Your checklist is below. Before you start, take a moment to meet our Admissions Ambassadors, current students who were in your spot not long ago! And, join UNC MAC on LinkedIn, where we celebrate the accounting profession, the accounting discipline, and the fascinating world of debits, credits, revenue, expenses, and, of course, profit.
Welcome to the UNC Kenan-Flagler Master of Accounting (MAC) Program. Our team believes you’ll be a strong addition to our community. Take the first step to your future educational and professional goals and save your seat in your talented class by submitting your non-refundable enrollment deposit. Your deposit is directly credited to your account, which will apply to your tuition and fees.
Once you submit your deposit, you’ll gain additional access to our world-class resources, including personalized academic guidance and individualized career services.
To submit your enrollment deposit (only $500), you’ll need your PID number, located on your admissions virtual letter.
Every organization has its own procedures, guidance, and recommendations. We’ve compiled this highly useful information into our MAC Student Handbook. You’ll learn more about academic courses, logistics, and student support. We’ve included nearly everything in this informative guide. This document is updated regularly and the most recent version is available for you. Log in to access it on the Application Status page, which includes the Student Handbook in the Enrollment Reply Form.
Please be sure to routinely check your spam and promotional folders, it is highly possible that some important mailings could end up there!
While the on-campus format of the UNC Master of Accounting Program begins in June, we recognize that our students have unique opportunities to complete before starting the program. Examples include internships or competing in collegiate sports at your undergraduate institution.
We’ve created an option for students such as these to start the program in early August and complete their first term on an accelerated timeline. Students seeking to start the on-campus format in early August must have fulfilled their undergraduate degree requirements and have received a grade of B or better (not pass/fail) in an Introductory Finance course from a U.S.-based, AACSB-accredited institution. (For UNC Chapel Hill undergrads, that course is BUSI 408.)
For highly important additional information, please view this FAQ document.
We strive to be at the forefront of technology for all of our pursuits. We use the University of North Carolina’s “ONYEN” process for your password-related activities. This ensures that your data and information are secure at all times. This is your all-access UNC password. In addition, we’ve eliminated the necessity of multiple passwords by developing the Only Name You’ll Ever Need (ONYEN). Be sure to have your PID number (on your admissions virtual letter) to start the process.
The University of North Carolina is highly accommodating to active duty military, retired military, and military families. Our commitment begins with the admissions process and continues through your engagement as an alumni. So that we can ensure your military benefits are applied as soon as possible, please begin the required VA documentation soon after your admission. The VA website includes highly useful information as an additional resource.
We’ll need the following information:
If you have additional questions, please contact:
Karsen Spain, Veterans Affairs Specialist
UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
1205 Environ Way, CB# 3495
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Email: kfvetaffairs@kenan-flagler.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-0117
The MAC Program is a part of the University of North Carolina. This status enables us to have access to their resources and services. UNC has created “Connect Carolina” to provide you with an integrated portal to unlock system-wide benefits. In addition, you’ll pay your tuition through Connect Carolina.
The Connect Carolina portal includes an important “to-do” list with logistical items that you’ll need to complete. Although you may not need to complete anything right now, you should refer back to the Connect Carolina “to-do” list regularly as you approach the start date of our program to ensure you don’t miss any important action items. In addition to all of the Connect Carolina “to-do” items, please be sure to review:
You will receive information sent to your Kenan-Flagler email address (which you will receive in early June) on enrolling or waiving out of the health insurance plan options. The waiver and enrollment period does not begin until late May and is open until the fall. The immunization form is not due until late August.
As an accounting student, you know the value of smart financial decisions. The MAC program is certainly a wise investment, and we want to enable you to set the right financial foundation. In addition to financial aid, remember to research alternative sources of funding, including external scholarships.
Approximately 90% of MAC students receive some type of financial aid to help pay tuition, fees, and/or living expenses (about 50% of students borrow some type of loan funding, either private or Federal). Like a company that seeks financing to build a more efficient and productive plant, you’ll likely use financing to invest in your future. The U.S. government agrees that educational investments are important and provides access to student loans.
Tuition and fees are not finalized until the summer but you can find our best estimates for these costs. There are several payment options available, including an installment payment plan.
If you will borrow loan funding for your MAC studies, consider the following:
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If you will borrow loan funding for your MAC studies, start working on the following:
If you have any questions, please contact MACFinancialAid@unc.edu.
There are some organizations that specifically allocate funding to Master of Accounting or graduate students. We’ve included a few special scholarships below, but also remember to use the comprehensive UNC Funding Information Portal.
To maintain a high level of academic integrity, we require that all official undergraduate and graduate (if applicable) transcripts are submitted to us before the first day of a credit-bearing course. You may provide official paper or official electronic transcripts.
*Please note that transcripts sent to us from your personal email are not considered official. If you are using an electronic service to send transcripts, make sure you have them sent directly to MAC Admissions.
Graduates (and individuals that have studied at multiple institutions):
Please start the transcript verification process as soon as possible.
Upcoming graduates
Please request your transcripts immediately after degree confirmation.
International Transcripts:
If you studied outside of the United States, you must have a college-level education equivalent to an American undergraduate or baccalaureate degree. If the original language of the academic record and diploma is not English, please submit a certified English translation with the original document.
How to send your transcripts:
For electronic requests, select “third party” and use mac_admissions@kenan-flagler.unc.edu for the email address . Transcripts sent to any other email address (i.e. graduate admissions) won’t be received by the MAC Program.
Or mail them to us at:
Master of Accounting Program
UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Campus Box 3490, McColl Building
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3490
Your residency for tuition purposes determines your in-state or out-of-state status and may impact your admission, tuition, scholarship and financial aid eligibility. North Carolina residency for tuition purposes is governed by North Carolina state law. More information about North Carolina residency for tuition purposes can be found at www.ncresidency.org
Residency Seekers:
You should submit the current residency application as soon as possible, but no later than a month before the program starts.
When should you apply for residency?
Once you have maintained a domicile continuously in North Carolina for at least 12 full months.
How do I know if I am qualified for in-state tuition?
You will receive an unverified determination directly from Residency Determination Services (RDS) once you complete the application. RDS will confirm information provided and will verify information within 24-72 hours.
What do I need to know about residency?
Please refer to the Residency FAQs.
Diversity of our student population, faculty, staff, and partners represents an important facet of our program. We strive to create an inclusive and representative Community that welcomes all backgrounds and experiences.
We recognize that International Students (including those without Permanent U.S. Work Authorization) may have additional process steps related to enrollment. Therefore, we have additional resources available to you:
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill utilizes the Office365 application suite. As a UNC Chapel Hill student, you can download the Office365 application suite to your personal computer at no cost. Click this link to access the software.
Students must have access to a Windows-based machine running Windows 10 or later during their time in the program. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, since these applications will be used frequently in the program. If you’re not familiar with these programs or need to brush up on some skills, you can access courses through LinkedIn Learning. You’ll use your UNC ONYEN credentials to access LinkedIn Learning.
We have recently partnered with Off-Campus Student Life & Community Partnerships. They provide support and guidance for students who are transitioning to the area and looking for information on housing, potential roommates, and other resources.
We encourage you to visit their websites, or contact them with any questions you have about staying in Chapel Hill.
Congratulations on your acceptance to the Master of Accounting Program.
Accounting is often referred to as ‘the language of business’ and one of the primary goals of the MAC program is to help you achieve fluency in this new language. The material is challenging though and topics are covered at a fast pace; thus, we recommend that you have at least a familiarity with the key terms and core concepts that are the foundation of accounting, prior to the start of your first course.
To that end, if you have not previously taken an accounting course, we strongly encourage that, prior to your first course, you read Chapters 1-12 of Financial Statements by Thomas R. Ittelson.
If you are new to the world of accounting, this advance preparation should be considered mandatory. Our courses are designed to explore accounting information, however each looks at it through a different lens, and we recommend a basic fluency in accounting concepts.
We know that you chose the UNC MAC Program because you are a serious student who wants to succeed as well as embrace the many learning opportunities that our degree offers. Making sure you have an initial foundation upon which to build your knowledge and skills, is your first step.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Regards,
Jana Raedy & Lynn Dikolli
We’ll provide you with an unparalleled experience during Orientation and Leadership Immersion (OLI). Approximately three weeks before OLI, we’ll send you a survey to learn more about your preferences during this event, as well as a DiSC assessment.
Our program includes world-class leadership development. As an effective leader, it’s important to know your own personality and working style. Our team has evaluated many different leadership assessments, and we believe the DiSC assessment provides the best platform. The DiSC model creates a tool that allows you to better know yourself and tendencies within team-based work. This incredible resource is available to you during the program and you can take these learnings with you as you transition into the workplace.
This DiSC assessment is a requirement for your leadership course MAC 776 Leadership: Ethics, Professionalism and Team Building in Today’s Diverse Business Environment that will take place during the Orientation and Leadership Immersion (OLI). You’ll gain access to your individualized DiSC instructions via email shortly before OLI.
We place a high value on developing leaders within our program. Based on your admission, we believe that you have strong leadership potential. One of our goals is to further refine and shape your leadership attributes. To complement this initiative, we’ve created a number of elected leadership positions within the student body. You’ll learn more about these opportunities during Orientation & Leadership Immersion (OLI).
The program will register you for classes for your first two terms (July & October) to ensure a streamlined process for you. In your July term, you’ll be registered for the Orientation and Leadership Immersion, Financial Reporting A, Auditing and Assurance Services, and Finance.
We’ve designed our courses to be fast-paced so that you gain the highest return on your education. You’ll want to be prepared on your first day of class. Therefore, we recommend that you order your textbooks prior to your classes. The materials required for your first term are located on the intranet.
We’re known worldwide for our innovative leadership curriculum. It all begins with our engaging Orientation and Leadership Immersion (OLI). This event sets the foundation for your education in our MAC program. You’ll interact with peers, review personal assessments, and develop a productive study group culture. The immersion is required for all students and includes a credit-bearing course. The course is a mix of instructional learning and team-building activities.
UNC’s Office of Accessibility Resources & Service provides reasonable accommodations, resources and services to enrolled undergraduate and graduate/professional students with disabilities. Our mission is to provide students with disabilities equal access to the services, programs and activities of the University so that they may, as independently as possible, meet the demands of University life.
Equal access is an institutional commitment, and the Office of Accessibility Resources & Service actively works with colleagues across the University to achieve that goal.
If a MAC student requires individual accommodations for facilities, testing, or other aspects, the program encourages students to first register at https://accessibility.unc.edu/students. The MAC Program cannot extend provisions without students first being registered with this office. Accommodations cannot be provided retroactively. In partnership with the Office of Accessibility Resources & Services, the MAC Program will ensure student needs are met.
We know that CPA testing and preparation is a topic that rates high for many of you. Our academics do not “teach to the CPA exam” but the curriculum well prepares students for the exam. Be assured that we want to set you up for success in this pursuit and will support you along the way.
To assist students in navigating this process, the MAC Program holds a session each August to discuss the testing process, MAC academic parallels as well as includes our dedicated Becker representative to discuss their role in this as well. You can view a recorded session here (Links to an external site.). We will announce in the coming months the decided date for our 2024 session. There will also be dedicated meetings in the latter part of this year (Nov./Dec.) that will talk more about state specifics for some of our most popular career destinations so be on the look out for those session details down the road as well.
Some other great resources to reference are:
State Boards of Accountancy (Links to an external site.) : Each state manages its own requirements for the exams so communicate with your desired state for licensure for clarifications on your academic credit and other testing approval guidelines. The State Boards exclusively determine the necessary requirements.
This Way to CPA (Links to an external site.) : A great repository of information on testing and licensure information, career avenues and much more.
Becker: (Links to an external site.) Becker is an industry leader in preparing students for CPA testing with their support and prep materials. UNC MAC has a long-standing partnership with them to offer these items to students at a discounted rate as well as having a dedicated representative to connect with. We’ll host a number of events over this year to highlight this partnership as well.
The UNC student ID card is named the “OneCard.” This OneCard opens a wide array of resources to you. You can use your OneCard for printing, dining, and many other services. It provides you access to the McColl Building at Kenan-Flagler Business School beyond the normal operating hours. In addition, you can use this card for discounts at many Chapel Hill retailers!
All students will need to get a OneCard. (If you are entering MAC directly from undergrad at UNC, you will be able to use your existing OneCard.) Please note that you will have a busy schedule during the Orientation and Leadership Immersion and might not have time during the day to get your ID. Please visit the OneCard website to see their schedule and location where you can get your OneCard.
We’re looking forward to helping you obtain your career goals. Whether you seek to join a public accounting firm, Fortune 500 company, or small non-profit organization, we’re here to help you. The Career Services Team is led by Shannon Keith. Our Career Service team will help guide you in your employment strategy. We know your educational investment will pay-off and we’re looking forward to helping you.
Many, if not all, our campus students participate in our structured recruiting process, which is our version of on-campus recruiting. We will will guide students through this process, upon your start of the program. To gain more information about the Structured Recruiting process, please read through our Structured Recruiting FAQ’s.
In rare instances, you may have already secured full-time employment prior to your enrollment in our program. If you have already received full-time employment, please contact Allison as soon as possible to discuss your situation.
If you are seeking full time employment in Texas or Illinois, please make sure to contact Allison Manning ASAP and make her aware of your geographic goals. The employment process in these states may be on a faster timeline.
We’ve created an effective resume template based on employer and student feedback. Get started on your first career deliverable and update your resume using our tips, guidelines and template, found here. We’ll provide further guidance on the Structured Recruiting process once you’ve started the program.
The UNC MAC Program has a LinkedIn page that celebrates the accounting profession — and the accounting discipline — and includes articles, videos, invitations to events, and even some fun quizzes and other activities. We think you’ll find the page interesting as you prepare to join the program. Follow us, and share the page with your co-workers, your peers, your family, your friends, and, of course, your social-media contacts.
We recognize that you’re making a major investment in your future. Therefore, we’ve identified a number of organizations that specifically allocate funding to Master of Accounting or graduate students. We’ve included a few special scholarships below, but also remember to use the comprehensive UNC Funding Information Portal.
You may seek CPA licensure during or after your UNC MAC studies. With one of the nation’s leading CPA pass rates, we’ll help you learn the content that will drive your performance on the CPA exam. In addition, we have a tailored partnership with Becker, the world’s most comprehensive CPA prep organization. This agreement includes dedicated study guides, information sessions, and materials at a significantly reduced price.
For more than 30 years as a Master of Accounting program, we’ve produced CPAs around the globe. It should be noted that jurisdictions have specific requirements based on your specific undergraduate, graduate, and accounting curriculum. Therefore, we recommend that you consult a few resources to help with your CPA planning process.
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