[hockeydude]

Hi guys,

I recently passed all sections of the CPA exam and am currently waiting to finalize the licensing process in the state of Texas. The past 3 yearrs I’ve worked in a corporate tax department for a Fortune 500 oil and gas company and my career objective is to ultimately reach tax director or VP of tax. My company is allowing me to go back and get my masters and I’m contemplating an MBA and MST. If I go for the MBA, my choices locally are Rice and UT – Houston campus (both have great reputations regionally). If I go for the MST, I will be forced to get it online because no schools offer a program locally. My questions are as follows:

1. MBA or MST?

2. If MST, which online program has a great national reputation?

3. Why?

[NikkiSkupnjak]

I would go with the Masters in Accounting rather than an MBA. I think you have a better chance in choosing the tax courses that you want without having to take a lot of extra business electives.

I would really recommend the University of Houston. I am about to graduate with my MS ACCY degree here and they have a really good program here. You can choose a tax track for your degree plan and also take other advanced accounting electives, such as Oil and Gas Taxation and many other Energy-related courses that most schools do not offer. They have a great course on IFRS also. Classes are at night so it is convenient for most people that work full-time. Good luck with your decision!

FAR 92
AUD 99
REG 94
BEC

Becker Self-Study, Wiley Test Bank

[NikkiSkupnjak]

I would go with the Masters in Accounting rather than an MBA. I think you have a better chance in choosing the tax courses that you want without having to take a lot of extra business electives.

I would really recommend the University of Houston. I am about to graduate with my MS ACCY degree here and they have a really good program here. You can choose a tax track for your degree plan and also take other advanced accounting electives, such as Oil and Gas Taxation and many other Energy-related courses that most schools do not offer. They have a great course on IFRS also. Classes are at night so it is convenient for most people that work full-time. Good luck with your decision!

FAR 92
AUD 99
REG 94
BEC

Becker Self-Study, Wiley Test Bank

[hockeydude]

Thanks for your thoughts Nikki! I received my undergraduate at UH and know they have a great program. I'm also trying to be open-minded and see what all options are available. I appreciate hearing someone's opinion out there.

[hockeydude]

Thanks for your thoughts Nikki! I received my undergraduate at UH and know they have a great program. I'm also trying to be open-minded and see what all options are available. I appreciate hearing someone's opinion out there.

[NikkiSkupnjak]

Ohhh okay! That's a great idea, Go COOGS 🙂

FAR 92
AUD 99
REG 94
BEC

Becker Self-Study, Wiley Test Bank

[NikkiSkupnjak]

Ohhh okay! That's a great idea, Go COOGS 🙂

FAR 92
AUD 99
REG 94
BEC

Becker Self-Study, Wiley Test Bank

[jaredo155]

I know this is an older post, but I am somewhat asking myself the same question. I just recently passed all the exams, and now my company will pay for me to finish my Masters. I have worked in corporate tax for several years, and intend to stay in corporate tax with no intent to rise above the Director level.

I am considering a pure MST or an MBA with a concentration in corporate tax (all electives address only corporate tax). My biggest hang up with doing the pure MST is that several of the classes address individual taxation, estate and trust taxation, not-for-profit, etc, so that half the program is over things I don't have any intention of doing in my career. On the flipside my undergrad was in Economics so I have already had a lot of the general business courses an MBA is going to offer at its core.

I think for the knowledge I am looking to get out of it, and versatility the MBA wins. However whenever I look at prospective positions for down the road (i.e. Manager and Director of Tax in corporate), almost all of them say prefer MST with CPA or JD with LLM. I have a feeling that at that level the majority of the time experience and networking wins out, and your credentials end up mostly just a check mark, but I don't know that for sure. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated!!

AUD - 2/2013 - Passed!
BEC - 5/2013 - Passed!
FAR - 8/2013 - Passed!
REG - 11/2013 - Passed!
"Do or do not, there is no try." - Yoda

[jaredo155]

I know this is an older post, but I am somewhat asking myself the same question. I just recently passed all the exams, and now my company will pay for me to finish my Masters. I have worked in corporate tax for several years, and intend to stay in corporate tax with no intent to rise above the Director level.

I am considering a pure MST or an MBA with a concentration in corporate tax (all electives address only corporate tax). My biggest hang up with doing the pure MST is that several of the classes address individual taxation, estate and trust taxation, not-for-profit, etc, so that half the program is over things I don't have any intention of doing in my career. On the flipside my undergrad was in Economics so I have already had a lot of the general business courses an MBA is going to offer at its core.

I think for the knowledge I am looking to get out of it, and versatility the MBA wins. However whenever I look at prospective positions for down the road (i.e. Manager and Director of Tax in corporate), almost all of them say prefer MST with CPA or JD with LLM. I have a feeling that at that level the majority of the time experience and networking wins out, and your credentials end up mostly just a check mark, but I don't know that for sure. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated!!

AUD - 2/2013 - Passed!
BEC - 5/2013 - Passed!
FAR - 8/2013 - Passed!
REG - 11/2013 - Passed!
"Do or do not, there is no try." - Yoda

[Author]

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