MPAc Welcome Guide overview

Leadership for a Digitally Driven World

TM

Welcome Guide MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY PROGRAM FALL 2022

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MPAc Fall 2022 Congratulations on your outstanding decision to take your career to the next level by becoming a member of our high quality program and well established network of professional partners and academic faculty. You have now mastered the first important stage in your pursuit of graduate level education, and that is choosing the right program.

UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business consistently ranks among the top 5% of accredited business schools in the U.S. We are also ranked in the top 10 for faculty research productivity per capita (UT Dallas study, 2011).

You are now set to embark on the next important stage of your graduate experience, and that is making the time you spend as a UCI MPAc student as rewarding and successful as possible. We want you to know that the Accounting faculty and MPAc staff are committed to advising, guiding, and working with you in every way possible to make this happen. We alone cannot ensure your successful progress through the program. You, as well, must quickly and fully embrace the responsibilities and privileges that come with being an advanced learner and graduate candidate to ensure your experiences and work at UCI are both positive and fruitful. As part of this process, we encourage you to get an early start on seeking out and taking advantage of the numerous Merage School and university resources that will be made available to you – many of which are outlined in this Welcome Guide.

Once again, we are excited to have you as a member of our MPAc class and very much look forward to working with you to help make your professional and academic goals a reality!

Sincerely, Patricia Wellmeyer CPA, CGMA, MS, PhD MPAc Academic Director and Clinical Assistant Professor of Accounting 2

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Welcome Guide To make it easier for you to find the information you’re looking for, we’ve broken this guide down into five sections. Click on any of the buttons below to jump to a specific topic. Click on the top left UCI Paul Merage School of Business to return to the homepage at any time.

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Program Information

Career Resources

Student Life

International Students

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Transform Your Future Program Overview School Calendar

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Transform Your Future Embracing the New Normal We all now live, work, and compete in an age of digital disruption. To gain the competitive advantage,

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we need to think more strategically – and more creatively – about how to leverage new opportunities

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and address new challenges.

The Paul Merage School of Business: Leadership for a Digitally Driven World™ Businesses and organizations across all industries are fundamentally affected by digital technologies with widespread implications for managers. The Paul Merage School of Business, a global leader in business education, has transformed its curricula, networks, facilities – its very culture – to equip our students with the knowledge, experience, and leadership skills to disrupt, lead, and excel in a digitally driven world.

“I chose Merage because I loved how career based the program was structured. From resume building workshops to mock interviews, student mixers, and networking events, the program gives students the opportunity to develop and establish communication and professional skills that will benefit them in their careers.”

Adrianna Robles ’20 (Two-year option) Assurance Associate, EY

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Transform Your Future Program Overview School Calendar MPAc Program Office Student Code of Conduct

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Program Overview As a member of the Fall Class of 2022, you will be assigned to a cohort (i.e. Cohort A, B, C). You will take all of your core courses together as a cohort. Careful attention is given when developing each cohort so they mirror the diversity of the class and provide a smaller “community” feel to the MPAc experience. Additionally, these cohorts are designed to promote a sense of identity, encourage school spirit, and enhance future networking opportunities.

Within your cohort, you will be a part of a smaller group of four or five fellow MPAc students. Students with diverse interests and backgrounds work in groups to navigate core classes together, allowing you to show off your strengths and gain support for your development areas. Your group will stay together for fall quarter of your MPAc core curriculum. However, as a means to expand the opportunity for interaction with all MPAc students, you have the option of choosing your own group in winter and spring quarters.

Orientation Orientation takes place over a two-week period to give the incoming class an opportunity to meet and interact with their new classmates before the academic year begins. During orientation there are a variety of workshops and activities to acclimate students to the Merage School community and student life.

Please see the Next Steps section for dates and details on orientation.

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Program Overview

MPAc Degree Requirements

School Calendar MPAc Program Office Student Code of Conduct

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The following are requirements for receiving your MPAc degree at the Merage School: • 44 units; 7 core courses (28 units), 4 elective courses (16 units) • 3 quarters of residency at UCI (and one summer for those taking the MPAc Summer Intensive) • A grade point average minimum 3.0 must be maintained both in core courses and overall

SUMMER (IF NEEDED) Session I

WINTER

• Intermediate Accounting I Intensive

• Advanced Managerial and Cost Accounting (4)

• Auditing Intensive

• Electives (4-8) Session II • Intermediate Accounting II Intensive • Fundamentals of Taxation Intensive

FALL

SPRING

• Advanced Auditing and Assurance Services (4)

• Ethics in Accounting and Business

• Financial Statement Analysis and Forecasting (4)

(Capstone) (4)

• Professional Research and Communication (4)

• Emerging Topics in Accounting (2)

• Taxes and Business Strategy (4)

• Electives (8-12)

• Emerging Topics in Accounting (2)

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The following are requirements for receiving your MPAc degree at the Merage School: • 44 units; 7 core courses (28 units), 4 elective courses (16 units) • 6 quarters of residency at UCI (and one summer for those taking the MPAc Summer Intensive) • A grade point average minimum 3.0 must be maintained both in core courses and overall

FALL • MPAC 238 Advanced Auditing and Assurance

SPRING

Services (4)

• MPAC 239 Ethics in Accounting and

• MPAC 291 Professional Research and

Business (Capstone) (4)

Communication (4)

• Electives (4)

• Emerging Topics in Accounting (2)

YEAR ONE

WINTER • MPAC 235 Advanced Managerial and Cost Accounting (4) • Electives (4)

FALL • MPAC 231A Financial Statement Analysis and Forecasting (4)

SPRING • Emerging Topics in Accounting (2)

• MPAC 232 Taxes and Business Strategy (4)

• Electives (4)

YEAR TWO

WINTER • Electives (4)

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FALL COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Program Overview

MPAC 238 ADVANCED AUDITING AND ASSURANCE SERVICES (4)

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This course is designed to provide advanced coverage of topics and emerging issues in the areas of auditing and assurance services and fraud detection.

Specifically, the course will provide students with a deeper understanding (1) of the fundamental concepts of auditing through study of relevant pronouncements and cases, (2) of assurance services, with particular emphasis on developing forensic audit objectives and insights on how to examine and evaluate the potential for fraud within financial reporting environments, and (3) of developing hot-topics within the auditing profession, including the market effects of auditing and auditor litigation issues. Specific topics covered in the course include: auditor litigation and client acceptance, errors and fraud, strategic risk analysis, internal control and going concern assessments, analytical procedures, and audit sampling. Prerequisites: Intermediate Accounting I and II (or equivalent courses), or MGMTMBA 231A (or equivalent courses), an acceptable undergraduate auditing course, and permission of program director.

MPAC 231A FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING (4) Develops an initial set of skills essential to using financial statements for business analysis by examining earnings management, revenue recognition, the reporting of assets, and how financial reporting is related to the business environment and managerial incentives. Prerequisite: MGMT 203A or equivalent and permission of the program director.

MPAC 291 PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION (4) This course will combine research of the professional/practitioner accounting literature on a range of technical topics with written communication and oral presentations of the findings. Prerequisite: Intermediate Accounting I and II (or equivalent courses) or MGMTMBA 231A (or equivalent courses) and permission of program director.

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FALL COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (continued)

WINTER COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Program Overview

MPAC 232 TAXES AND BUSINESS STRATEGY (4)

MPAC 235 ADVANCED MANAGERIAL AND COST

The course will develop a student’s ability to identify, understand,

ACCOUNTING (4)

and evaluate tax-planning opportunities. The focus would be

This course discusses managerial and cost accounting techniques

on tax planning concepts and the effects of taxes on business

with a strategic focus and demonstrates how to use accounting

decisions, rather than on detailed tax rules, compliance, or

information effectively in a highly dynamic and fiercely competitive

legal research. Hence, the goal will be to develop a conceptual

environment. A wide range of topics are covered, including

framework for evaluating how taxes affect financial decisions,

Porter’s strategy, value chain analysis, balanced scorecard,

such as savings vehicles, business entity choice, financial

activity-based costing and activity-based management,

statement analysis, executive compensation, capital structure,

benchmarking, quality- and time-based competition, target

mergers and acquisitions, estate and gift tax, and international

costing, lifecycle costing, strategic cost management, budgeting

tax planning. Prerequisites: MGMT 203A or equivalent and

models, measuring Innovation, and a process-focused

permission of the program director.

organizational structure. Prerequisite: MGMT 203A or equivalent

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and permission of the program director.

MPAC 230 EMERGING TOPICS IN ACCOUNTING (2) May be taken for credit 2 times. This course provides students

SPRING COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

in the Master in Professional Accountancy program with

MPAC 239 ETHICS IN ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS (4)

information and practical skills for success in the program and

This course is designed to introduce students to the intellectual

for professional accounting and business career planning, and

principles of ethical decision making by emphasizing the

with discussions of current issues confronting the accounting

theories of ethics and their application in the business, and

profession. This course will meet throughout the academic

specifically, accounting professions. Through lecture, reading,

year, with a larger number of sessions during the fall and spring

and case study analysis, students will gain insight into the

quarters. Prerequisite: Permission of the program director.

processes of thinking about moral problems, ethical conduct, and professional duty, and develop analytical skills to recognize and resolve ethical dilemmas. Consideration will also be given to issues of sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Students will gain an understanding of the importance of making values-based decisions and of the legal implications of ethical misconduct by managers, accountants, and other fiduciaries, and the usefulness of regulation and standard setting as tools

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SPRING COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (continued)

basis and government-wide statements for state and local

Program Overview

to address such misconduct. The effectiveness of professional

governments, preparing financial statements for private not-for-

codes of ethics like those ascribed to by self-regulatory

profit organizations, using nonfinancial performance measures to

organizations will be studied through exposure to the California

evaluate governmental and not-for profit entities and describing

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State Board of Accountancy’s rules of ethics; the AICPA’s Code

auditing requirements for these entities. Prerequisite: MGMT

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of Professional Conduct; and ethical conditions required by the

203A or equivalent and permission of program director.

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Securities Exchange Commission via the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Prerequisites or Co-requisites: All required courses in the

MPAC 234 ACCOUNTING POLICY AND RESEARCH (2)

Master in Professional Accountancy program and permission

This elective course considers issues in contemporary accounting

of the program director. This course is offered only in the spring

standard setting and regulation by examining academic accounting

quarter. It is the capstone course in the MPAC program and the

research of the various issues. Enables students to develop their

final exam serves as the comprehensive exam for the program.

knowledge and better appreciate current debates in accounting.

Prerequisite: MGMT 203A or equivalent and permission of program

ELECTIVE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

director.

MPAC 231B ADVANCED FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS (4) Extends financial statement analysis to the reporting of liabilities

MPAC 236 FORENSIC ACCOUNTING (2)

and stockholders’ equity and their interaction with managerial

This elective course focuses on the understanding, principles, and

incentives and the business environment. Useful to anyone with

application of forensic accounting. Topics include the identification,

interests in equity, business, or financial analysis, investment and

detection, and prevention of fraud, valuations, damage calculations,

commercial banking, accounting, consulting. Prerequisite: MGMT

and litigation support. The roles and responsibilities of forensic

203A or equivalent and permission of the program director. This

accounting in the legal system will also be discussed. Prerequisite:

course may be taken concurrently with MPAC 231A.

MGMT 203A or equivalent and permission of program director.

MPAC 233 GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-FOR-PROFIT

MPAC 237 INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING (4)

ACCOUNTING (4)

A comprehensive study of International Financial Reporting

This elective course focuses on the reporting and use of

Standards (IFRS) and others topics concerning accounting in the

accounting information as it relates to governmental and

international arena. Prerequisite: MGMTMBA 231A and MGMT

non-for-profit entities. Topics include identifying and applying

203A or equivalent and permission of program director.

appropriate accounting and reporting standards for governments and private non-for-profit organizations, preparing fund

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ELECTIVE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (continued)

and the CEO, and the role of the board in corporate strategy.

Program Overview

MPAC 241 ACCOUNTING INTERNSHIP (2)

Prerequisites: Permission of the program director.

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A formal learning experience coupled with a practical experience component through an internship with a public accounting

MPAC 290 INTRODUCTION TO DATA ANALYTICS (4) The objective of this course is to familiarize students with the

firm, business, or other off-campus organization. An internship

technologies commonly applied in data analytics applications.

provides students with the opportunity to gain insight into the

Through this course students gain an understanding of the

applicability of academic studies while obtaining meaningful professional experience. Participation in an internship will occur during the winter or spring quarter and requires a successful

principles, objectives, and technologies relevant to the process of data analytics. Case modules are employed to teach application of technologies and interpretation of results. Prerequisites: MGMT

interview with the hiring entity (typically during the fall quarter)

203A & MGMT 203B or equivalent and permission of the program

and careful curriculum scheduling. Prior approval of a learning plan, regular meetings with the course instructor throughout the internship, a summary report and presentation of the learning experience are required. Prerequisites: Permission of the program

director.

MPAC 290 SPECIAL TOPICS IN TAXATION (4)

director.

This course provides an analysis of advanced topics in federal

MPAC 290 BUSINESS LAW (4)

taxes, passive losses, corporate distributions and acquisitions,

Detailed study from a business viewpoint of contract theories,

equity compensation, NOL limitations, research & development

assignments, delegation of duties, third-party beneficiary

tax credits, and international income tax issues. Prerequisites:

contracts, defenses to consensual contracts, types of

Intermediate Accounting I and II (or equivalent courses) or

conditions, methods of excusing excusing conditions, remedies,

MGMTMBA 231/MPAC 231A and MGMT 203A or equivalent and

and types of damage. Prerequisites: Permission of the program

permission of the program director.

taxation and tax planning. Topics include accounting for income

director.

MPAC 290 DATA ANALYTICS FOR AUDIT (4)

MPAC 290 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE (4) The course combines practitioner and academic perspectives on effective management of corporate boards of directors. The course helps students understand effective strategies in board governance including selection and compensation of board members, the roles of the major board committees (nominations and governance, audit, and compensation), legal requirements for board members, managing relations with stockholders 11

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The objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of how data analytics can be leveraged in financial statement and internal control audit settings. Specifically, students will learn how to apply and interpret data analysis in the planning, testing, and evaluation stages of an audit. Prerequisites: MPAC 290 Introduction to Data Analytics or equivalent and permission of the program director. Prerequisites: MPAC 290 Introduction to

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ELECTIVE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (continued)

Program Overview

Data Analytics or equivalent and permission of the program director.

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MPAC 290 ADVANCED DATA ANALYTICS (4) In this course students will be introduced to emerging topics in analytics and the application of data analytics in specialty settings (such as cybersecurity, forensics, etc.) Prerequisites: MPAC 290 Introduction to Data Analytics or equivalent and permission of the program director.

MPAC 290 ACCOUNTING FOR INCOME TAXES (4) This course provides an in-depth understanding of the objectives and principles of income tax accounting for financial reporting. Students will learn to apply the provisions of ASC 740 in the preparation of tax provisions and footnotes, including how to address uncertain tax positions and valuation allowance calculations.

Prerequisites: Intermediate I & II or equivalent or MGMTMBA 231A/MPAC 231A and MGMT 203A or equivalent and permission of the program director.

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Transform Your Future

Customize Your Degree*

Taxation Track

Program Overview

Data Analytics Track

3-course track in Taxation: Taxes and Business Strategy (Core),

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3-course track in Data Analytics: Introduction to Data Analytics,

Special Topics in Taxation, Accounting for Income Tax

Data Analytics for Audit, Advanced Data Analytics

• Taxes and Business Strategy (Core): In this course, students

• Introduction to Data Analytics: This course provides students

will learn to identify, understand, and evaluate tax-planning

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with a broad overview of data and analytics strategies,

opportunities. The focus is on tax planning concepts and the effects of taxes on business decisions rather than on detailed

techniques and use-cases. It prepares students to identify opportunities for analytics, build analytics while addressing

tax rules, compliance, or legal research.

supporting dependencies, such as data quality, and developing

• Special Topics in Taxation: This course provides students

the right mindset to not “abuse” analytics. The course focuses

with an understanding of specific hot topics associated with

on case study and project based learning to simulate analytics-

income tax planning strategies for domestic and global

based problem solving and business strategy development.

businesses. Topics include equity compensation strategies,

• Data Analytics for Audit: This course focuses on applying data

stock vs. asset acquisitions, research and development tax

analytics in financial statement and internal control audit

credits, choice of entity, international tax planning, net operating

settings. Specifically, students will learn to implement and

loss utilization and limitations, and multi-state income taxation.

interpret data analyses in the planning, testing, and evaluation

• Accounting for Income Tax: This course provides an

stages of an audit.

in-depth understanding of the objectives and principles of

• Advanced Data Analytics: In this course, students explore

income tax accounting for financial reporting. Students will

emerging topics in analytics, as well as the application of data analytics in specialty settings, such as cybersecurity,

learn to apply the provisions of ASC 740 in the preparation of tax provisions and footnotes, including how to address uncertain tax positions and valuation allowance calculations.

forensics, etc.

*Please note that due to high demand, enrollment in the tracks is limited; further information on the enrollment process will be provided to incoming students in the fall.

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Transform Your Future Program Overview School Calendar MPAc Program Office Student Code of Conduct

Career Resources

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School Calendar Dates are subject to change. For more information please contact the MPAc program office.

Fall 2022 Fall Quarter Instruction Begins Veterans Day Thanksgiving Holiday Instruction Ends Final Exams Winter Holiday-Campus Closed

September 22 November 11 November 24-25 December 2 December 3-9 December 23-January 2

Winter 2023 Winter Quarter Instruction Begins Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

January 9 January 16

President’s Day

February 20

Instruction Ends

March 17

Final Exams

March 18-24

Spring Break

March 27-31

Spring 2023 Spring Quarter Instruction Begins Cesar Chavez Day

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April 3 March 31

Memorial Day Holiday

May 29

Instruction Ends

June 9

Final Exams

June 10-15

Commencement

June 16-19

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The MPAc Program Office The MPAc program office provides you with individual guidance, support, and coaching from post-admission to graduation. Our staff is available to meet with you to discuss your academic needs ranging from enrolling in specific

MPAc Program Office

classes to fulfilling program requirements as well as ensuring your timely matriculation. We give you the information

• Merage School Leadership

necessary to take advantage of all the resources available to enhance your educational experience. The MPAc

• MPAc Program Directors

program office is available to you throughout the next year to ensure you get the most out of your MPAc experience.

• Recruitment and Admissions • Program Services

MERAGE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

• Career Services

IAN WILLIAMSON | Dean, Professor of Marketing and Psychology & Social Behavior

• Administrative Staff

Prior to joining the Merage School in January 2021, Dean Williamson served as Dean at the Wellington

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School of Business and Government at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. In this role, he developed and deployed a faculty strategic plan to enhance postgraduate education, increased student diversity, expanded international partnerships, established an entrepreneur and innovation program, and incorporated technology into the curriculum. Professor Williamson also helped raise more than $4 million in external funding to support staff hires and research. He is on the board of directors for Wellington UniVentures, a subsidiary tasked with commercialization of university academics’ intellectual property.

A globally recognized expert in human resource management, Professor Williamson holds a PhD in organizational behavior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research examines the impact of talent pipelines on organizational and community outcomes. He has published research in and served on the editorial boards of a range of academic journals and has been recognized with several industry and teaching awards.

Professor Williamson has worked with executives in more than 20 countries across six continents to support strategic human resource management, organizational innovation, employee recruitment and retention, and executive coaching. He previously held faculty positions at Melbourne Business School, Rutgers Business School, the Zurich Institute of Business Education, the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and Indonesia’s Bandung Institute of Technology.

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YUHAI XUAN | Dean’s Professor, Finance and Associate Dean, Masters Programs Yuhai Xuan is Dean’s Professor of Finance in The Paul Merage School of Business at the University

Program Overview

of California, Irvine, and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis,

School Calendar

Management Science, and the Journal of Empirical Finance. Prior to joining UC Irvine, he served on the

MPAc Program Office

faculty of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2015–2019) and the Harvard Business School

• Merage School Leadership

(2006–2015).

• MPAc Program Directors • Recruitment and Admissions

Professor Xuan’s research focuses on empirical corporate finance, corporate governance, and

• Program Services

behavioral finance. His work has been published in leading academic journals in finance, and has

• Career Services

been covered in various media outlets, including Bloomberg, The Economist, the Financial Times,

• Administrative Staff

Forbes, The New York Times, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal. He has been awarded the 2011 Jensen Prize (First Place Winner) for the best corporate finance paper published in the Journal of

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Financial Economics, and has presented his work at more than 40 universities and numerous national and international conferences.

Professor Xuan has taught a variety of courses in the MBA, Master of Finance, and Executive Education programs and won multiple teaching awards. He has been selected to the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent and earned three consecutive Best Professor awards at Illinois, and has been awarded the Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching. Additionally, he served as the inaugural Academic Director of the Online MBA program at Illinois and was the recipient of the 2018– 2019 Dean’s Impact Award for his leadership role in the program.

Professor Xuan holds an AM and a PhD in Business Economics from Harvard University.

JON KAPLAN | Assistant Dean for the MBA and Specialty Masters Programs Jon Kaplan is the Assistant Dean for the MBA and Specialty Masters Programs for The Paul Merage School of Business at University of California, Irvine. In this role, he manages all aspects of the school’s masters programs, including recruiting, admissions and student services.

Jon came to the Merage School in 2014, when he was named Assistant Dean and Director of the

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Full-Time MBA Program. In 2017, his responsibilities expanded when he added oversight of the school’s Specialty Masters Programs to his portfolio. As part of his new responsibilities, he was

Program Overview

instrumental in the creation and roll out of the school’s newest Specialty Masters programs, the

School Calendar

Master of Finance and the Master of Science in Business Analytics.

MPAc Program Office

Previously, Jon served as Executive Director for the MBA Programs for Working Professionals at the

• Merage School Leadership

University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and as Assistant Dean of MBA programs

• MPAc Program Directors

at Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business.

• Recruitment and Admissions • Program Services

Jon is an MBA graduate with honors from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He also

• Career Services

worked for five years at UCLA Anderson, in both Admissions and Career Management. Prior to

• Administrative Staff

getting his MBA, Jon earned a degree in Economics from UCLA and spent over a decade as Director

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of Operations for the UCLA Football Team.

MPAC PROGRAM PATRICIA WELLMEYER | MPAc Academic Director and Clinical Assistant Professor of Accounting Patricia Wellmeyer is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Accounting and the Program Director for the Masters in Professional Accountancy at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. As a Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Global Management Accountant, Patricia Wellmeyer’s extensive practice experience includes work as a manager in the Auditing and Assurance department at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and as an independent consultant in the fields of auditing and financial reporting. In her more than ten years of teaching experience, she has taught both undergraduate and graduate financial/mangaerial and auditing courses at several universities, including Cypress College, California State University, Fullerton, and University of California, Riverside. Wellmeyer is the recipient of many scholarly and professional awards, including the Deloitte and Touch Accounting Scholar Award, Federation of Schools of Accounting Student Achievement Award, and California Society of CPAs Award of Achievement.

Her research interests lie in the areas of auditor judgment and risk assessments, audit quality, audit sampling, audit group decision making processes and dynamics, and financial statement and auditor reporting models. Wellmeyer has been a reviewer on several peer-authored articles and she has

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presented her work in the area of auditor materiality judgments at American Accounting Association, European Accounting Association, and International Symposium on Auditing conferences.

Program Overview School Calendar

RECRUITMENT AND ADMISSIONS

MPAc Program Office

BURT ALVARO SLUSHER | Senior Director of Recruitment and Admissions, Specialty Masters

• Merage School Leadership

Programs

• MPAc Program Directors

Burt Alvaro Slusher is the Director of Recruitment and Admissions at the UCI Paul Merage School

• Recruitment and Admissions

of Business Specialty Masters Programs: Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc), Master of

• Program Services

Finance (MFin) and Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) and Master of Innovation and

• Career Services

Entrepreneurship (MIE). In his role, Burt manages the development and implementation of annual

• Administrative Staff

recruiting goals and provides strategic oversight for the admissions process in consultation with the

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Assistant Dean of Specialty Masters Programs and Academic Directors.

Prior to joining the Specialty Masters Program team, Burt served as the Director of Recruitment and Admissions for the MPAc program where he also was the Admissions Committee Chair. With more than a decade of higher education and business school experience, Burt has worked closely with Merage students, alumni, corporate outreach, marketing, and has provided career management to students while maintaining a high level of engagement with the business community. He was part of a team that helped launch the Merage School’s Business Administration major in Fall of 2008 and also managed the admissions process for the Merage School’s Accounting minor launched in Fall of 2004.

Burt holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling with an emphasis in Student Development in Higher Education from Cal State Long Beach, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior from UCI with a minor in Management, and is certified as a Master Career Development Professional (MCDP).

JANA CHENG | Associate Director, Recruitment and Admissions Jana Cheng is the Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions for the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program. She joined The Paul Merage School of Business in 2015 to assist with admissions coordination, and during her tenure, has seen the reputation and quality of student be recognized in the Public Accounting Report. In her role, Jana oversees the admissions process

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and works closely with prospective students in consultations, information sessions, graduate fairs and classroom presentations. Jana also leads the MPAc student ambassador program, coordinating

Program Overview

outreach and events throughout the year.

School Calendar MPAc Program Office

Prior to joining the Merage School, Jana worked in admissions and advising at Angeles college where

• Merage School Leadership

she was responsible for admissions counseling and academic support. Jana is a proud UC Irvine

• MPAc Program Directors

alum, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law and Society. She also completed her

• Recruitment and Admissions

Certificate in Personal Financial Planning from the UCI Division of Continuing Education and is

• Program Services

currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

• Career Services • Administrative Staff

NATALIA SANCHEZ | Assistant Director, Recruitment & Admissions Natalia Sanchez is the Assistant Director of Recruitment and Admissions for the Master of

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Professional Accountancy (MPAc) and Master of Finance (MFIN) programs. She joined the UCI Paul Merage School of Business SMP team in 2019. In her role, she assists in optimizing the admissions process, she focuses on prospective student outreach initiatives, recruitment travel, candidate interviews, and applications assessment and review.

Prior to joining the Merage School, Natalia held several roles in the corporate space within the marketing and advertising industry primarily focusing on digital media efforts reaching the US Hispanic and General markets. She is a proud UC Irvine alum, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature and Culture. She also holds a Certification in Digital Marketing and Media from Duke University.

NADINE ABU-SERAJ | Assistant Director, Recruitment and Admissions Specialty Masters Programs Nadine Abu-Seraj is the Program Advisor of Recruitment and Admissions department at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business Specialty Masters Programs (SMP). She supports the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program and the Master of Finance (MFin) program. She joined the Merage SMP team in 2018 to assist with recruitment and admissions.

Prior to joining the Merage School of Business, Nadine held several roles in higher education including working in admissions at the KECK Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy, advising in the University of Redlands School of Education and career counseling at the University of California

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Riverside’s Career Center.

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Nadine holds a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education from the University of Redlands and a

School Calendar

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Global Studies and a Minor in Spanish from the University of California,

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Riverside.

• Merage School Leadership • MPAc Program Directors

PROGRAM SERVICES

• Recruitment and Admissions

LINA TRAN | Senior Director, Specialty Masters Programs

• Program Services

Lina Tran is the Director of Program Services for Specialty Masters Programs at The Paul Merage

• Career Services

School of Business. In her role, Lina oversees all aspects of program management and coordination

• Administrative Staff

of activities related to the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc), Master of Finance (MFin), and

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Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), and Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) programs. Lina has been with the Merage School since 2013. Prior to her current role, Lina served in the roles of Associate Director of MPAc Career Services for a year and of Associate Director of MPAc Program Services for three years to enhance the educational experiences and provide support to the MPAc students.

A graduate of California State University, Long Beach with Summa Cum Laude honors, she parlayed her B.S. in Business Administration degree with a focus in Accountancy into an opportunity at Grant Thornton. For more than five years, she managed campus recruiting for the firm’s four Southern California offices across all their services lines.

In addition, Lina recently earned her MBA through the Merage FEMBA program in June 2018, with honors.

SAIRA FAZLI | Associate Director, Program Services Saira Fazli is the Associate Director of Program Services for the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) and Master of Finance (MFin) programs at the Paul Merage School of Business.

Before she joined the team at Merage, Saira was a Client Relationship Senior Manager at Kforce,

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where she oversaw staffing and recruiting subject matter experts within Finance, Accounting & Data Analytics. Prior to that, Saira spent nearly a decade championing diverse talent in the media and

Program Overview

entertainment industry, notably as a creative executive at Comedy Central and also as a comedy TV

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agent. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UCI in Film & Media Studies, minoring in Business

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Management with a Marketing emphasis at Merage.

• Merage School Leadership • MPAc Program Directors

QUINCY LIM | Assistant Director, Specialty Masters Programs

• Recruitment and Admissions

Quincy Lim is the Assistant Director for the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program as

• Program Services

well as the Master of Finance (MFIN). In his role, he assists students with their academic needs and

• Career Services

guides them through their time in the program.

• Administrative Staff Quincy graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelors in Psychology and then

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went on to the University of Southern California for his Masters in Teaching TESOL. Straight out of his master’s program he started working as the head academic advisor for a private education company.

He worked with international and domestic students to plan out their academic, extracurricular, and career goals. Besides academic advising, Quincy also has several years of English teaching experience working from elementary classrooms to adult ESL classrooms.

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CAREER SERVICES

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JOINA HSIAO | Associate Director of Career Services

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Joina Hsiao is the Associate Director of Career Services for the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program. In her role, Joina manages the MPAc career management education program and

MPAc Program Office

provides individualized coaching to support the career development of her students.

• Merage School Leadership • MPAc Program Directors

Prior to joining the Merage School in 2016, Joina worked as a Graduate Student Instructor at UC

• Recruitment and Admissions

Berkeley for 5 five years. As a GSI, Joina assisted Ethnic Studies faculty members refine their

• Program Services

undergraduate course curriculum and helped her students develop strong critical thinking skills. Joina

• Career Services

holds a MA in Ethnic Students from UC Berkeley, a MA in History from UC Irvine, and a BA in History

• Administrative Staff

and Asian American Studies from UC Irvine.

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ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

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RICK CALLENDER | Program Coordinator, Specialty Masters Programs

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Rick Callender originally hails from the East Coast, having moved to the California coast in 2011 to get married. After receiving his BFA in Graphic Design from Indiana University in 1988, he spent nearly

MPAc Program Office

20 years as a professional designer, working in numerous commercial, educational, and non-profit

• Merage School Leadership

environments, including the campus of Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the Incorporated

• MPAc Program Directors

Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) in Washington, D.C. Working to find a home on the UCI

• Recruitment and Admissions

campus, and having spent time with the UCI International Center, Rick is excited to now be part of the

• Program Services

Specialty Masters Program at The Paul Merage School of Business.

• Career Services • Administrative Staff Student Code of Conduct

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Transform Your Future Program Overview School Calendar MPAc Program Office Student Code of Conduct

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Student Code of Conduct I shall conduct myself with the highest honor and integrity in all my dealings at The Paul Merage School of Business.

All of my relationships at The Paul Merage School of Business, including interactions with the external community, will be professional and respectful. I am responsible to myself and my peers to uphold this code and to not tolerate others’ violations.

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