Master of Science (M.S.) in Accounting

About the Master of Science in Accounting

The Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.) provides advanced academic work for those with specialized interest in the field of accounting. The degree develops the conceptual and technical skills of those whose undergraduate academic performances were above average, and who may be preparing to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination.

Indiana law requires 150 hours of college credit for a person to be eligible for this examination. To meet this need, IU South Bend is offering a 30 graduate credit hour (10 courses) Master of Science in Accounting degree. Besides being tailored to meet these new demands, the degree is equally well suited for practicing accountants preparing for greater professional challenges.

The curriculum for the M.S.A. reflects the school’s mission to emphasize functional knowledge, skills, and capabilities. The program prepares individuals for professional certification, not only as a C.P.A., but also as a Certified Management Accountant (C.M.A.), Certified Fraud Examiner (C.F.E.), or Certified Internal Auditor (C.I.A.).

The degree requires 30 credit hours beyond the accounting major bachelor’s degree. If an applicant lacks an undergraduate accounting degree, the attainment of an M.S.A. degree requires additional coursework.

Who Benefits?

• Individuals preparing to meet the 150 credit hour requirement of Indiana and other states for taking the CPA examination
• The professional accountant who desires a graduate degree
• Professionals who want to increase their expertise for future advancement
• Individuals who want to gain a working knowledge of the accounting profession for a change in careers or for future entrepreneurial projects
• Individuals who want to meet the requirements for other professional certification programs such as the Certified Management Accountant (C.M.A.), Certified Fraud Examiner (C.F.E.), or Certified Internal Auditor (C.I.A.)

Program Requirements

All courses are 3 credit hours, unless otherwise designated.

Required Prerequisites

• BUS-A 201 Introduction to Financial Accounting
• BUS-A 202 Introduction to Managerial Accounting
• BUS-A 311 Intermediate Accounting I
• BUS-A 312 Intermediate Accounting II
• BUS-A 325 Cost Accounting
• BUS-A 328 Introduction to Taxation
• BUS-A 339 Advanced Income Tax
• BUS-A 424 Auditing and Assurance Services

Select one of the following:

• BUS-A 337 Accounting Information Systems
• BUS-K 321 Management of Information Technology

Students must possess computer competency equivalent to BUSB-K 501 Computer Skills for Management.

Students who plan to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination should consider taking BUS-A 335 Accounting for Government and Not-For-Profit Entities and enrolling in a C.P.A. review course, particularly for business law.

Program Requirements (30 cr.)

Skills Courses (6 cr.)

• BUSB-B 503 Leadership and Change
• BUSB-F 533 Communication Skills

Required Accounting Courses (12 cr.)

• BUSB-A 525 Advanced Financial Practice
• BUSB-A 530 Advanced Auditing
• BUSB-A 531 Advanced Managerial
• BUSB-A 545 International Accounting

Elective Courses (9 cr.)

Select three of the following:

• BUSB-A 504 Management Information Systems
• BUSB-A 539 Advanced Tax Topics
• BUSB-A 564 Interpretation and Analysis of Financial Statements
• BUSB-F 542 Strategic Financial Management

Additional Elective Courses (3 cr.)

Select one of the following:

• BUSB-A 502 Managerial Price Theory
• BUSB-C 502 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
• BUSB-D 503 Production Management
• BUSB-F 506 Management of International Operations
• BUSB-F 520 Seminar in Business
  VT: Taxes and Business Strategies
• BUSB-F 520 Seminar in Business
  VT: Forensic Accounting
• BUSB-F 523 Managerial Decision-Making Models
• BUSB-F 530 International Finance

The student must achieve a grade of C or higher for each course taken for the required prerequisites and Master of Science in Accounting program requirements.

Each student, as a condition of graduation, must participate in an exit interview and possess a cumulative graduate business program GPA of at least 2.75.