Taxation Direct, MTax

Through the MTax Direct, the George W. Daverio School of Accountancy will offer its Master of Taxation degree directly to students’ desktop computers with courses delivered live via a modern, highly efficient and robust synchronous tool. The tool provides the capability to deliver highly interactive classes with video, breakout sessions, and hands-on learning labs. The program, referred to for administrative purposes as the MTax Direct, will serve professional development and graduate education needs of individuals with an interest in taxation in professional accounting and taxation firms, law firms, corporations, and government agencies. Students will complete the entire program (30 credits) in 15 to 18 months (in ten-week terms) and receive the same Master of Taxation degree as students attending the program on campus. Students will be required to attend and participate in at least 65% of classes to receive credit and must take examinations at a supervised testing center. All final examinations will be proctored by a reputable center.

To be admitted to the MTax Direct, students must have at least an undergraduate degree in accounting or a J.D. Students without either of these qualifications must complete 6200:601 Financial Accounting and 6200:627 Federal Taxation with grades of B or better prior to admission. Students may be permitted to substitute a comprehensive individual taxation course or a comprehensive business entity tax course for 6200:627 Federal Taxation. The GMAT is not required for attorneys and students who have passed all four parts of the CPA exam or similar professional examinations. All other applicants must submit a satisfactory GMAT, GRE, or LSAT score.

Admission Requirements 

• Graduate School application and fee
• Official transcripts from each institution attended
• The GMAT is not required for attorneys and students who have passed all four parts of the CPA, CMA, CIA or similar professional examinations. All other applicants must submit a satisfactory GMAT (score of 500 or better preferred), GRE, or LSAT,  score. A test waiver may be approved based a prior advanced degree or three or more years of work experience. Consult with the CBA advising office for more information on waivers.
• Two letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• Resume

Application Deadline

• August 1 for Fall enrollment
• December 1 for Spring enrollment
• May 1 for Summer enrollment

International Student Applications

It is recommended that international students apply six weeks prior to these dates to allow time for admission and I-20 visa processing. I-20 forms are processed by UA Immigration Services in the International Center, Buchtel Hall, Suite 202. Proof of English Language Proficiency is required by producing an acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score.

Students currently admitted to this program may have different course requirements than those listed here. Refer to your official Program Checklist and DARS in My Akron for your program requirements.

Degree Offered: MTax Master of Taxation

Program Contact: grad.cba@uakron.edu

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Master of Taxation Courses
6200:628	Tax Research	3
6200:631	Corporate Taxation I	3
6200:641	Taxation of Partnerships	3
6200:642	Corporate Taxation II	3
6200:643	Tax Accounting	3
6200:648	Tax Policy & Ethics	3
6200:649	State & Local Taxation	3
6200:651	International Taxation	3
Electives
Select 6 credits (to be determined)		6
Total Hours		30

Admission

Policy

The applicant must meet one (1) of the following eligibility requirements which are consistent with the Graduate School and the college’s accrediting agency (AACSB).

• Hold a domestic baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have a total index score of 1,050 or more based upon the overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA)(A=4.0) times 200 plus the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) score. Students who have taken the GRE, MCAT, or LSAT may request consideration for admission based upon those entrance exam scores. To be considered the applicant should score at or above the 50th percentile on each section of the exam. Applicants holding either a master’s, doctoral, or juris doctor degree from an American university may request consideration for admission based on the graduate degree. The individual’s total application will be reviewed, and the graduate admissions committee reserves the right to require the GMAT for admission of the applicant.
• Hold a domestic baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have a total index score of 1,100 or more based on the junior-senior (i.e., last 64 semester or 96 quarter credits) GPA (A=4.0) times 200 plus the GMAT score.
• Hold a degree from outside the United States and have an academic standing of first or high second class, satisfactory evidence of competence in English (i.e., TOEFL score of 79 or above) and a score of at least 500 on the GMAT.
• Applicants may petition the Graduate Admissions Committee for a waiver of the GMAT, GRE, or other standardized test if they have achieved three years of professional responsibilities after completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Contact the Graduate Programs Office in the College of Business Administration for waiver request process.

An admission interview will be required of students wishing to be admitted to the MBA program coming directly from an undergraduate program with no professional work experience.

Students admitted on a provisional basis must achieve a composite index of 1,150 based on foundation course GPA times 200 plus GMAT score.

Even though an applicant is eligible for consideration, an offer of admission is not guaranteed. Since staff, facilities, and resources are limited, a determination will be made as to the number of applicants that can be adequately served among those eligible for admission. As a result, offers of admission may be limited to only the most qualified of eligible applicants as determined by the CBA Graduate Admissions Committee. The committee considers the following factors: difficulty of the applicant’s undergraduate program; length of time and activities since graduation; and the percentile ranking on the GMAT.

In rare instances, the applicant who has taken the GMAT but does not meet requirements may be considered for admission. Also, those applicants previously denied admission may, upon presentation of new information, be reconsidered. In either case, the applicant must petition the CBA Graduate Admissions Committee in writing and provide those reasons relevant to the situation which demonstrate the likelihood of success. In all cases, the burden of proof is on the applicant.

Under the regulations of the Graduate School, eligible applicants who have been extended an offer of admission by the CBA Graduate Admissions Committee are recommended to the Dean of the Graduate School for either “full” or “provisional” graduate status. Students admitted with “provisional” status who have not attained an overall 3.0 GPA upon completion of 12 graduate credits will be dismissed from the program. Students admitted as non-degree seeking are restricted to enrolling in a maximum of nine credits of Gateway courses only.

Procedure

All official test score reports should be sent to the Graduate School, The University of Akron, Akron OH 44325-2101 (institution code 1829). The GMAT is administered world-wide and the applicant should register for it sufficiently in advance to the filing of the graduate application to avoid delay of evaluation of the application for admission. Those who have test scores more than five years old are normally required to retake the exam.

The CBA Graduate Admissions Committee meets monthly and considers all completed applications on hand at the time of each meeting. Applicants will be informed of admission decisions once the Dean of the Graduate School has acted upon the recommendation of the CBA Admissions Committee.

Degree Requirements

To be awarded any master’s degree from the College of Business Administration, a student must:

• Meet the time and grade-point requirements of the Graduate School.
• Complete the minimum credits in each of the degree program descriptions.
• Complete all course and program requirements of applicable master’s program.

Questions regarding these Policies, Procedures, and Requirements may be sent via e-mail to grad.cba@uakron.edu. Further information may be found at the College of Business Administration website: mba.uakron.edu.

Transfer Policy

The College of Business Administration will permit nine credits of comparable graduate credits to be transferred in a graduate business program. These credits must be pre-approved by the CBA Director of Graduate Programs. This nine credit policy also applies to second degree applicants.

Second Degree

For a student who has already obtained one master’s degree in business, it is possible to pursue another degree in the college provided that:

1. no second MBA is to be obtained;
2. the desired program (degree requirements) is specifically approved in advance by the CBA Director of Graduate Programs; and
3. no fewer than 21 new credits are earned for the second degree.

Graduate Internships

It is preferred that all full-time CBA graduate students participate in an internship to gain practical experience in the field of study. The internship may be paid or unpaid.

Additional Information for the MBA Program 

The MBA program is the principle graduate program of The University of Akron’s College of Business Administration. The objective of the MBA program is to provide a diverse group of men and women with the skills, multi-stakeholder strategic perspective, and innovative spirit required to lead in organizations that operate within a global business environment characterized by intense competition and increasing levels of complexity and uncertainty. The MBA is intended to be a generalist degree with emphasis on multi-functional knowledge rather than areas of specialization. Students should not expect to conduct heavily specialized study of a particular functional area within the MBA program. Students who typically experience the highest value added from an MBA program are those individuals with professional work experience and/or non-business undergraduate or graduate degrees. Graduates of The University of Akron’s MBA program should possess:

• The analytical and conceptual skills needed to identify and deal successfully with ambiguous and unstructured business problems;
• A solid foundation in relevant business functions, with emphasis on the integration of the functions and an understanding of how multiple business functions are linked in the formulation and execution of business strategy;
• A strong ethical perspective, an appreciation of workplace and marketplace diversity, and an ability to communicate in an effective, persuasive manner;
• An understanding of the social, legal, political, regulatory, economic and technological environment; and,
• An awareness of the global economy in which businesses operate and an understanding of the forces that drive competition and sustainability within the global economy.

In order to accomplish these goals, the graduate faculty of the College of Business Administration is committed to providing a high quality graduate business school experience. That experience will have a strong professional and real-world focus, characterized by collaborative work and emphasis on the practice of management. The faculty is intent on creating a stimulating academic environment with a balance between theory and application. Faculty strive to create a classroom setting that is varied, interesting, and permeated by the concepts of globalization, professional integrity and ethics, leadership, and planned change.

There are many skills students must acquire throughout an MBA program in addition to technical competencies within particular functional areas. These skills include communication and interpersonal skills, analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills, and leadership skills. These skills enable students to develop their professional identity and are woven into the program as follows:

Communication

1. Ability to present views and concepts clearly in writing;
2. Ability to objectively critique and judge the value of written work;
3. Ability to present views and concepts clearly through oral communication.

Collaborative Work and Interpersonal Skills

1. Ability to understand group dynamics and work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds;
2. Ability to manage and resolve conflict;
3. Ability to organize and delegate project tasks.

Critical Thinking and Creative and Effective Problem Solving

1. Ability to solve structured and unstructured problems;
2. Ability to deal effectively with imposed pressures and deadlines.

The basics for this group of skills may be acquired in prior bachelor degree programs. A variety of opportunities are provided to students throughout the program to develop these skills. A student’s progress is to be documented and evaluated by self-evaluation, peer evaluation, and faculty evaluation.

MBA Proficiencies

All courses beyond the Gateway Courses require demonstrated proficiency in Excel, writing, and statistics.

Gateway Course Limitations

Gateway Courses may not be used as concentration or action-based learning courses.