University of Denver Graduate Tax Program

REGISTRAR'S PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
303-871-2284/000-000-0000/
registrar@du.edu

CAREER SERVICE PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
303-871-2150/000-000-0000/
career@du.edu

An Overview

In 1864, John Evans-governor of the Colorado Territory, a close friend of Abraham Lincoln, founder of Northwestern University and namesake for the 14,264-foot Mount Evans-founded the University of Denver as Colorado Seminary. He did so with the backing of local businessmen and the Methodist Church.

Today, the University's vision, values, mission and goals complement the principles and traditions of the Methodist Church. In keeping with this legacy, the University of Denver welcomes students and employees of all faiths and backgrounds.

The University further embraces its Methodist roots by honouring an outstanding faculty member with the annual United Methodist Church Teacher/Scholar Award. The accolade recognizes those who demonstrate exceptional teaching, concern for students, and commitment to high standards in their personal and professional lives.

This program is all about tax, and is the best tax education available anywhere. Class work is based directly on the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations.(If students have interest in another business degree, they can visit the Daniels College of Business Web site.)

University of Denver can call its program the best because there are competitions where students test their tax knowledge against teams from other schools. For example, teams from the Graduate Tax Program have reached the national finals of the ABA Law Student Tax Challenge each year since 2007, taking three of the top four spots two times. In the national tax challenge competition for accountants, sponsored most recently by Deloitte, Denver's team placed first in graduate-level competition six times, second seven times, and third once. No other school has ever close to that record.

Degrees Offered

• LL.M. in Taxation

Details of Courses Offered

The Graduate Tax Program is one of the oldest and largest master's programs in taxation in the U.S. and one of the few where accountants and attorneys study side-by-side in the same classes.

Courses are scheduled to accommodate the needs of three categories of students:

• The full-time student who desires to complete the Program in three quarters, beginning in the fall. The university recommends that students allow four quarters (one year).
• The part-time student enrolled in courses totaling 8 quarter hours per quarter who desires to complete the Program in six or seven quarters.
• The part-time student enrolled in courses totaling 4 quarter hours per quarter who desires to complete the Program within five calendar years.

Courses for 4 quarter hours of credit typically meet twice a week for two hours a day, either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday, beginning at 3:15, 5:30, or 7:40 p.m. Some courses each quarter will have multiple sections, meeting at different times. Course materials consist of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations, published textbooks, and customized materials prepared by the professors. All course materials are sold in the Graduate Tax Program office.

Financial Aid

Loans
Many domestic students qualify for federal low-interest loans to help cover tuition. To apply for federal financial assistance, such as the low-interest Stafford Student Loan, Perkins Loan, and Federal Work Study, students should complete their U.S. income taxes as soon as possible after the first of the year and then complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by June 30. To file the FAFSA electronically, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA is also available after February 1 at any college or university. Through these federal programs, U.S. citizens may borrow up to $20,500 per year for graduate study.

Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships are also available. Any interested student may apply by writing a letter to the Director of the Graduate Tax Program, detailing the student's background, debt status, financial situation, and amount requested.

Scholarships for Continuing Students: Continuing students may apply for the following scholarships, which may be awarded after successful completion of at least one quarter in the Graduate Tax Program.

Ernst & Young Agee Scholarship Fund: This fund established in the 1980s by the Denver office of Ernst & Young LLP in memory of Sandra Michalson Agee. A partial-tuition scholarship is awarded to a full-time student enrolled in the Graduate Tax Program. This is given on the basis of character, academic achievement, and financial need. The scholarship is awarded for the spring quarter. Additional funds are available through the Ernst & Young Fund for Excellence in Tax Education, which could be used for a scholarship for a minority student.

Schramm Foundation Scholarship: This fund, established in 1976, awards one partial-tuition scholarship each year to a non-smoking, Colorado resident student who has demonstrated financial need and scholastic ability. The scholarship is awarded for the spring quarter.

Debra Schliem Cameron/Lehman Butterwick Scholarship Fund: This fund was established in 1996 in memory of Debra Schliem Cameron, who graduated from the Program in 1982. One full-tuition scholarship is awarded each year to a female student who has demonstrated financial need and scholastic ability. The scholarship is awarded for the summer or fall quarter.

Cost of Attendance

Career Development/Services Offered

Postgraduate employment is a vital concern of both students and faculty. Because the Graduate Tax Program is the only program of its kind in the Rocky Mountain Region and has an excellent national reputation, it is well situated to offer its students a variety of job opportunities in this region as well as across the U.S.

Each Big Four accounting firm and many other national, regional, and local firms interview applicants on campus each year, and most students receive offers through this process. (National firms represented as their national or regional partner in charge of recruiting tax personnel.) A significant number of local firms interview on campus, as well as many private corporations and the IRS. Job listings come in throughout the year and are posted on the Graduate Tax Program bulletin board and a web-based career services portal for students and employers. In addition, an extensive informal placement procedure is available for those students with more specialized interests. The Program's growing network of alumni throughout the country also provides significant assistance to graduates.

The Office of Career Development and Opportunities of the College of Law and the Suitts Graduate Career Center of the College of Business offer important support services and maintain detailed job listings available only to University of Denver students and alumni.

The strength of the Graduate Tax Program is clearly evident from the experience of its graduates in seeking employment. In recent years, virtually every recipient of an LL.M. in Taxation or Master of Taxation degree has arranged employment as a tax professional prior to graduation.

References

• http://www.du.edu/tax/
• http://www.du.edu/registrar/general/contact.html
• http://www.du.edu/apply/admission/
• http://www.du.edu/career/contactus.html
• http://www.du.edu/explore/historyandtraditions.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/about/graduate-tax-program-at-du.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/admission-financial-aid/admission/index.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/admission-financial-aid/admission/admission-procedure.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/files/GTP_application12.pdf
• http://www.du.edu/tax/index.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/academics/academic-calendar.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/academics/curriculum.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/academics/requirements-for-graduation.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/admission-financial-aid/financial-aid.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/admission-financial-aid/tuition-payment-options.html
• http://www.du.edu/tax/placement/placement.html