MS in Accounting/MS in Finance

Admission is rolling, and you may begin the program in the fall or winter semesters. Summer semester admission is also open to part-time domestic students.

If you don't have a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance, consider seeking summer admission and completing the introductory course, ACC 505. This course is a prerequisite to all other courses in the program, and finishing it in the summer will give you more course options during the following fall and winter semesters. 

Learn more about our admission criteria and process.

Students who are eligible to pursue the Accounting 4+1 option may count 4 courses/12 credits in the graduate program toward their undergraduate accounting major. All other University of Michigan-Dearborn students who have been admitted to the dual MS in Accounting/MS in Finance may take up to 6 graduate credits during the final semester of their undergraduate program.

You can complete the dual MS in Accounting/MS in Finance at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in the evenings on campus, and many of the courses are also available online. You may enroll on a full- or part-time basis during the fall and winter semesters, and a few courses are available during the summer. Most of our students enroll on a part-time basis, but full-time students can usually complete the program within two years.

(3 courses/9 credits)

BE 530 - Economic Analysis: Firm and Consumer
DS 520 - Applied Statistical Modeling
FIN 531 - Finance Fundamentals and Value Creation

Previous equivalent undergraduate or graduate coursework may qualify students to exempt any of the foundation courses. Students must replace exempt MS in Finance foundation courses with additional courses within their MS in Finance concentration.

Choose one of the following MS in Finance concentrations:

Corporate Finance Concentration

MS in Finance Required Courses

FIN 581 - Topics in Corporate Finance
FIN 650 - Corporate Valuation and Strategy
FIN 652 - Derivatives and Risk Management

MS in Finance Accounting Electives
Choose two of the following courses, at least one of which must be ACC 514, ACC 555 or ACC 608:

ACC 514 - Financial Reporting
ACC 516 - Advanced Financial Accounting I
ACC 555 - Cost Management
ACC 560 - Introduction to Federal Income Taxation
ACC 601 - Information Technology Auditing
ACC 603 - Management Control Systems
ACC 608 - Financial Statement Analysis
ACC 660 - Advanced Federal Income Taxation

MS in Finance General Electives
Choose two courses from:

BE 583 - The Global Economy: Crisis and Growth
FIN 651 - Investment Process, Analysis and Management
FIN 654 - Banking, Insurance, and Fintech
FIN 655 - International Financial Management
FIN 657 - Investment Fund Management

With advisor approval, students may elect:

BA 690 - Graduate Research
BI 500 - Business Internship
Or one course from:
DS 630 - Applied Forecasting
DS 631 - Decision Analysis
DS 632 - System Simulation

-OR-

Investments Concentration

MS in Finance Required Courses

ACC 608 - Financial Statement Analysis
FIN 651 - Investment Process, Analysis and Management
FIN 652 - Derivatives and Risk Management
FIN 653 - Topics in Investments and Capital Markets

MS in Finance Electives
Choose two courses from:

BE 583 - The Global Economy: Crisis and Growth
FIN 581 - Topics in Corporate Finance
FIN 654 - Banking, Insurance, and Fintech
FIN 655 - International Financial Management
FIN 656 - Fixed Income Securities
FIN 657 - Investment Fund Management
BA 690 - Graduate Research
BI 500 - Business Internship

At most one of the following:

DS 630 - Applied Forecasting
DS 631 - Decision Analysis
DS 632 - System Simulation

(7 courses/21 credits)

ACC 505 - Developing and Interpreting Financial Information^
ACC 514 - Financial Reporting
ACC 516 - Advanced Financial Accounting I*
ACC 555 - Cost Management
ACC 557 - Auditing*
ACC 560 - Introduction to Federal Income Taxation*
ACC 580 - Accounting Information Systems

^If you have not previously completed an acceptable course in financial accounting, we may advise you to complete ACC 505 before planning to complete the remainder of the program.  ACC 505 (or equivalent) is a prerequisite to subsequent accounting courses.

*Simultaneous credit toward the BBA Accounting major and MS in Accounting for students admitted to the Accounting 4+1 program

(2 courses/6 credits)

The MS in Accounting Electives are not required of students selecting the MS in Finance Corporate Finance concentration, above.

Choose two courses from:

ACC 539 - Not-For-Profit Accounting^^*
ACC 601 - Information Technology Auditing^^
ACC 603 - Management Control Systems^^
ACC 604 - Auditing and Forensic Examinations
ACC 605 - International Accounting
ACC 608 - Financial Statement Analysis
ACC 614 - Advanced Financial Accounting II^^
ACC 657 - Advanced Auditing and Assurance Services^^
ACC 660 - Advanced Federal Income Taxation^^
LE 510 - Commercial Transactions^^

^^Recommended for students who intend to take the CPA exam. In addition, students must meet specific accounting and general business course requirements in order to qualify for the CPA examination in Michigan. See the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy for the official policies.

*Simultaneous credit toward the BBA Accounting major and MSA for students pursuing the Accounting 4+1 option

• Complete at least 15 BE and FIN credits, excluding BE 530 and FIN 531

Previous undergraduate or graduate coursework deemed substantially similar to the MSA core courses may qualify to exempt students from those courses. Students must replace exempt MSA core courses with additional MSA electives.

Previous coursework deemed substantially similar to BE 530, DS 520 or FIN 531 may qualify to exempt students from these MSF foundation courses. Students must replace exempt MSF foundation courses with additional courses within their MSF concentration.

Regardless of exemption credits granted, students must earn at least 51 credits in the dual-degree program if completing the MSF Corporate Finance concentration, or at least 54 credits if completing the MSF Investments concentration.

In addition, up to 6 transfer credits for previous equivalent graduate coursework can be applied to the degree if those credits have not been counted toward a degree.

Exemptions and transfer credit are granted at the discretion of the program faculty.

The College of Business has partnered with CPAexcel® to offer CPA exam preparation at a significant discount to our eligible Accounting students. In addition, eligible students who pass all 4 parts of the CPA exam within 12 months of graduation can receive a 100% reimbursement of the discounted cost of the CPAexcel® Gold review course. Alternatively, eligible students who complete at least one section of the CPA exam within 6 months of graduation can receive a 50% reimbursement of the discounted cost of the review course.

Students must meet specific accounting and general business course requirements in order to qualify for the CPA examination in Michigan. See the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy for the official policies.

MS in Accounting

Goal: MS in Accounting students will be able to integrate theory and applications in a wide variety of business situations.

Objectives: MS in Accounting students will:

1. Effectively communicate ideas orally and in writing.
2. Integrate multiple sources of information to formulate solutions to complex business issues.
3. Apply the professional standards of practice to business situations.

MS in Finance

Goal 1:  Students will demonstrate analytical skills in solving problems.

Objectives of the Corporate Finance concentration:  MS in Finance students will have the ability to:

1. Analyze and manage risk in a global setting.
2. Estimate the value of real assets.
3. Evaluate managerial decisions concerning financial policy.​

Objectives of the Investments concentration:  MS in Finance students will have the ability to:

1. Analyze and manage risk in a global setting.
2. Estimate the value of financial assets.
3. Apply portfolio theory concepts to construct optimal risky assets portfolios that meet the objectives and constraints of their clients.

Goal 2:  Students will be persuasive and/or informative communicators.

Objective 1:  MS in Finance students will be able to convey finance knowledge through effective communication.