Master of Science in Accounting

Program Contact: Kathleen Simione 203-582-8519

The Master of Science in Accounting program is designed to prepare candidates to satisfy the 150 credit hours requirement and to position them for success in the CPA exam. The program will position successful graduates for careers in professional services firms, business corporations, governmental agencies and business consulting firms, among others. The program provides students with in-depth accounting knowledge and skills necessary to be successful accounting professionals. Notably, there is a large demand for well-trained accounting professionals in public and private accounting, as well as in government. Students have a variety of electives to choose from, or may select a structured set of courses in business analytics.

Graduation Requirements 

MS in Accounting Curriculum

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Core Courses (18 credits)
AC 635	Advanced Topics in Financial Accounting and Reporting	3
AC 645	Information Assurance	3
AC 650	Advanced Accounting Information Systems	3
AC 660	Strategic Management Control Systems	3
AC 670	Advanced Business Law, Regulation, Ethics and Reporting Environments	3
AC 680	Advanced Federal Income Taxation and Tax Research	3
Elective Courses (12 credits)
Select four of the following:		12
AC 640	Financial Statement Analysis
AC 665	Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination
AC 675	Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting
BAN 610	Introduction to Business Analytics 1
or MBA 610	Business Decision Analysis
BAN 615	Predictive Business Analytics
BAN 628	Data Mining for Competitive Advantage
BAN 650	Data Visualization for Managers
EC 600	Managerial Economics
Total Credits		30

¹

BAN 610 is a prerequisite for advanced BAN courses.  

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with this degree will demonstrate:

1. Professional Communication: an ability to communicate complex accounting reports and other financial information in both technical and common language; a proficiency in the use of information technology packages to process information and to effectively complete tasks in applicable areas.

2. Business Analytics and Critical Thinking: proficiency in the use of statistical and analytical tools to analyze complex accounting problems and will be able to make practical and reliable decisions as appropriate in order to resolve problems.

3. Business Environment: the capacity to recognize ethical issues encountered in public and private accounting environments and consider resolutions that are legal and ethical with appropriate consideration on the firms’ material stakeholders; knowledge of the issues involved in Multinational Corporation accounting including a strong understanding of the issues in international financial reporting standards.

4. Accounting Integration: knowledge of the principles and standards applied to financial reporting for U.S. corporations (U.S. GAAP) and to financial reporting for specialized industries and organizations such as non-profits and governments; an understanding of the relevant professional standards.

Master of Science in Accounting

• Master of Science in Accounting

Dual-Degree Programs

• Accelerated Dual-Degree BS/MSA (3+1)
• Dual-Degree BS/MSA or BA/MSA (4+1)
• Accelerated Dual-Degree BS in Economics/MS in Accounting (3+1)
• Accelerated Dual-Degree BA in Theater/MBA or MS in Accounting (3+1)

Admission

To be admitted to the program, an applicant must have completed an undergraduate degree program with a GPA of at least 3.00. Work experience and recommendations also are strongly considered in the admission process. Standardized test scores (such as GMAT or GRE) submitted by the students in support of the application also are considered, but are not required.

In addition, applicants to the MS in Accounting program must demonstrate that they have successfully completed the following prerequisite courses (or must complete these courses before beginning coursework in the MSA program).

•      Introduction to Financial Accounting

•      Introduction to Managerial Accounting

•      Intermediate Accounting I

•      Intermediate Accounting II

•      Taxation of Individuals

•      Business Law and Society

A complete application consists of the following:

1. Program application (submitted online). Go to Quinnipiac’s How to Apply webpage.

2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work completed

3. A personal statement/letter of intent

4. Three letters of recommendation

5. A recent resume

6. Application fee

International Applicants:

Prospective international students must submit certified translations of official transcripts prepared by World Education Services (WES) or another acceptable organization that is approved by Quinnipiac for this purpose.

All applicants from non-English-speaking countries must indicate that they have the language capability to understand business instruction in English and must provide official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. In general, a minimum TOEFL Internet-based score of 90 is required for admission (or 233 for computer-based, or 575 for paper-based).

In lieu of TOEFL, applicants may submit International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. A minimum score of 6.5 on this exam, a B or above on the Certificate of Advanced English or a C or above on the Certificate of Proficiency in English is required. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years.

International applicants are required to submit proof of adequate funds to complete their study at Quinnipiac University before an eligibility form (I-20) can be issued. Complete the Statement of Financial Support and submit along with supporting documentation. In addition, a copy of a passport or national ID is required. The Statement of Financial Support can be accessed via the Admissions webpage.