2025-2026 Graduate Catalog 
    
    Aug 04, 2025  
2025-2026 Graduate Catalog

Professional Accounting, MS


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Contact

Whitman Graduate Programs, busgrad@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.

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.

Student Learning Outcomes


  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


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:

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.

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