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Master of Science in Accounting

Shondra Johnson,
Graduate Program Director

The Department offers a graduate program leading to the master of science in accounting (MSA) degree. This program is STEM-designated and prepares students for CPA licensure.  In addition, the program provides further study and research with a focus on professional careers in the field of accounting.

The MSA program is accredited by the AACSB International: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.  As such, it provides graduate education that prepares students to meet professional practice challenges in public, private, and not-for-profit accounting. The program is designed to broaden the student’s knowledge, to provide for in-depth study, and to complement theoretical study with relevant and significant research. 

Admissions Information

The program is open to full-time and part-time students. Students are admitted in the fall semester only. 

In addition to satisfying all Graduate Education requirements for the degree, all candidates for the master’s degree must satisfy the following departmental requirements:

  1. A total of 30 hours of graduate-level coursework. 
  2. No “D” grades can be counted in the completion of requirements for the degree.
  3. Every student must pass a comprehensive assessment that will be based on the core requirements for the program pursued.

In addition to the graduate admissions requirements, MSA applicants need to provide two letters of recommendation from persons who can comment on the applicant's capability for graduate-level study. References from faculty members under whom the applicant has studied and employers are considered better references than character references. In addition, MSA applicants need to provide a resume.

Note that prospective students who do not meet the conditions for admission may be admitted conditionally, in which case the department will prescribe a program for the removal of such admission conditions. Conditional status must be removed prior to graduation.  In addition to meeting all the general requirements of Graduate Education and of the department as stated above, candidates for the master’s degree in accounting must satisfy the following requirements:

For admission into the MSA program, a student must have an undergraduate degree in accounting or related area, or approval of the department:

Required Courses (24 hours)

  • ATG 600 Professional Career Planning
  • ATG 601 Financial Accounting Research Application
  • ATG 657 Advanced Auditing
  • ATG 670 Advanced Data Analytics for Accounting
  • ATG 677 Tax Research
  • ATG 691 Financial Statement Analysis and Reporting
  • MIS 571 Business Analytics Software and Applications
  • MIS 573 Data Visualization for Business Analytics
  • ATG 698 Accounting Comprehensive Assessment

Elective (6 hours) Foster College of Business

For choices, see the listing of 500 and 600-level courses (with the exception of ATG 604) in the Foster College of Business MBA program and obtain approval from the Graduate Program Director.  

Comprehensive Examination

Each MSA program student must take a comprehensive examination. This examination covers the graduate work that the student is presenting for the degree. The time, place, and nature of the examination are a part of ATG 698.

Foundation Courses

Individuals entering the MSA program with an accounting degree from a regionally accredited university will not be required to complete any foundation courses. Individuals entering the MSA program with a non-accounting business degree from a regionally accredited university will be required to complete only the accounting foundation courses. For all other individuals, transcripts will be reviewed to determine whether the individual has completed courses equivalent to the business and accounting foundation courses within the last 10 years, and any foundation class for which an equivalent has not been completed will be required. Equivalency will be determined for a foundation course using the undergraduate equivalency guides. All foundation courses must be completed with a grade of C or better.

Business foundation courses include:

  • Accounting Principles – Financial 
  • Accounting Principles – Managerial
  • Legal Environment of Business
  • Operations Management 
  • Organizational Management
  • Microeconomics 
  • Macroeconomics
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Quantitative Analysis 
  • Management Information Systems

Accounting foundation courses include:

  • Intermediate Accounting 
  • Intermediate Accounting 
  • Cost Accounting 
  • Accounting Systems and Control
  • Auditing 
  • Federal Tax I

For descriptions and course numbers of the foundation courses, please see the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.

This is the official catalog for the 2024-2025 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.