Master of Science
Not Accepting Applications at this time.
Program Description
Aurora University’s Master of Science in Accountancy degree is designed to prepare students to successfully complete professional accountancy exams and commence professional practice as accountants. Program graduates will be prepared to become CPAs and CMAs practicing in the areas of financial accounting and reporting, managerial accounting, taxation, and attest services. The MSA is designed to align with the Aurora University undergraduate Accounting degree such that completion of both will provide the required credits and content necessary to qualify to take the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination.
MSA Plus One Program
In addition to the evening MSA program, AU offers a select MSA Plus One program designed for early career professionals. The MSA Plus One program is a full-time, day cohort version for completing the MSA program, generally intended for students who have completed their bachelor’s degree in accounting within 24 months preceding the start of the cohort. Since the MSA Plus One program is designed for early career professionals with typically fewer years of professional experience, the cohort emphasizes not only MSA content found in the evening MSA program but development of professional skills and dispositions through a required internship experience. The MSA Plus One program and registration for its courses are limited to students admitted to the MSA Plus One program. As a cohort, all MSA Plus One students are required to take the following prescribed MSA curriculum. Students seeking to fulfill the MSA degree requirements through other courses than those prescribed by the MSA Plus One will be required to receive special dispensation from the Program Director or withdraw from the cohort and finish the MSA through the evening MSA program.
Admission Requirements
- Completed Graduate Application for Admission (aurora.edu/auapply)
- Submit transcripts (official, sealed in envelope) for all prior college and/or university credit. Aurora University accepts official electronic transcripts at AU-etranscripts@aurora.edu
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field from a regionally accredited institution with a grade point average of 3.0 or greater (on a 4.0 scale). Students with a GPA of less than 3.0 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- A professional resume
- Applicants may be required to complete an interview with the program director and provide letters of recommendation.
MSA Program Detail
The MSA is a 30 semester hour graduate degree. Students admitted to the MSA program without a bachelor’s degree in accounting from an accredited institution of higher learning may be required to complete additional foundational coursework as a condition of admission to the program. These situations will be handled on a case by case basis by the Program Director.
The Master of Science in Accountancy is offered in the regular and Plus One format. The program requirements for each are listed below.
Program Requirements - MSA
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| ACC-6100 | Business Environment and Concepts | 3 |
| ACC-6110 | Accounting Theory, Practice and Reporting | 3 |
| ACC-6120 | Advanced Cost and Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ACC-6160 | Advanced Attest Services | 3 |
| ACC-6180 | Taxation of Partnerships, Corporations, and Not-for-Profits | 3 |
| ACC-6190 | Business Regulation | 3 |
| ACC-6200 | Seminar in Professional Accounting Research and Practice | 3 |
| MBA-6250 | Data Analytics | 3 |
| Selected Courses | ||
| Select 6 hours of the following: 1, 2 | 6 | |
| Government and Not-For-Profit Accounting | ||
| Accounting Information Systems | ||
| Selected Topic in Accounting | ||
| Accounting Internship (may be taken for 6 hours) | ||
| Design Thinking | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| 1 | MSA students may choose to select one non-MSA class from the MBA or MPA graduate programs to fulfill the MSA elective requirement (in total no more than 3 semester hours of MBA or MPA coursework can be applied to the MSA required elective courses). |
| 2 | Students must complete six semester hours of approved elective coursework. MSA students may choose to select one non-MSA class from the MBA or MPA graduate programs to fulfill the MSA elective requirement (in total, no more than three semester hours of MBA or MPA coursework can be applied to the MSA required elective courses. |
Program Requirements - MSA Plus One
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses 1 | ||
| ACC-6100 | Business Environment and Concepts | 3 |
| ACC-6110 | Accounting Theory, Practice and Reporting | 3 |
| ACC-6120 | Advanced Cost and Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| ACC-6160 | Advanced Attest Services | 3 |
| ACC-6180 | Taxation of Partnerships, Corporations, and Not-for-Profits | 3 |
| ACC-6190 | Business Regulation | 3 |
| ACC-6200 | Seminar in Professional Accounting Research and Practice | 3 |
| ACC-6940 | Accounting Internship | 3-6 |
| MBA-6250 | Data Analytics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| 1 | Students must complete six semester hours of approved elective coursework. MSA students may choose to select one non-MSA class from the MBA or MPA graduate programs to fulfill the MSA elective requirement (in total, no more than three semester hours of MBA or MPA coursework can be applied to the MSA required elective courses. |
Graduate Degree Requirements
- Completion of all coursework specified by the graduate program.
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or higher if specified by the graduate program.
- Submission of all pre-graduation materials required by the graduate program.
- Acceptance of thesis or other required final project by the graduate program.
- Submission of two copies of approved thesis or project in a specified form together with payment of binding fee where applicable.
- Submission of Application for Graduation and payment of any graduation fees assessed by the university.
- In the case of certification programs, submission of all governmental forms.
- Residency Requirement: A minimum of 25% percent of the total credits required for the completion of the graduate degree or post-baccalaureate certificate or credential must be earned at Aurora University. Individual programs may establish more extensive residency requirements, including requirements that specific coursework be completed at Aurora University.
Attendance Policy
Attendance is mandatory for all class sections. If a student is to be absent for any reason, they must discuss the expected absence with the course instructor before it occurs.
Academic Standards and Evaluation
Grades will be assigned to each student at the conclusion of each course according to the procedures outlined in the section “Graduate Grading System.”
At the graduate level a grade point of 3.0 (B) must be maintained, as a "C" (2.0) grade indicates less than complete mastery of the content of a course. Students must meet the graduate catalog minimum academic performance standards to successfully complete the MSA.
Learning Outcomes
- Professional Communication: Students will be able to communicate effectively and at a master’s-level in professional writing and public presentation.
- Collaboration: Students will demonstrate master’s-level competency in collaborative decision-making by applying practical group work strategies.
- Ethical Reasoning: Students will demonstrate master’s-level application of ethical reasoning principles to problem solving within the context of their discipline.
- Quantitative and Qualitative Literacy: Students will demonstrate a master’s-level working knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research practices in business and disciplinary scholarship.
- Students will demonstrate master’s-level working knowledge and skills when performing attest engagements. Students will also demonstrate master’s-level knowledge of professional standards and responsibilities, including ethics.
- Students will demonstrate master’s-level working knowledge of financial reporting and disclosure, including accounting and budgeting concepts for government and not-for-profit organizations.
- Students will demonstrate master’s-level working knowledge with respect to federal taxation, professional responsibilities, and business law.
- Students will demonstrate master’s-level working knowledge of the gathering and reporting of accounting information, including data integrity. Students will also demonstrate a master’s-level understanding of management’s uses of this information within a relevant business environment.
- Students will demonstrate master’s-level application of their disciplinary knowledge and research by analyzing and presenting their conclusions on cases that address a variety of concepts such as judgment, valuation, disclosure, and the nature of the accountant/client relationship.