Walker College of Business

Heather Norris, Dean
Sandra Vannoy, Associate Dean
Martin Mezner, Associate Dean
Sam Formby, Associate Dean

http://business.appstate.edu

The Walker College of Business offers undergraduate and master’s level business programs at Appalachian State University, a public, comprehensive university in the University of North Carolina system of higher education. Our mission is to offer high quality educational experiences preparing our students to be responsible, effective leaders and professionals in a rapidly changing, global environment. To accomplish this, our focus is on instructional excellence, complemented by scholarship in practice, theory and pedagogy, and service activities that benefit the business discipline and the broader community.

Department of Accounting

accounting.appstate.edu

Doug Roberts, Acting Chair

Bill Pollard, Graduate Program Director
pollardwb@appstate.edu

The basic educational objective of the MS in Accounting is to provide advanced education to meet the needs of persons planning careers in accounting at the professional level. The MS in Accounting program offers courses of study which greatly enhance success in completing certifying examinations needed for designation as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and other professional designations. Additionally, the program broadens the general business knowledge and intensifies accounting knowledge of its graduates so as to improve their performance beyond the entry/certification stage in their professional careers.

Application for admission to the MS program will be open to any graduate of an accredited four-year baccalaureate program. Admission is competitive, with admission granted only to students showing high promise of success in graduate business study. Admission to the MS program is based on a balanced appraisal of the applicant’s total record and overall excellence. The foundation for the admission decision is the GMAT score and undergraduate academic performance, including the trend of grades during undergraduate schooling and the GPA in the undergraduate major. Relevant work experience may also be considered in the admission process.

For students without adequate preparation in accounting and business, the following undergraduate equivalent courses that are prerequisite to graduate study must be completed: Accounting Principles, Economics, Statistics, Behavioral Science, and Finance.

In addition, the undergraduate preparation must include the following accounting courses: Intermediate Accounting sequence; Cost Accounting; Accounting Systems; Individual Income Taxation; Auditing.

Any or all of these courses may be waived if the student has taken equivalent work. Prerequisite courses may also be waived through written examination or, if approved, through appropriate business experience. There is a fee for written examinations. Students lacking prerequisites, if otherwise qualified, may be admitted to the graduate program with the understanding that the prerequisites will be completed as part of the program.

The program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate study and allows the student to follow a general concentration or a tax concentration. A student needing no prerequisites will usually complete the program in two semesters and a summer. For students with majors in other academic disciplines, it will take longer, depending on the required prerequisites.

Programs

Master of Science

Courses

Accounting

Master of Business Administration Program

mba.appstate.edu

Sandra Vannoy, Graduate Program Director
vannoysa@appstate.edu

Accredited by AACSB since 1976, Appalachian’s Walker College of Business offers an accelerated 1 year MBA program with rolling admission so that students can begin their program of study in May, August, or January. The MBA program is open to all undergraduate majors. The program has available online learning modules to help all students quickly and easily meet any required prerequisite knowledge they may need to be successful in our program. These introductory business topics include statistics, accounting, finance, economics, marketing, and management.

The MBA program is also ideal for students wanting to complete two master’s degrees simultaneously. With department and Graduate School approval, a double degree graduate student count up to 50% of the credit hours from one program of study on the other program. This reduces the time it takes to complete the second degree. In many cases, by taking advantage of MBA summer courses and enrolling in a few extra classes during the year, students can graduate from both degrees within a semester of their original graduation date. Students have enrolled in the MBA program in combination with programs in Higher Education, Engineering Physics, and others. The form to request admission to a second master’s program may be obtained from the Graduate School (graduate.appstate.edu/about-us/forms#program).

To fulfill the mission of the MBA program extensive resources are dedicated to ensuring the program is well rounded. In addition to a robust curriculum, the MBA program places a heavy emphasis on practical job preparation through practicums, internships, executive skills courses, and international travel. Students also receive one-on-one coaching from the Walker College of Business Graduate Career Services. The program ensures that students are business savvy, internationally experienced, proven leaders, proficient communicators, ethical, and employable.

Location of Program: This program is offered on campus in Boone in the format described in this Bulletin. Off-campus courses follow a part-time extended program format with rolling admission allowing someone to complete the program two years from their start date. For information about the off-campus program, please contact the Office of Distance Education: distance.appstate.edu.