Whether you are preparing for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam,1 exploring other accounting-related certifications, or seeking to begin or move ahead in a career in accounting, pursuing your master’s in accounting can help you advance in the field.

Walden University’s online master’s in accounting explores advanced accounting principles to help improve your analytic and financial decision-making and prepare you to address today’s accounting challenges. Designed to help you stay current in a rapidly changing profession, the master of science in accounting program covers subjects relevant to the field, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, recent regulatory decisions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and other emerging topics and trends.

Embedded Graduate-Level Certificate

Receive a graduate-level certificate after successfully completing the first four courses in the program, giving you a valuable credential while you work toward completing your online MS in Accounting.

An ACBSP-Accredited Program

ACBSP - Accredited in Accounting logoWalden University’s MS in Accounting program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and has earned the organization’s Specialized Accounting Accreditation. Key benefits of ACBSP accreditation are:

  • Validation that your program meets nationally recognized standards of quality endorsed by businesses, government, and other organizations.
  • Assurance that your program can provide you with the skills you need to compete in today’s global marketplace.
  • Recognition by employers, graduate schools, and regulatory organizations.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the online MS in Accounting program will be prepared to:

  1. Assess the impact of managerial decisions in organizational contexts using research techniques and results.
  2. Communicate effectively about accounting and business practices, demonstrating knowledge of and respect for a variety of audiences.
  3. Effectively employ quantitative and analytical skills essential in the accounting profession.
  4. Construct alternative solutions to unique accounting situations and challenges.
  5. Evaluate accounting and business practices from ethical, legal, and regulatory perspectives, considering diverse stakeholders and competing interests.
  6. Appraise the mission-critical role the accounting professional has as an active partner in supporting the goals and needs of the organization.
  7. Evaluate opportunities accounting professionals have to promote sustainable, socially aware organizations.

Career Impact

Walden’s MS in Accounting offers a foundation from which to pursue career options in such areas as:

  • Compliance auditing
  • Cost accounting
  • External auditing
  • IT auditing
  • Governmental accounting
  • Management accounting
  • Private accounting
  • Public accounting

Find detailed information for this program, including possible occupations, completion rate, program costs, and median student loan debt.

Walden’s BS in Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and PhD in Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The MS in Accounting and BS in Accounting programs are also accredited by the ACBSP and have earned the organization’s Specialized Accounting Accreditation.

1Note on certification:
Most states require individuals to complete 150 semester (225 quarter) hours in certain subject areas in order to be eligible to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam and/or obtain a CPA license. Walden’s accounting programs can help graduates progress toward meeting those requirements, however, the Walden BS in Accounting, MS in Accounting, and MBA Accounting specialization are not designed or intended to lead to CPA license eligibility without supplemental coursework. The BS in Accounting offers 120 quarter (80 semester) credit hours that include upper-level courses in topics such as financial accounting, auditing, taxation, and management accounting. The MS in Accounting offers 30 semester (45 quarter) credit hours, while the MBA Accounting specialization offers nine semester (13.5 quarter) credit hours. These programs include graduate courses in topics such as financial accounting, managerial accounting, and legal and ethical accounting practices. This will require students to complete additional coursework to meet state requirements.

In each state, there are specific policies that must be followed when an individual is seeking to become a licensed accountant. Some states will not allow individuals who complete the Walden accounting programs to sit for the CPA licensing exams due to state-specific issues such as professional accreditation or face-to-face instruction. For information on the educational requirements for your state, refer to the state’s Board of Accountancy or related agency.

Walden enrollment advisors can provide guidance about accountant licensure; however, it remains the responsibility of the individual enrolling in the program to read, understand, and comply with the licensure requirements in the state where he or she resides. Additionally, prospective students are advised if they choose to relocate to carefully review, evaluate and understand the requirements of the applicable licensure board in the state in which they intend to relocate.

Walden University can make no representation, warranty, guarantee, or commitment that successful completion of a Walden program, or coursework for credit within a program, will make a graduate eligible to sit for a licensure exam or to obtain state licensure.

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Questions about our MS in Accounting?
Questions about our MS in Accounting?
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