MAC Program Classes & the Enrollment Process

Author: Melissa

Having just enrolled in my courses for next semester, I thought now might be a good time to discuss what classes are like in the MAC program, as well as the enrollment process. Since the MAC program has a small group of students, we receive a lot of individual attention when selecting courses. There are certain classes that we are all required to enroll in as MAC students, and then there are variations between students depending on what they decided to concentrate in. Since I chose to concentrate in tax, I was required to take one tax course this semester, one more next semester, plus a free elective next semester. Other students who concentrated had two required concentration courses next semester. Those who decided to not take a concentration have a degree of flexibility in their schedule to try new things. The great thing about going through the enrollment process in the MAC program is that, should you have any questions, many people are available to answer them promptly, including Dr. Kathy Krawczyk, the director of the MAC program.

Faculty and Coursework

This fall, my only concentration-specific course was Corporate Tax Strategy, with Professor Jennie Dirienzo. Jennie was my undergraduate tax professor here at NC State as well, so we had a good rapport prior to the class beginning. My favorite thing about the course is that it is very applicable to the work I did at my internship, centered on preparing a tax provision. As a tax return preparer, I would reconcile tax returns with the provision (which my boss prepared) to see if there were any changes warranting further attention. I love learning how to do the work my boss does, since I know one day I will be expected to develop the same skillset.

My other courses, which are mandatory for all MAC students, are really helpful in preparing for the CPA exam. I am now taking Ernest Carraway’s advanced income tax course, which is applicable to both my job and the CPA exam. Likewise, I am enrolled in Bonnie Hancock’s applied financial management course and Srinivas Saraswatula’s IT Risks and Controls class. Finally, I have Accounting and Tax Research and Managerial and Career effectiveness with Dr. Krawczyk. The latter course is primarily geared towards helping students acclimate to the MAC program, prepare for life beyond college, and stay informed about the CPA exam requirements, as well as continuing education requirements once we all (hopefully!) pass.

I know my classes will help me when taking the CPA exam, and I’m counting on it since I am taking my first section this January! I’m sure some of the people reading this post have concerns about the difficulty of the coursework. I can’t say that the MAC program is anything less than challenging, but it’s worth the work knowing that we are improving our chances of passing the CPA exam as well as working towards becoming more well-rounded professionals. I hope this post gave you a better idea of what kind of classes we take in the MAC program, as well as their purpose!