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Accountancy, MA

Master of Arts in Accountancy

Are you ready to begin a dynamic career as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountant? Look no further than the University of Central Missouri’s AACSB-accredited MA in Accountancy program. 

You can start your MA in Accountancy in the semester of your choosing (fall, spring or summer) and finish in just one year. Customize your graduate degree by choosing from one of two emphasis areas that share a common core of classes:

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) emphasis area
  • Certified Management Accountant (CMA) emphasis area

Your dedicated graduate advisor will help you choose the perfect mix of additional courses appropriate for your desired career path. Our program includes in-person classes on our Warrensburg campus and online classes for flexibility in earning your Accounting master’s degree.

Direct admission

Students who earn a BSBA with an Accountancy major from UCM, or from another school with an AACSB-accredited accounting program, qualify for direct admittance to our MA in Accountancy program.

Career development resources

You’ll have a comprehensive collection of career development resources, such as speaker presentations, “Meet-the-Firms”, advisory board socials and other networking opportunities. Our dynamic Career and Life Design Center offers walk-in help with life design, job and internship searches, resumes, cover letters and mock interviews. You’ll have access to various career fairs, the Handshake platform and a professional clothing studio.

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95% job placement rate

AACSB accreditation logo

AACSB-accredited program since 1995

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17:1 student-to-faculty ratio

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Finish in one year

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Start any semester

 

What you will study

After just three semesters in our AACSB-accredited MA in Accountancy program, you are ready to advance to your preferred area of the accountancy profession.

In the CPA emphasis area, you will take a variety of classes in financial reporting, audit, taxation and data analytics. We jump-start your preparation for the CPA Exam by integrating exam reviews into required program courses:

  • Financial Accounting and Reporting I and II: Graduate-level financial accounting topics, combined with Becker CPA Review, help you prepare for the FAR section of the CPA exam. 
  • Special Topics in Accounting-Auditing: Uses Becker CPA Review to prepare you for the AUD section of the CPA exam.

Our flexible CMA emphasis area includes courses on financial statement analysis, data analytics and Excel for decision-making. This option allows you to tailor your Accountancy master’s degree for specialty areas such as management, marketing and other business areas. This path offers a greater number of night, hybrid and online courses, making it a great choice for students who have full-time jobs.

 

Excellence in Accounting

  • UCM's Harmon College of Business maintains prestigious accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In addition, since 1995, the School of Accounting’s BSBA and MA programs have earned separate Accountancy Accreditation by the AACSB, an accomplishment shared by only 190 programs worldwide. Accreditation by the AACSB ensures our Accountancy programs achieve quality standards for curriculum, faculty and student outcomes.
  • Among the Most Popular Colleges for Accounting (College Factual, 2022)

 

Unique learning opportunities in accounting

When you join our School of Accountancy, you can expect a high-quality educational experience and the attention you deserve throughout your graduate program:

  • High-quality faculty: You will learn from full-time, dedicated faculty with Ph.D., JD, and CPA credentials and real-world experience.
  • Small class sizes: With an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio, our faculty can really get to know our students, creating a dynamic learning environment. 
  • Mentoring: On day one, you will be assigned a faculty mentor who can offer valuable career guidance and help you navigate through the program and beyond as you continue on your journey to your desired career.
  • Internships: Nearly all Accountancy master’s degree students complete a paid internship as part of their one-year program. Our designated internship coordinator will guide you through the internship experience. Our interns receive excellent pay, get valuable work experience and often receive offers of full-time employment.
  • Cutting-edge facilities: MA in Accountancy students have access to a private computer lab and state-of-the-art classrooms equipped for distance learning.

 

What can you do with an MA in Accountancy degree from UCM?

Public accounting firms, proprietary companies and governmental institutions from Missouri and beyond consistently recruit and hire our alumni because our master’s program has a reputation for producing graduates with the knowledge, professionalism and work ethic to excel in the accountancy profession.

Our MA in Accountancy degree prepares you for a variety of jobs across the profession of accountancy. School of Accountancy alumni have successful careers in specialties such as:

  • Public accounting firms (audit or tax services)
  • Private accounting (companies/corporations)
  • Nonprofit organizations (staff/project accounting)
  • Government agencies (fund/general accounting or auditing)

Our well-qualified graduates are routinely hired by companies including: KPMG, Ernst & Young, Forvis (formerly BKD), Deloitte, RubinBrown, Wilson Toellner CPA, the Missouri State Auditor’s Office, Creative Planning, Williams-Keepers and the Internal Revenue Service.

Explore careers in accounting

Find out more about where your MA in Accountancy from UCM will take you. Our interactive tool below covers insights into the potential salary for master’s in accounting grads, job growth, career outlook and more.

 

 
 


 

Financial assistance options for your Accountancy master’s degree

The University of Central Missouri ranks among the most affordable universities in the country. Still, we know financing your education can be a challenge. That’s why we offer several options to help you pursue an Accountancy master’s degree from UCM.

In addition to resources available to all of our students, the School of Accountancy offers scholarships on a competitive basis funded by private donors, including: 

  • Accountancy Scholarship Fund
  • Bennie Bargen Accounting Scholarship
  • FORVIS Accounting Education Scholarship
  • Charles 80 and Diane Dudley 81 KPMG Scholarship
  • Dr. David Joy Scholarship
  • Dr. Jo Lynne Koehn Accountancy Scholarship

You can learn more about program-specific scholarships by using the UCM Scholarship Finder.

 

 

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Make yourself more marketable.
 

With just a few more classes, you can add a graduate certificate to your resume, making you even more marketable to potential employers:

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Explore programs related to accounting.
 

If you’re on the fence about pursuing a master’s degree in Accounting, check out some of these related programs we offer at UCM: 

 

Request Info   Visit   Apply Today!

 

 

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