BYU School of Accountancy Wins Innovation Award Twice

PROVO, Utah — Oct 24, 2007 — The American Accounting Association presented the 2007 Innovations in Accounting Education Award to Brigham Young University’s School of Accountancy at its conference in Chicago. BYU — which is the only school to win the award twice — was recognized specifically for its Ph.D. Prep program developed by the School of Accountancy.

While BYU has no doctoral program in accounting, the Ph.D. Prep program prepares selected accounting students to enter into top level Ph.D. programs. This program leads the nation in providing qualified students for Ph.D. programs, placing 42 students in doctoral accounting programs in the last six years. BYU Master of Accountancy students in the Ph.D. Prep track take classes in statistics and economics as well as courses in academic research.

“This award recognizes that we are on the forefront of addressing the issues concerning accounting education,” says Kevin D. Stocks, director of the School of Accountancy. “One of the primary concerns in accounting education is too few Ph.D. students. We have established a model that has increased student interest in accounting Ph.D. programs; a model that can be implemented in some form in any graduate accounting program throughout the country.”

Each year the AAA presents the Innovations in Accounting Education Award to an individual, group or institution to recognize significant contributions to accounting education. The selection committee chooses the winner based on three criteria: innovation, demonstrated educational benefits and adaptability for other educational institutions.

In 1993, the accounting program at BYU won the AAA Innovations in Accounting Education Award for its Junior Core program. This integrated approach to accounting education remains a foundation to the BYU accounting program.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.