About
The educational objective of Appalachian’s Master of Science degree in Accounting is to provide advanced education to meet the needs of persons planning careers in accounting at the professional level. The MS in Accounting program offers courses of study which greatly enhance success in completing certifying examinations needed for designation as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and other professional designations.
Additionally, the program broadens the general business knowledge and intensifies accounting knowledge of its graduates to improve their performance beyond the entry/certification stage in their professional careers.
For students without adequate preparation in accounting and business, some prerequisites are required.
Courses
Course titles and information can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.
Application Essentials
Required Entrance Exam: GMAT (score must be no more than 5 years old)
Required number of references to specify in the online form: 3
Supplemental Information: Resume (Required upload for application submission)
Basic Conditions for Consideration of Admission: Meeting or exceeding the conditions below does NOT guarantee admission. All applications for a given entry term will be weighed based upon the number of seats available and the quality of the complete application packages. With special permission from the Graduate School, a program may admit a limited number of students with exceptional circumstances who do not meet the graduate school minimums.
Graduate School: 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores from the appropriate admission test(s), OR 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level from the appropriate admission test(s).
Admission to Accounting: The foundation for the admission decision is the GMAT score and undergraduate academic performance, including the trend of grades during undergraduate schooling and the GPA in the undergraduate major. Relevant work experience may also be considered in the admission process. Admission is competitive.
Employers
- BDO
- Bernard Robinson & Company
- BGW CPA
- Cherry Bekaert
- CohnReznick
- Davidson, Holland, Whitesell & Company
- Deloitte
- Dixon Hughes Goodman
- Elliott Davis Decosimo
- Ernst & Young
- Grant Thornton
- Johnson Price Sprinkle PA
- KPMG
- PwC
- RSM
- Smith Leonard PLLC
- Wells Fargo Audit Services
Application Deadlines
- Spring: 11/1 (only general concentrators are admitted in Spring)
- Summer Session 1: x
- Summer Session 2: 4/1 (priority - 3/15)
- Fall: 4/1 (priority - 3/15)
*See full deadline information below under Application Essentials.
Why Appalachian?
- Our graduates consistently receive high scores on the CPA exam, surpassing the national and state averages.
- The program has a stellar reputation among employers and alumni, who often return to campus as recruiters.
- Faculty members are dedicated to student success.
- Many undergraduate alumni choose to stay at or return to Appalachian for the Accounting MS program. They are often hired by the same company where they interned during their undergraduate senior year.
- Full-time students can complete the program’s 30 credit hours in two semesters and one summer, if they don’t need prerequisite coursework. Part-time students are also admitted into the program.
- A thesis is optional.
- All graduate programs at Appalachian have small class sizes, providing intimate classroom interaction.
- The School of Graduate Studies offers scholarships, fellowships and assistantships to support eligible, full-time, degree-seeking students.
Method of Delivery
On campus
Careers
- Accountant
- Assurance Associate
- Audit Associate
- Auditor
- CPA
- Tax Associate
- Tax Preparer
Contacts
Dr. Bill Pollard
Program Director
pollardwb@appstate.edu
828-262-6206