MS in Accounting

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, 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 MS in Accounting may take up to 6 graduate credits during the final semester of their undergraduate program.

Applicants with three years of professional work experience, a degree in business or engineering, or other credentials may be eligible to waive the GMAT/GRE admission requirement. If you believe you qualify to waive the entrance examination after reviewing the criteria, simply answer "yes" in the appropriate question on the application for admission.

You can complete the MS in Accounting at the University of Michigan-Dearborn in the evenings on campus, and some 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 12-16 months.

(7 courses/21 credit hours)

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 MSA for students pursuing the Accounting 4+1 option

+Accounting 4+1 students students may not receive credit for ACC 505, ACC 514, ACC 555, or ACC 580 if those students have earned a B or better in the equivalent undergraduate courses of ACC 298, ACC 357, ACC 355, and ACC 380, respectively. Instead, Accounting 4+1 students must replace these courses with more advanced electives from the MS in Accounting program.

(3 courses/9 credit hours)

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^^

Students who have completed 6 MSA elective courses (18 credits) may elect up to 3 College of Business graduate courses (9 credits) to replace other exempted or elective MSA courses.

^^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

Previous undergraduate or graduate coursework deemed substantially similar to the MSA core courses may qualify to exempt students from those courses. Exempted courses must be replaced with elective courses within the degree program; however, taking a course exemption is optional, and the total required credit-hours in the program remains the same.

Students who have completed 6 MSA elective courses (18 credits) may elect up to 3 College of Business graduate courses (9 credits) to replace other exempted or elective MSA courses. 

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.

Nearly all of the courses in the MSA are taught on campus; a few are offered on-line. You may enroll on a full- or part-time basis, but course availability is greatest during the fall and winter semesters. The program usually can be completed within 12-16 months of full-time study.

Students who lack previous accounting coursework may be advised to enroll in ACC 505 (Financial Accounting) on campus or online before starting the remainder of the program. 

Students with an undergraduate degree in accounting who wish to exempt the core courses should plan to enroll on a part-time basis.

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.

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.