Accounting, MS

Location(s): Main Campus

The Master of Science in Accounting degree provides students with the academic training to qualify them for public- and private-sector accounting positions. While the MS Accounting program is intended primarily for accounting undergraduates from AACSB-accredited programs, we welcome students with little or no accounting/business coursework to apply. These students may pursue the program in an extended time frame (typically two-to-three years) and will need to take additional business and accounting coursework. Additional coursework may be in the form of prerequisites for required MS Accounting courses, as well as courses needed to meet the education requirements to sit for the CPA licensure examination.

Students interested in pursuing CPA licensure should work closely with the Director, SOM Master’s Program Admissions and Student Services to ensure they are taking the coursework needed to meet CPA licensure education requirements. Upon completion of the program students will independently verify they meet the education requirements by submitting their transcripts to the NYS Education Department Office of the Professions.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must provide: 1) a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher; 2) two letters of recommendation; 3) a personal statement; 4) a current resume; 5) unofficial transcript(s); and, 6) $75 application fee.

International applicants: In addition to the required application materials, international students must also submit 1) English proficiency test scores; 2) a passport; and, 3) an international student financial statement form (upon acceptance).

Program Requirements

The Master of Science in Accounting degree is awarded if the candidate has:

Completed at least 30 credit hours of graduate coursework
Maintained the equivalent of a B average in courses including core requirements approved by the program director and presented for the degree
Fulfilled residency requirement, and all course requirements, with no credit for graduate courses in which a grade equivalent to less than C has been received (C- needs permission of graduate director)

A candidate for the MS Accounting degree must complete all requirements for the degree within five years after admission to the school. Exceptions may be made for a part-time student when such exceptions are recommended by the graduate program director in consultation with the dean or the dean’s appointee.

ACCT 540 - Financial Accounting Theory
ACCT 541 - Audit & Managerial ACCT Theory
ACCT 550 - Accounting Information Systems
ACCT 555 - Advanced Accounting Theory
ACCT 581B - Forensic Acct: Audit Analytics
ACCT 560 - Contemp Issues Acct Capstone
Two graduate management electives (of which at least one must be a technical elective)

Required Pre-program Competencies

Students pursuing an MS Accounting degree are expected to also complete the following core accounting and business courses:

Principles of Microeconomics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Statistics
Financial Accounting
Cost Accounting
Intermediate Accounting Theory I
Intermediate Accounting Theory II
Auditing
Taxation of Entities (Corporate Tax) or Survey of Taxation
Legal Environment of Management I
Legal Environment of Management II
Organizational Behavior
Management Information Systems
Financial Management
Introduction to Marketing
Operations Management

Competency in the core requirements may be demonstrated in any of the following ways:

Evaluation of previously completed studies essentially equivalent to one or more courses (300 and 400 level equivalent classes need to come from a 4 year institution to be considered waivable).
Completion of a course while enrolled in the MS Accounting program, which is not included in the total graduate requirements for the degree. MS Accounting students are expected to take the graduate equivalents of the background courses.

Additional Information About the Program

New York State Certified Public Accountant (CPA) License Requirements

The CPA license is issued at the state level. If you are interested in working towards CPA licensure, you should first contact the applicable state board to learn it’s particular requirements. A summary of each states’ requirements and links to more detailed information can be found at the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) website. NASBA serves as a forum for the nation’s state boards of accountancy that administer the Uniform CPA Examination, license certified public accountants, and regulate the practice of public accountancy in the United States.

For an overview of New York State CPA Licensure requirements, please visit the NYS Education Department Office of the Professions website.

For an overview of the New Jersey State CPA Licensure requirements, please visit the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants website.

For a comprehensive overview of the CPA Exam, see the Uniform CPA Examination web site. There are different divisions of the exam, and they may be passed separately, but there are time constraints that must be adhered to. Information about the exam and necessary forms can be obtained by calling 1-800-CPA-EXAM.