5 Reasons Every Future Accountant Should Learn Python

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The summer before starting my journey in the UC Davis Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program, I caught myself reflecting—not just on where I was headed professionally, but why.  

With a background that spanned the disciplines of economics, journalism and global systems, I found myself drawn to accounting. It is an industry that spoke to me due to its formality, ethical applications and history of being essential to various industries. 

What I didn’t expect when I was reflecting before MPAc was that I’d also be learning to code. That all changed with a course that shifted everything: Machine Learning with Python. 
 
The course opened my eyes to what makes the UC Davis MPAc program stand out. It’s not just a rigorous accounting curriculum—it’s a forward-thinking, STEM-designated program that weaves data analytics and technology into every aspect of our training. 

The Surprise Language of Modern Accounting 

On the surface, Python is just a programming language. But in practice, it's a gateway to logic, creativity and powerful problem-solving. It helps accountants do more than organize spreadsheets—it helps us translate data into insight. 

Before enrolling in the MPAc program, I was daunted. Could someone like me, trained in rules, standards and statutes—really “speak” code? The answer was yes. Because when taught well, Python doesn’t obscure the message; it reveals it. 

Professor Catherine Yang’s class wasn’t about code blocks and syntax alone—it was about thinking differently. We learned how to clean messy data, automate repetitive tasks and use machine learning models to spot trends that might otherwise go unseen. Suddenly, data wasn’t something I feared—it was something I could talk to. 

5 Ways Python Transformed My MPAc Experience 

Whether you’re data-curious or code-averse, here are five ways Python reshaped how I think about accounting—and my career: 

1. It Turned Data into a Conversation 
   Accounting is built on truth in numbers, but Python helped me ask the right questions of the data itself. I learned how to connect disparate sources, scrub irrelevant noise, and shape results into actionable stories. It wasn’t about replacing Excel. It was about evolving past it. 
    
2. It Automated What Stole My Time 
   Let’s be honest—accounting has its fair share of monotony. My first script took a tedious task—cleaning departmental expense data—and transformed it into a seconds-long process. It was accurate, auditable, and scalable. Python didn’t just save me time. It gave me control. 
    
3. It Fostered Process-Based Thinking 
   Every coding challenge became an exercise in critical thinking. I began to ask not just “What’s the solution?” but “What’s the logic behind it?” That same mindset now follows me into tax planning, audits, and analytics. 
    
4. It Future-Proofed My Skill Set 
   Firms today want more than number crunchers—they want data navigators. As I prepare to join EY’s audit practice, I know that my ability to automate processes and build data models sets me apart. Python is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s essential. 
    
5. It Expanded My Vision of What Accountants Can Be 
   Python didn’t replace my love for accounting. It deepened it. I’m now drawn to forensic analytics, fraud detection, and AI-assisted auditing—fields where ethics and data intersect in thrilling ways. Python made the profession feel more expansive, more impactful. 
    

The Human Side of Learning Code 

Balancing grad school, teaching assistant responsibilities and life as a parent to a fourth grader hasn’t been easy. But the UC Davis MPAc program has made it possible.  

The support—from faculty, staff and my classmates—turns challenge into opportunity and effort into growth. 

If you are wondering if you need to be a coding genius to be successful, you don’t. You just need to be curious, resilient and open to seeing accounting as something more than ledgers and laws. UC Davis provides the tools—and the environment—to make that transformation happen. 

Why I Chose UC Davis 

I didn’t choose UC Davis just for its ranking, proximity or geography. I chose the MPAc program because of where the profession is headed.

At the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, tradition meets innovation in real time. 

Whether it’s using Alteryx for auditing, Power BI for financial storytelling, or Python for prediction modeling, the MPAc program encourages us not just to do more, but to think better. 

When I graduate, I’ll step into my role at EY as an auditor with the ability to see data differently. Python gave me both a new skill and a new mindset. 

Tomorrow’s accountants must speak two languages: ethics and innovation. Thanks to UC Davis, I do too. 

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