Master of Science in Accounting

The Master of Science in Accounting program is designed to provide students with the advanced study in accounting necessary to prepare for the CPA examination. This program equips students with the knowledge and skills needed in the profession of accounting.

Graduates of the MS in Accounting program are prepared for employment opportunities with industry, government, and public accounting firms.

The MS in Accounting requires thirty graduate credit hours and can be completed in one year (12 months) by full time students who first enroll in either fall or summer semesters.

All classes in the MS in Accounting program are taught only at the Huntsville campus.

Mission

As a professional program the mission of the MS in Accounting is to provide students with the functional competencies necessary to enter the accounting profession and to enable students to meet the minimum educational requirements for taking the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination in Texas.

Vision

The MS in Accounting program provides students with a thorough grounding in the technical core competencies for entry into the accounting profession as identified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In 1999 the AICPA established the Core Competency Framework for Entry into the Accounting Profession (the Framework). That Framework identifies six functional competencies as most aligned with the value contributed by accounting professionals:

• decision modeling
• risk analysis
• measurement
• reporting
• research
• leveraging technology

The MS in Accounting program allows students to meet the minimum legislatively mandated requirement of 150 hours of college credit to qualify to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination in Texas. An additional requirement is that the student must have completed 30 hours of advanced accounting coursework to qualify to sit for the examination. The MS in Accounting program provides the coursework necessary to meet these requirements over and above the 120 hours for undergraduate degree completion.

Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Science in Accounting must submit the following directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

1. Complete the online graduate application form
2. Pay the application fee
3. Submit official transcript(s) from all previous college work (except SHSU graduates)
4. Submit an official GMAT score
5. Submit a current resume to the Office of Graduate Admissions

Graduate Application Deadlines

U.S. Citizens

• Fall - August 1
• Spring - December 1
• Summer - May 15

International Students

• Fall - June 25
• Spring - November 12
• Summer - April 9

Admission Criteria

1. Meet or exceed one of the following formulas:
   1. 200 (Undergraduate GPA) + GMAT Score >= 1100¹
   2. 200 (Advanced Hours Undergraduate GPA) + GMAT Score >= 1150²
2. Have a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0
3. Have a minimum advanced accounting coursework GPA of 3.0
4. Hold a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from a U.S. Institution
5. GMAT Waiver Requests: Undergraduate GPA¹ of 3.5 or higher allows for a comprehensive review of academic performance and consideration for the GMAT waiver

Stem Requirements for Non-Business Graduates and Non-Accounting Graduates

Students seeking admission to the Master of Science in Accounting Program who do not have a baccalaureate degree in accounting from an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accredited university will be required to take substantial stem courses before being allowed in the MS in Accounting program. Baccalaureate degrees from foreign universities not accredited by AACSB International are treated as non-business degrees. Additionally, graduate stem courses (5300s) do not apply to the 30-hour graduate credit hour requirement of the ACCT degree. Contact the graduate advisor for details.

Stem Courses Required