The 30-credit program may be completed in one academic year, unless prerequisite business and accounting courses are required based upon deficiencies in the undergraduate degree program of the applicant. Professional experience is not required for admission to the program.
Flexibility is the key characteristic of the M.S. in Accounting Program. That is, subject to certain broad guidelines, each student's program of study is developed to further her or his chosen professional objectives and to build on, or complete, the student's prior academic background. A student selects one of three accounting specialty "options" consisting of four or five required courses:
• Public and Corporate Accounting (PCA)
• Taxation (TAX)
• Information System (IS)
Students complement their accounting education with other business courses in finance, supply chain management, management, marketing and communication.
Two academic advisors are dedicated to help students in developing education plans and achieve their educational goals by providing counsel, accurate, and timely information.
Academic credentials
The minimum standards for admission to the M.S. in Accounting program are:
1. A bachelor’s degree in accounting from a recognized educational institution, or a bachelor’s degree that includes the prerequisites of intermediate financial accounting, a survey of calculus, and probability and statistics.*
2. A cumulative grade-point average of at least a 3.0 from any institution attended.
A cumulative grade-point average of at least a 3.0 in any junior and senior level accounting courses.
*Although students may be accepted into the program whose undergraduate degree is not in accounting, these students will be required to complete all undergraduate accounting major courses (equivalent to an MSU undergraduate degree in accounting) prior to, or during enrollment in the M.S. in Accounting program.
Standardized tests (GRE or GMAT)
The program accepts either the GMAT or GRE exam, with a minimum GMAT score of 550 (school code: QH0-5P-32) or strong GRE scores (school code: 1465).
Language requirements
A minimum International language Testing System (IELTS) band score of 7, OR a minimum score in any of the following Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) formats:
600 on paper-based TOEFL
250 on computer version of TOEFL
100 on iBT (internet-based) TOEFL