100% of 2024 UC Davis MPAc Graduates Land Competitive Job Offers Within Three Months

The Master of Professional Accountancy graduates of 2024 had 100% job placement three months after graduation. This follows a strong track record with our 2023 and 2022 graduates also reaching 100% placement before or shortly after graduation. So, how exactly does this happen? This is not a fluke, but rather a result of a carefully planned support system for our MPAc students.

1. Preparing Students for Early Job Recruitment

Accounting firms typically begin recruiting at a significantly earlier timeline than other fields. It is typical for firms to have application deadlines in September for jobs that begin the following year, after graduation in June. This is why we have a comprehensive onboarding program for our students.

During the summer before their classes start, UC Davis MPAc students have access to online assignments to get them ready to engage with recruiters. Students fine-tune essential materials like their resumes and cover letters and begin to learn more about larger professional development topics. The students prepare even more in-depth once they join us at our Career Builder Bootcamp and orientation.

We ramp up in August by offering a series of online events allowing early engagement opportunities with accounting firms, as well as preparing MPAc students for their studies.

In September, we hit our stride as MPAc hosts an in-person Career Builder Bootcamp which includes specific professional development content and firm networking opportunities. 

2. Fostering Skillsets to Engage with Firms

The MPAc Career Builder Bootcamp is key to launching students into the public accounting field. We partner with faculty, the GSM Career Services department, firms and GSM leadership to provide essential content to students.

Split across multiple days, this well-designed boot camp builds upon knowledge and skillsets so students can grow confidence and receive critical guidance to be ready for job searching and interviews.

Students develop skillsets like pitching themselves and personal branding, finesse their interview skills, practice common public accounting interview questions, learn about various career paths in public accounting, understand best practices for securing a job, and of course, learn about networking. 

While employment can never be a guaranteed thing, the skillsets and experiences gained through MPAc Career Builder Bootcamp give students an immediate boost by preparing them for what’s next.

Immediately following the boot camp, MPAc students can apply what they’ve just learned by attending Meet The Firms, an exclusive career fair for incoming UC Davis MPAc students. Recruiters from more than 20 companies—including the Big Four firms, boutique accounting firms, and government agencies—meet and greet the students before job applications are due.

3. The Power of the UC Davis MPAc Network 

Through the MPAc program, students meet a variety of accounting firms located in Northern California. Firms from San Francisco, San Jose, the larger Bay Area, and Sacramento attend these events and many are represented by UC Davis MPAc or Graduate School of Management (GSM) alumni who work at these accounting companies. The immediate alumni network is a great starting place to begin networking within the industry

Beyond the firm network benefit, the other important support network students benefit from is our MPAc faculty and staff members. Dedicated staff and faculty are available for advice, brainstorming, and support, which helps students stay on track with their job search.

Beyond the UC Davis MPAc team, our students can also participate in larger GSM Career Development team events and opportunities—featuring a variety of business-related engagements and foundational career-readiness services. MPAc serves as a launch pad for many of our students in public accounting.

To learn more about how MPAc alumni have used their degrees, check out our MPAc alumni stories!