\nOXFORD,
\nMiss. – A new national ranking places the University of Mississippi’s
\ndoctoral and graduate programs in accountancy both at No. 15, with its
\nundergraduate program slotted at No. 18. The list was published in the
\nOct. 31 issue of the Public Accounting Report. <\/p>\n
For many years,
\nUM’s undergraduate program has been ranked in the top 30 nationally,
\nwith the highest previous ranking being No. 22 in 2006. Previously, the
\nmaster’s program had been ranked as high as No. 23. The new ranking of
\nthe Ph.D. program trumps significantly its previous high of No. 28. <\/p>\n
“National
\nrecognition of the Patterson School of Accountancy affirms the historic
\nquality of the school,” Chancellor Robert Khayat said. “Bright,
\ndedicated faculty and students who are generously supported by our
\naccounting graduates enable us to be among America’s finest accounting
\nprograms. All of us are grateful to Dean Wilder for his leadership.”
\n
More than 1,000 schools in the United States offer accounting programs and around 500 of those, including UM, are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB International, as being among “the best accountancy and business programs in the world.”<\/p>\n
“Being in the top 15 to 18 schools is indeed a significant accomplishment,” said Dale Flesher, associate dean and Arthur Andersen Alumni Lecturer. “I was particularly pleased with the ranking of the doctoral program. Not only are we ranked 15th, but the schools above us are the premier schools in America. For example, Harvard is ranked 10th.” <\/p>\n
The University of Chicago ranked first, with Stanford and the Wharton School at Pennsylvania close behind. <\/p>\n
“Of the schools ranked above Ole Miss at the Ph.D. level, seven of them are private institutions; we rank eighth among public universities,” Flesher said. <\/p>\n
Schools holding the top three places in both graduate and undergraduate programs have remained fairly constant over the years with the University of Texas, University of Illinois, and Brigham Young University jockeying for the top three positions. <\/p>\n
The top ranked SEC school for 2008 is the University of Georgia at No. 7 at the undergraduate level, 10th at the master’s level and 11th at the doctoral level. Ole Miss is the next highest ranked SEC school among graduate accounting programs. Other SEC schools ranked in the top 25, other than Ole Miss and Georgia, are the universities of Alabama, Florida and Tennessee.<\/p>\n
Seven SEC schools and four Big 10 institutions failed to make the list, according to Flesher, who pointed out that “many huge, respected accountancy programs are not ranked in the Top 25.”<\/p>\n
“It is a tremendous accomplishment for the Patterson School to be recognized as one of the top accountancy programs nationally,” Dean Mark Wilder said. “We have great students who go on to have outstanding careers, a committed and student oriented faculty, and loyal generous alumni. All of these factors contribute significantly to this success and to our recognition in the national rankings.”<\/p>\n
Summarizing the reasons for UM’s recognition, former dean Tonya Flesher, Arthur Andersen Professor of Accountancy, said, “The ranking addresses the perception of how well our graduates will perform; this perception is based on the success of past graduates, the national reputation of the faculty, and the availability of the largest accountancy library in the world.” <\/p>\n
Flesher was referring to the National Library of the Accountancy Profession, which is permanently housed on the Oxford campus. <\/p>\n
UM’s program also received some publicity earlier in the fall from a former chief accountant of the United States Securities & Exchange Commission. In a Treasury Department report investigating the problems of the auditing profession, former Chief Accountant Lynn Turner stated, “Given the complexities and risks of a global business environment, a post-graduate program, similar to that developed at the University of Mississippi, is necessary for future accountants and auditors to provide quality services to investors and others they serve.”
\n\u00a0
\n“This recognition that if other programs were organized similar to ours, there would be fewer problems in the auditing profession, is acknowledgement that we are doing something right,” Dale Flesher said. “This recognition may have helped us gain a few votes in the balloting for rankings.”<\/p>\n
“We are pleased with the recognition that the Patterson School of Accountancy has received from the Public Accounting Report,” Provost Morris Stocks said. “This achievement is a credit to the leadership of Dean Wilder and the commitment of our faculty, students and alumni.”<\/p>\n
To learn more about the Patterson School of Accountancy, visit http:\/\/www.olemiss.edu\/depts\/accountancy\/<\/a> . <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"