Master鈥檚 Degree in Professional Accounting
Enhance your career opportunities in one year with a master鈥檚 degree in professional accounting that not only makes you ready for higher-level positions in accounting but also helps you prepare for the CPA Exam.
Why Earn a Master鈥檚 Degree in Professional Accounting?
A Master of Science in professional accounting is a passport to exciting career opportunities in today鈥檚 rapidly changing world. Firms of all sizes鈥攆rom the Big Four and other international companies to small regional firms鈥攁re actively recruiting for positions in their assurance and tax practices, with options to specialize in areas like mergers and acquisitions, forensic accounting, and litigation support. Moreover, obtaining a master鈥檚 degree in professional accounting will help you in preparing for the CPA Exam and provide you with the 150 credit hours to become eligible to receive a CPA license in New York state.
Why Join the Professional Accounting Program at Adelphi in New York on Long Island?
- All students who can demonstrate proof of completing the prerequisite undergraduate courses can finish our MS in professional accounting program in just two semesters. The program builds on the candidate鈥檚 undergraduate accounting degree.
- Classes are small in size, with in-person instruction provided mostly by full-time faculty, many of whom are CPAs.
- The curriculum includes advanced courses in accounting, taxation, auditing and law, all geared to help you prepare for the CPA Exam and enhance your career. Our courses offer scheduling flexibility, with classes available in the evenings.
- Passing the different parts of the CPA Exam while in graduate school greatly increases your marketability. You鈥檒l prepare for the CPA Exam with our dedicated online CPA Exam review program from Becker Professional Education, a leader in the exam-prep industry. You鈥檒l receive intensive preparation for all four sections of the exam, giving you the opportunity to pass each section as you work toward graduation. We coordinate our professional accounting program with Becker to maximize the benefits you receive from their CPA Exam review program.
- Adelphi is one of the top-rated accounting schools in the state of New York, and many graduates of our program are recruited by the Big Four as well as numerous other national and regional accounting firms, frequently even before they have completed this program.
- All business degree programs in the Willumstad School of Business are accredited by AACSB International.
Cost-Saving Opportunity
Our new Graduate Merit Scholarship offers yearly awards ranging from $3,000 to $10,000. These can be renewed every year, so you can save substantially on tuition while earning a career-boosting Adelphi master鈥檚 degree in professional accounting.
15% Off Your Tuition
Thanks to Adelphi鈥檚 partnership with HIA-LI, all HIA-LI members are eligible to receive a 15% discount off the published tuition rate when you sign up for a business degree. We are committed to helping you afford an Adelphi education in this critical field.
The MS program really helped me in preparing for the CPA exam. In particular, the Financial Reporting Practice class was of great assistance in preparing for FAR. Professor Pandit, DBA, really took his time in making sure we understood the material. The intimate class sizes allowed for a more responsive environment where participation from the class was more enticing as a whole than ever before.
Joseph Camoia, MS 鈥�19
MS in Professional Accounting
Program Info
The MS in Professional Accounting program set a very solid foundation for me and left me well-prepared to take the CPA exam. I also felt that I had a very strong support system between my classmates and professors鈥攁ll working toward the same goal of preparing for successful future careers in public accounting.
Tracy McSorley, MS 鈥�23
MS in Professional Accounting
Application Requirements
Adelphi Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting seniors and alumni
Applicants who have earned (or are completing) a BBA in accounting at 91吃瓜网 will have the application fee and personal essay waived. We will retrieve your official Adelphi transcripts and any previously submitted transcripts on your behalf. Please submit the following:
- 搁茅蝉耻尘茅
- A letter of recommendation (optional)
All other applicants
Applicants must have a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting from an accredited four-year institution and should submit the following application requirements:
- and $60 fee
- All previous college transcripts
- Personal essay
- A letter of recommendation (optional)
- 搁茅蝉耻尘茅
- Course-by-course evaluation: All graduate applicants with undergraduate-level work completed outside of the United States will be required to send a course-by-course evaluation of their academic work prepared by a NACES member organization. Adelphi recommends you use or (discount provided for Adelphi applicants), , or , but any evaluation would be acceptable.
All other applicants
Applicants must have a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting from an accredited four-year institution and should submit the following application requirements:
- and $60 fee
- All previous college transcripts
- Personal essay
- A letter of recommendation (optional)
- 搁茅蝉耻尘茅
Additional Requirements
Graduate students officially registered in other divisions of the University may register for coursework within the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business only if written permission from the appropriate dean, adviser or chair is presented at registration. It must indicate that the coursework taken within the School of Business will count toward degree requirements in the corresponding program. Students registering on a continuing basis under this classification will be considered visiting students.
Graduate students officially registered in a business degree program at another accredited university may register for coursework within the Willumstad School of Business if written permission from their appropriate dean, chair or program director is presented at registration.
Understanding Your Costs and Ways You Can Save
Learn about the costs you can expect and discover how scholarships, grants and financial aid packages can put an Adelphi education within reach.
The MS accounting program was invaluable in preparing for my CPA exam鈥攚ith tailored coursework and active collaboration. The smaller class size enriched my journey, forming lasting connections that shape my career. These relationships continue to shape and strengthen my professional network.
Steven Mosher, CPA, MS 鈥�20
Frequently Asked Questions About a Master鈥檚 Degree in Professional Accounting
Any student who has earned a bachelor’s degree and completed 27 credits in courses that include the equivalent of Principles of Accounting I and II, Intermediate Accounting I and II, Cost Accounting, Principles of Auditing, Advanced Accounting, and Federal Taxation I and II at Adelphi is eligible.
Having a bachelor’s degree in accounting from a four-year U.S. institution helps because it means that you have already met the prerequisites to enter the program
Yes, the program is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the professional accrediting body for business schools.
For a student pursuing the program on a full-time basis (i.e., taking 15 credits per semester), the degree can be completed in as little as two semesters.
Our graduates start their careers as audit associates and tax associates in Big Four, national or regional public accounting firms. They find positions in major corporations and nonprofit organizations. Adelphi鈥檚 Center for Career and Professional Development offers personalized support and guidance, r茅sum茅 reviews, interview preparation, and general support in job search and follow-up.
The MS in professional accounting program will prepare you for the CPA Exam in several ways:
- The coursework has been carefully selected to align it with the CPA Exam.
- All classes are taught in person by faculty, who are experts in their disciplines, and many of whom are CPAs.
- Most importantly, the nationally known Becker CPA Exam review program is a required, 0-credit component of the MS program in which students register for the CPA Exam review while completing their MS coursework. The CPA Exam review modules are timed to match with the courses offered in each semester.
If you already possess a bachelor’s degree in accounting (or a bachelor’s degree in any other field with 27 credits in specific areas of undergraduate accounting courses and 36 credits in specific areas of undergraduate business courses), Adelphi鈥檚 150-credit pathway MS in accounting program will provide the credit hours required for CPA licensure in New York state.
Yes, you can take the CPA Exam while you are still in the MS program, provided you have completed the accounting and business coursework required by New York state when you apply to take the exam. Many of our alumni have taken the CPA Exam while still completing the MS program.
While some of our alumni have passed different parts of the CPA Exam before graduating from the program, it is not a requirement to graduate. We strongly encourage you to prepare adequately for the exam by completing the built-in Becker CPA Exam review while you are in the program. Passing the exam is dependent on each student’s level of preparation.
The 36-credit MBA with accounting specialization includes a mix of advanced accounting courses (e.g., Advanced Auditing, Taxation of Business Entities) and business-related coursework, offering an education that combines accounting with business strategy and management. The 30-credit MS in professional accounting provides a more specialized accounting curriculum that includes accounting courses that are already part of the MBA program, plus more specialized courses, like Legal and Professional Responsibilities of Accountants, Cost Management, Financial Reporting and Practice, and Governmental/Nonprofit Financial Reporting, that focus on accounting practices and standards. The MS program is intended to be closely aligned with the CPA Exam. Most importantly, the MS program requires you to engage in the nationally known Becker CPA Exam review program that helps MS students prepare well for the CPA Exam while also completing their MS courses.
Awards & Recognition
