ANALYTICS PROGRAM PREPS ACCOUNTANCY FOR BIG DATA

In 2017, Mizzou was one of nine schools nationwide selected to join the KPMG Master of Accounting with Data and Analytics (MADA) Program, an initiative that prepares accounting students for the world of big data. The program sponsors selected students by providing full tuition, KPMG internships and job offers upon graduation. But even as the initiative concludes its third and final year, faculty at the Trulaske College of Business feel this is only the beginning of an exciting new direction for analytics curricula. “The KPGM program has been an accelerator,” says Vairam Arunachalam, director of the School of Accountancy. “We already had a great foundation. Now we have a stronger curriculum in place and can offer it beyond the MADA program.” This includes certification in accounting data analytics not only for graduate students but also for working professionals who want to enroll part time. “It’s going to be a gamechanger,” Arunachalam says. “It’s absolutely critical to our success and that of our graduates. With this knowledge, they will be better prepared for the accounting jobs of the future.”