The MSA degree is typically a one-year graduate program for students who have earned an undergraduate business degree with a major, or equivalent, in accounting from an accredited school in the United States. Students without an accounting degree but have completed significant core accounting courses in US GAAP (typically 6-7) will also be considered. Depending on the course coverage, students will be required to complete the undergraduate coursework in accounting areas that you have not had previous coverage of material prior to enrolling in graduate accounting courses. For international students with an undergraduate major in Accounting the program typically takes two years. In this program, students:

• Complete coursework with business professionals from the MBA program
• Acquire advanced financial accounting knowledge about corporations and not-for-profits
• Obtain an understanding of fraudulent schemes and fraud examinations or advanced auditing topics
• Complete the 150-hour requirement to sit for the CPA exam in most states
• Examine taxation for corporations

There are opportunities for graduate assistant positions to work with the accounting faculty. As part of their duties the graduate assistants conduct the interviews and write the articles for Accounting Magazine that is sent to our alums each summer. We also distribute the magazine to high school students and major corporations. Graduate students interested in completing a Ph.D. program will have the opportunity to work on research projects with the faculty.

Graduates of the MSA program are prepared for careers in public accounting, audit or tax, internal auditing, corporate accounting such as financial reporting or management accounting, investment banking, governmental and not-for profit organizations and Ph.D. programs.