is.

Based americanpsycho's desire for Big 4, I can assume he is looking at public accounting and not industry. If this is not the case, my comments above are less relevant and yours are more realistic. If we were to broaden the discussion to industry and maybe internal audit, job opportunities exist for BBA for sure.

It also depends on geography, as I am only familiar with my region's job climate and ignorant of Texas's. In my area, a public firm (especially big 4) is likely going to ignore your resume for full time work if you are not at 150 hours (cpa exam ready) because there are tons of candidates to choose from who have sat or can sit for the exam. If there are fewer candidates in your area, competition will lessen and opportunities will be more available.

C.P.A.

[wizards8507]

@kmaahs, I agree then. If he's really really wants to do Big 4, then you're probably right. I was more under the impression that he thought Big 4 was his only option, which it certainly isn't.

NY CPA

[jelly]

From what I've seen and heard, the large firms now want you to have enough schooling to sit for the exam, and that might be the first question that's asked when resume screening. The logic is this: if you are with a large firm that does huge audits with travel out of state overnight for several weeks or months in a row, you can't be running out to attend evening classes at the local university when you are several hours or states away. The large firm will just go with someone else who is not going to be a logistics and scheduling nightmare b/c they don't need the hassle. There is usually less travel on the tax side

There is likely less travel overall for small or medium sized firms, but you will need to ask how they have or haven't accommodated workers taking evening classes.

There's very few firms nowadays that decently reimburse for higher education, so just safely assume that you need to do everything on your own dime and time.

Within the private and public sector, there are tons of people who work as accountants or do accounting work without a CPA license: internal audit, financial analysts, budget analysts, cost accountants, tax preparers, tax lawyers, executive directors, program directors, administrators. If you've noticed, there's very few CPAs in your local government, state government, and Congress.

I've seen a bunch of senior auditors at regional public accounting firms stay where they are for the last 5-7 years, but not promoted to manager b/c neither hasn't passed the exam. I deal with a partner of a small firm who is not licensed at all, so all he does is try to sell accounting and audit services.

Consider the license as some small amount of personal job security, b/c it's a way for you to sell your resume, for the firm to sell services to a client, or for you to start your own accounting business someday if you want.

Couldn't pass again!

[Anonymous]

While I am aiming for Big 4, I am looking into industry as well to gain a full spectrum of my opportunities. Any insight into to careers out of public accounting like industry?

[wizards8507]

What exactly are you asking? Every company out there has accountants. Most of the positions will be called “Financial Analyst” or “Accounting Analyst.” Look for positions in Financial Reporting, Internal Audit, Corporate Tax, etc. Those positions will give you a leg up on your Finance major peers who might be applying for similar roles.

Make this website your best friend.

https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/career/~/link.aspx?_id=893E607D0B334CAD91CA06B5F2ECBFD7&_z=z

NY CPA

[mla1169]

Because TX is one of the few states to require 150 credits to sit for the exam, I'd find a clerical type job that offers tuition reimbursement and get those 150 credits knocked out. When you're close to finishing take advantage of campus recruiting to help get you in touch with Big 4.

I completely disagree with the notion that working while studying for the CPA makes a person a gamble in the eyes of Big 4. Very few people have the luxury of studying for CPA full time, and B-4 encourage their first and second year staff to pursue the exams by paying for their study material and incentives for passing while employed with them.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[DeniseFutureCPA]

I am a big believer in YOU, the individual, making the best of any job situation. Public, private, Big 4, or not… The bottom line is that whatever job you land, it is ultimately your responsibility to make something of it, and most importantly of all, leave it behind better than when you first arrived.

I have a BBA in Accounting, and I work in the private industry. I did not go to a big named school either… But everything I have ever wanted, whether it be a raise or promotion, I took the mindset that I had to EARN it…..not because I had a degree in hand, or because I had a certain gpa, or even because I had been there for x number of months/years.

Work is WORK… So many people walk into the job market feeling entitled to a certain salary, job level, etc. And that's fine… But I will be that person right behind you, signing up for special projects left and right, staying late, and coming in early, etc.

Because I am hungry…. 🙂

"Do not give up when you still have something to give... Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying."

Why I am studying for the CPA exam: First it was business...now it's personal!!!!! 🙂

[Author]

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