Accounting MS
UMass Boston's MS in Accounting (MSA) is a 10 course, 30 credit degree program. The 10 courses are composed of Accounting Requirements, Accounting Electives, and a Capstone course. Four (4) prerequisite courses must be satisfied or waived through prior relevant coursework, based on a review of transcripts.*
The MSA is designed to prepare students for rewarding careers in the rapidly growing and changing accounting field. Students will qualify for the Uniform Certified Public Accounting (CPA) Exam after completing the MSA. The curriculum has been designed by the College of Management Accounting and Finance (AF) faculty in consultation with the AF Department's Advisory Board.
The MSA program is STEM-designated, allowing international students to apply for up to three years of Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the United States upon graduation. The MSA has been redesigned to emphasize data analytics and quantitative techniques in response to the evolving data analytics practices in businesses and the accounting profession. Courses include Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, Federal Tax Planning, Auditing, International Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Accounting Information Systems, Financial Frauds, and the capstone course Financial Accounting Theory and Analysis.
The program is designed for students with different academic backgrounds; a bachelor's degree in accounting is not required and can be completed full-time or part-time, with classes that meet primarily in the evenings, late afternoons, and online. Scheduling is highly flexible, with most classes meeting once per week. Graduates with an MSA have been hired by the Big 4 accounting firms (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PwC), national and regional CPA firms, and major financial institutions.
* A minimum of 30 credits (10 courses) total are required to meet university degree completion criteria. Waiving multiple courses may require the completion of additional elective courses to meet the 30-credit minimum requirement.
The admissions cycles through spring 2024 will opt out of requiring GRE/GMAT scores.
Requirements
Required Accounting Courses (8 courses; 24 credits):
MBA AF 611 Intermediate Accounting
MBA AF 612 Cost Accounting
MBA AF 613 Federal Tax Planning
MBA AF 614 Financial & Managerial Auditing
MBA AF 618 Accounting Information Systems
MBA MGT 650 Organizational Analysis and Skills for Managers
MBA MGT 664 Legal Environment of Business
MBA AF 691 Financial Accounting Theory & Analysis: Required Capstone course
Required Business Courses (Choose 2 courses; 6 credits):
MBA AF 615 International Accounting
MBA AF 616 Financial Statement Analysis
MBA AF 631 Environmental Accounting & Finance
MBA AF 633 Advanced Federal Tax Planning
MBA AF 637 Accounting Fraud Examination
*MBA AF 690 Research Colloquium (part 1 of MTO)
MBA AF 640 Accounting Data Analytics
Students may participate in an internship in the accounting industry and apply the one course toward their accounting elective requirements
Pre-/Co-requisite courses
These courses must be completed or waived based on review of transcripts, and do not apply toward the 30 credit minimum requirement for MSA degree completion.
MBA MS 600 Mathematical Analysis for Managers
MBA AF 601 Economics for Managers
MBA AF 610 Accounting for Managers
MBA AF 620 Financial Management
Learning Goals
The learning goals for the Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) Program are for students to:
- Achieve proficiency with respect to the functional or technical knowledge and skills required for professional accounting careers.
- Gain knowledge and skills regarding professional integrity and ethics.
- Gain problem identification and solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills.
- Gain proficiency in the communications, teamwork and leadership skills required for professional accounting.