With changing financial laws and tougher scrutiny of company finances, many organizations increasingly rely on the knowledge of accounting and auditing professionals.* If you have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree in business, with a major in accounting or finance, Kaplan University’s Master of Science in Accounting could be your next step in the pursuit of a mid-to-senior-level position within the field of accounting.† This program is designed to provide students with the necessary critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as the knowledge base to prepare for professional practice within the field of accounting.

The Master of Science in Accounting program is designed to prepare students to pursue mid-level management positions in both the public and private sectors. The curriculum is designed to enrich skills in auditing, taxation, cost accounting, and financial accounting while providing students the opportunity to choose elective courses to meet their specific interests and goals. Graduates will be better prepared to sit for professional certification examinations, which include the Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA®), and Certified Management Accountant (CMA®) examinations.‡ The curriculum focuses on:

• Familiarizing you with overall department management
• Generating and analyzing accounting data
• Creating quality improvement processes, compliance strategies, and reimbursement procedures
• Conducting research
• Addressing risk management and legal issues

Core Electives Total Program Requirements

Courses Credits Financial Accounting and Reporting 4 Regulation 4 Advanced Auditing 4 Ethical Issues in Business and Accounting 4 Advanced Managerial/Cost Accounting 4 Corporate Tax Decisions and Strategies 4 Business Communications 4 Economics for Global Decision Makers 4 Courses Credits Accounting Electives 20 Total Program Requirements 52

To view the elective courses and descriptions for the Master of Science in Accounting, click here.

Employment opportunities for graduates in the accounting field may exist within government, private, nonprofit, and public accounting. In addition, many entrepreneurial opportunities may exist for small business accounting and consulting services. Specific careers may include public accountant, management accountant, government accountant, internal auditor, and tax accountant. Click here to review career profiles. 

For more information, chat live or call an Admissions Advisor at 866.527.5268 (Toll Free).

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition, Accountants and Auditors, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos001.htm (accessed June 2009).
†Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job or employed at all.
‡Although certain programs at Kaplan University are designed to prepare students to take various certification or licensing exams, the University cannot guarantee the student will pass those exams. In some cases, field experience and/or background checks may be necessary to be eligible to take or to successfully pass the exams.