Professional Accounting, MS

Contact

Kofi Appiah Okyere, Director of Graduate Accounting Programs, 619 Whitman School of Management, 315-443-3587, kaokyere@syr.edu

Program Description

The Master of Science in Professional Accounting program is a 30 credit program for students with qualified undergraduate degrees in accounting. For students with other educational backgrounds, the program length varies from 30 to 63 credits, depending on the number of qualified accounting and management courses completed as an undergraduate or graduate student. M.S. Accounting students complete six required courses and choose a set of electives based on their professional interest and objectives.

Accreditation

The Whitman School has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) since 1920.

The M.S. in Professional Accounting degree is registered as a licensure-qualifying program for CPA licensure in New York state and meets the educational requirements for CPA licensure in most other 150 hour states.

Admission

Students are recommended to take the GMAT as part of the application process. Applicants will be considered for the program based on their GMAT score, previous academic experience, work experience, professional references, and personal statements.

Financial Support

Merit-based financial support is awarded based on a student’s admission application. These awards are highly competitive and are available to both U.S. and international full-time students. Students may apply for several loan programs to cover the cost of attendance such as the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, the Federal PLUS Loan, or various alternative/private education loans. Students must be enrolled at least half-time during each term in which they wish to be borrow an educational loan.

Student Learning Outcomes

Have an advanced understanding of the major functional areas of accounting

Be effective, persuasive communicators

Demonstrate skills in accounting research, critical thinking, and problem solving, supported by appropriate analytical and quantitative techniques

Demonstrate the ability to think strategically about the relationship between business decisions and accounting policy implications

1. Analyze financial statements

2. Evaluate the impact of factors affecting major functional areas of accounting

3. Utilize strategies for effective communications

4. Identify business problems and solutions using analytical and quantitative techniques in accounting research

5. Apply concepts, models and tools of strategic analysis to evaluate the relationship between business decisions and accounting policy implications

Degree Requirements & Learning Outcomes

This is a 30 - 63 credit degree leading to a Master of Science in Professional Accounting.

The rigorous Whitman MS in Professional Accounting program is designed for students of all academic backgrounds. Those entering with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with at least 24 credits in accounting courses are eligible for the one-year, 30-credit program. Students without the appropriate coursework in accounting, economics, finance, and quantitative methods may be required to take undergraduate and/or graduate-level foundation courses as part of the program. Total of 30 credits taken in following areas:

ACC 652 - Accounting Analytics 3 credit(s)
ACC 677 - International Reporting and Analysis 3 credit(s)
ACC 725 - Financial Statement Analysis 3 credit(s)
ACC 747 - Advanced Auditing 3 credit(s)
ACC 757 - Taxes & Business Strategy 3 credit(s)
SCM 651 - Business Analytics 3 credit(s)
Accounting Elective (3 credits)
Management Selective (3 credits)
Two Electives (6 credits)

Learning Goal 1:

Whitman MSA graduates will have an advanced understanding of the major functional areas of accounting.

MSAs will be able to analyze financial statements and understand the impact of accounting and operating decisions on reported financial performance.
MSAs will understand the impact of business decisions on product and other operating costs and their impact on business performance.
MSAs will have an understanding of the economic nature of auditing and knowledge of the factors that impact auditor performance.
MSAs will understand the impact of taxes on business decisions and their strategic implications.

Learning Goal 2:

Whitman MSAs will be effective, persuasive communicators.

MSAs will be able to utilize effective strategies for communicating with and listening to other individuals and groups.
MSAs will be able to develop, organize and generate clear and effective professional briefings and reports.
MSAs will be able to develop and support arguments that are fact-based, conceptually coherent, and compellingly persuasive.

Learning Goal 3:

Whitman MSA graduates will demonstrate skills in accounting research, critical thinking and problem solving, supported by appropriate analytical and quantitative techniques.

MSAs will be able to research accounting, auditing and tax issues to develop appropriate recommendations and conclusions.
MSAs will be able to gather, manipulate, and analyze data for purposes of understanding business problems and designing solutions for them.
MSAs will be able to generate accounting solutions to business problems.

Learning Goal 4:

Whitman MSAs will demonstrate the ability to think strategically about the relationship between business decisions and accounting policy implications.

MSAs will be able to identify strategic issues and how they are impacted by accounting decisions.
MSAs will be able to explain and apply concepts, models and tools of strategic analysis.
MSAs will be able to identify and evaluate the short-term and long-term accounting implications of business decisions.
MSAs will be able to appraise situations faced by a business organization from a broad perspective that considers economic, legal, ethical, and social factors.
MSAs will be able to integrate knowledge and concepts from different functional areas of business to analyze accounting decisions.

Transfer Credit

Students can transfer a maximum of 6 credits of coursework. The credits must be graduate level taken from an AACSB accredited business school. A grade of “B” or higher is needed to transfer in the credits. The grade itself does not transfer.

Satisfactory Progress

Students are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher to meet degree requirements.