KINGSVILLE (May 20, 2021) — The Texas Workforce Commission projects the state of Texas will see an increase in tax preparers of over 20 percent through 2026. The occupation of accountants and auditors is expected to increase nearly 19 percent in the same time period.
To that end, administrators in the College of Business Administration at Texas A&M University-Kingsville will begin a new program in the fall 2021 semester geared toward filling the gap. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved a new online master’s degree program in taxation.
The new program will enable students to obtain a Master’s of Science degree in Taxation (MST) in one year and meet the educational requirements for the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) examination.
“The newly approved Master of Science in Taxation degree focuses on the theoretical and technical aspects of taxes and tax law. As long as governments continue to operate, individuals and businesses need professional assistance of tax experts,” said Dr. Natalya Delcoure, dean of the College of Business Administration.
“According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for tax professionals is expected to grow over 10 percent in the next 10 years, a rate faster than the national average that will result in over 139,000 news jobs by 2030. The Master of Science in Taxation will help accounting students to broaden then knowledge, prepare them to sit for the CPA exam and improve their career opportunities,” she added.
The new degree will be housed in the accounting and finance department under chair Dr. Thomas Krueger, Professor of Innovation in Business Education. The degree consists of 30 semester credit hours in advanced classes in taxation, graduate economics and finance classes and a strategic management capstone course.
“The integration of taxation courses and business courses equips students with a comprehensive yet specialized understanding of how the complexities of tax laws impact individuals and businesses. Through practical and technical coursework, students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as a tax professional or business manager,” Krueger said.
“The study of taxation is a good way for students to learn how to effectively manage budgets and money. Career opportunities are possible with Big Four Accounting firms, including Ernst & Young, which has recruited on our campus, consultancy firms, government institutions and financial institutions,” he added.
“Students will sharpen their skills as a tax professional while staying current with industry and economic trends. Through training as tax experts, students will acquire skills that are relevant in almost any domain,” Krueger said. “Tax skills are critical whether one is hoping to become a certified public accountant, corporate executive, or financial planning consultant. Continued revision of the tax laws is likely to result in high demand, career progression and interesting, varying assignments for our MST graduates.”
Student recruitment for the new degree will be associated with the recruitment program currently used for the existing online MBA program. MST applicants will be sought at the same graduate and career fairs visited by the MBA recruiters. Marketing of the MST will use similar materials and strategy as the successful MBA.
Classes for the MST will be taught by existing faculty and no additional equipment of facilities will be needed.
Currently, no public institution in the region offers an online Master of Science in Taxation degree program. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Texas A&M University-Commerce offer a tax credential in a fully online program, but it is a concentration within a Master of Accountancy degree.
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