Taxation, Public Accounting Tracks Added to Smith's Graduate Accounting Degree

The Accounting and Information Assurance Department at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business is adding tracks for public accounting and taxation to its 8-year-old Master of Science in Business: Accounting program.

Both additions are 30-credit hour programs and take effect in fall 2014.

The taxation courses, held on Saturdays and evenings at UMD's Shady Grove campus, will cover such topics such as the taxation of individuals, corporations, nonprofits entities. Other covered topics will include real estate taxation, international taxation and state and local taxation.

The public accounting track, held at the College Park campus, will position graduates for career advantages over counterparts without an advanced degree.

Candidates from various disciplines -- from economics and criminology to the sciences, arts and humanities -- are encouraged to apply for the public accounting track and "position themselves with a skillset that's in considerable demand," said the program academic director Stephen Loeb.

Prerequisite accounting credits for the public accounting track, likely needed by non-business majors, can be completed during the summer prior to entering the program.

The taxation track concurrently "addresses one of the fastest-changing accounting subfields and will prepare students with skills including those to analyze, solve and apply ethical responsibility to tax compliance issues and communicate complex tax information," Loeb said.

“Both tracks stand to bolster an already strong track record of Smith accounting graduates demonstrating success in public accounting, industry and government service," he added.

For more details, contact Smith's Office of MBA and MS Admissions at 301-405-2559 or masters@rhsmith.umd.edu.