Accounting
Master of Science
Prepare for careers in professional accounting and consulting with advanced training in financial accounting, taxation and other essential concepts. This AACSB accredited program also aids in becoming a certified public accountant.
6 starts per year
12+ months to
complete program
The Online Master of Science in Accounting program provides a path for working professionals and students to complete advanced coursework and prepare for or further a career in professional accounting while earning credit toward a CPA license. Students will take a total of 30 units of graduate-level coursework. This consists of 18 units of accounting courses and 12 units of selected online MBA and accounting electives, with courses starting six times each year. Both the Eller College of Management and the School of Accountancy are AACSB accredited, adding to the value of this degree.
To be eligible for the Online Master of Science in Accounting, students must possess a four-year bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA and have completed accounting prerequisite courses.
If you have not completed the necessary prerequisites, apply to our Online Accounting Graduate Certificate program, in which you can complete these courses. Once you have completed the prerequisites, you may apply to the online MSA program to complete your graduate degree. The Certificate program is also a great place to start if your GPA is under 3.0. The minimum GPA requirement for the Certificate program is 2.75.
For additional information, contact the master's program coordinator at brucewatson@email.arizona.edu.
This program leads to professional licensure. Licensure requirements vary by state. To see if our program meets, does not meet or if we are unable to make a determination on requirements, please review the program state licensure information via the Eligibility & State Authorization page.
Cost & Eligibility
Accounting course options:
- ACCT 501 Advanced Accounting - Cover advanced financial accounting topics included on FAR section of the CPA exam including consolidated financial statements, mergers and acquisitions, and foreign currency.
- ACCT/MIS 514 Information Technology Audit - Cover the controls used to protect information assets, IT auditing topics, and approaches to evaluate technology risk.
- ACCT 515 Ethics for Professional Accountants - Enhance awareness of ethical dilemmas that arise in the accounting profession and meet ethics course requirement of certain state boards of accountancy such as California.
- ACCT 521 Business Law for Accountants - Cover topics included on REG section of the CPA exam including US contract law, creditors' rights, agency and employment law, business organizations, and securities regulation.
- ACCT 522 Advanced Federal Taxation - Cover topics included on the REG section of the CPA exam including taxation of C-corporations, S-corporations, Partnerships, Estates, and Gifts.
- ACCT 525 Accounting Theory & Institutions - Critique the underlying concepts and theories of existing accounting rules and hypothesize how changes in the regulatory and business environment will reshape accounting standards.
- ACCT 531 Principles of Auditing - Cover the theory of auditing and internal controls over financial reporting to assist with AUD section of the CPA exam.
- ACCT 572A Accounting for Not-For-Profit Entities - Cover governmental and not-for-profit accounting topics included on FAR section of the CPA exam.
- ACCT 575 Financial & Managerial Accounting in Healthcare - Cover topics related to healthcare accounting including financial statements, budgets, revenue streams, expansion decisions, and revenue generators versus cost centers.
Elective course options in the following subject areas:
MIS, Management, Healthcare, Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Economics.
