Business college recognized by international auditors organization

Oct. 10, 2024 ― DENTON ―Texas Woman’s and the Merrilee Alexander Kick College of Business and Entrepreneurship were recently recognized as an Internal Audit Awareness Program (IAAP) by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). 

The IIA and the Internal Audit Foundation endorse universities that teach internal auditing as a standalone internal audit course or operational auditing through programs like the IAAP. Their mission is to advance internal audit education and the profession globally, as well as support the student pipeline. 

Jason Jordan, PhD, an assistant accounting professor, worked on the IAAP application with assistance from the Dallas IIA chapter. 

“TWU is one of only 11 schools in Texas with the IIA’s endorsement, so we are unique in offering high quality internal audit education to students,” Jordan said. 

Jordan currently teaches the internal auditing class, which is one of the requirements for recognition. Another necessity is external accreditation. In 2023, the MAK College was accredited from the AACSB International —The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), considered the world’s leading association of business schools.

“The IIA is the internal audit profession’s global leader of standards and certification,” Jordan said. “We developed our internal audit course as part of our new Master’s of Accountancy (MSA) program and wanted to make sure we aligned our curriculum with IIA standards. The IIA’s endorsement allows us to communicate globally that we have achieved that.”

The Department of Accounting & Finance admitted its first students to the MSA program in fall 2023. 

The program was designed to help students prepare for the new CPA exam. The majority of the MSA courses focus on financial management topics, decision-making in audit and taxation, financial reporting and corporate management. Students can complete this program in just one year or 30 credit hours. It is also offered 100% online. 

The internal auditing class may also introduce a new career path for students. The internal auditing profession, Jordan said, pays well and is in high demand.

“TWU students pursuing a career in internal audit will have an advantage as many employers consult the list of IIA-endorsed programs when considering the quality of internal audit education provided by a university,” Jordan said.

Another perk of being a program university is the availability of grants. The MAK College has the opportunity to apply for grants, up to $5,000, from the IAEP Grant Program.

The IAAP designation helps us communicate the level of quality of education we provide at TWU,” Jordan said.