master of accounting alabama

There are several strong, accredited Master of Accounting degree programs in Alabama that can help students advance further into the accounting profession. Programs accredited regionally and by the AACSB will grant students :

  • access to more rigorous coursework
  • a better chance of post-graduation employment
  • increased odds of passing the stringent Alabama CPA exam.

Several Alabama schools offer the right combination of:

  • AACSB accreditation
  • graduate-level accounting programs
  • easy access to students in every part of the state

Auburn University

Raymond J. Harbert College of Business

Thanks to Auburn’s stellar academic reputation, the school is perhaps the strongest option for graduate accounting students in Alabama. The program is top-ranked for:

  • value
  • employment chances
  • selectivity

It’s one of the only AACSB-accredited accounting programs in Alabama to offer both online and offline course delivery options. Auburn utilizes doctoral professors for each graduate class in the accounting department. The same professors teach online and offline courses. This makes Auburn’s prestigious Master of Accountancy program more easily accessible to working professionals and older students.

Master of Accountancy

Prior to admission, Auburn checks that each applicant has completed either a business or accounting degree program at the undergraduate level. If they have not, they will be required to take foundation courses in both of these areas. This can add up to a year to the program’s duration. Once eligible for graduate-level accounting coursework, all students will take 12 required core courses that cover:

  • auditing
  • general research
  • federal tax research
  • integrated accounting applications

The completion of these 12 credits allows students to enroll in 18 elective credits. This is the final component of the program. Students can choose from a large variety of courses and topics, including:

  • federal tax law
  • income tax
  • information assurance
  • accounting database management

An internship is encouraged of all students who do not already have industry-relevant experience or employment.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact

Auburn University
Raymond J. Harbert College of Business
405 W. Magnolia Ave.
Auburn, AL 36849
Phone: (334) 844-6118
Email: amy.murphy@auburn.edu
Website: http://harbert.auburn.edu/academics/graduate/master-of-accountancy/

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Collat School of Business

UAB is one of Alabama’s largest public institutions of higher education. It has a reputation for affordable and prestigious degree programs at all levels. The Collat School of Business offers both in-class and hybrid course delivery options for students who enroll in its Master of Accounting program. This allows students to cut down their classroom attendance requirements and focus on developing their career. Fully accredited by the AACSB, the accounting faculty at UAB focuses on:

  • delivering hands-on learning experiences
  • fostering student-led research
  • combining real-world experience with high-level classroom theory across a broad array of concentrations.

Master of Accounting

Based on a student’s undergraduate degree program and their performance on the GMAT, foundation coursework may be required before taking graduate accounting courses. In many cases, however, students accepted to the program will not require these foundation courses. Students will begin their graduate program with classes in:

  • financial and cost accounting
  • income and federal taxation
  • internal auditing

As the program continues into its final three semesters, students will complete elective courses in fields like:

  • external auditing and forensic services
  • corporate governance and public accounting
  • database and accounting technology management
  • several other advanced fields

An internship is optional, but strongly encouraged, as part of this program.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Collat School of Business
1150 10th Ave. S.
BEC 305
Birmingham, AL 35205
Phone: (205) 934-8800
Website: http://www.uab.edu/business/degrees-certificates/master-of-accounting

University of Alabama in Huntsville

College of Business Administration

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is growing at a faster rate than almost every other campus in the University of Alabama system. The school features a large and rapidly developing College of Business Administration. Here, students can opt for either part-time or full-time graduate accounting coursework. The school’s graduate courses are primarily taught by professors with doctoral degrees. Many of these professors bring real-life accounting experience into the classroom. Like many other graduate accounting programs, students will participate in hands-on learning. They programs teach them advanced accounting techniques and new software approaches being used by the profession.

Master of Accountancy

Applicants to the University of Alabama in Huntsville should hold an AACSB-accredited degree in business or accounting if they want to avoid foundation courses. Students who are required to complete foundation coursework will be subject to six courses that cover topics in:

  • financial accounting
  • information systems
  • accounting principles
  • cost accounting
  • income taxation

Students who advance directly into graduate-level courses can expect to begin with studies of advanced accounting information systems and financial accounting theory. Other required courses cover cost management and auditing. Elective courses, which make up 24 total credits in the program, can cover such topics as:

  •  taxation
  • external auditing
  • small business accounting
  • advanced managerial accounting processes

Students can opt to write a graduate thesis if they wish to continue to a doctoral accounting program. Others can simply elect to take additional accounting coursework in place of the thesis option.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact

University of Alabama in Huntsville
College of Business Administration
301 Sparkman Dr.
Huntsville, AL 35899
Phone: (256) 824-1000
Email: gradbiz@uah.edu
Website: http://www.uah.edu/cba/grad/degrees/macc

University of South Alabama

Mitchell College of Business

Students at the University of South Alabama enjoy access to affordable tuition and a strong commitment to scholarly research. The school is one of several national research universities located in the state. This can be a significant benefit to accounting students who wish to complete a thesis as they advance toward a doctoral program. USA is highly ranked for its overall value. Its graduate programs rank as some of the best in the southern part of the United States. The accounting program takes a generalist approach, giving students a broad set of advanced skills that will prepare them for success on the job and within the context of the CPA exam.

Master of Accounting

The University of South Alabama is one of the few AACSB-accredited schools in Alabama that does not require its applicants to have obtained an AACSB-accredited undergraduate degree. With that said, however, all applicants must hold at least a regionally accredited degree in either business administration or accounting. The program begins with a study of advanced financial and managerial accounting principles. Students then advance into courses covering:

  • accounting research
  • federal taxation
  • income taxation
  • internal and external auditing
  • accounting information systems

A graduate thesis is optional and an internship is strongly recommended.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Contact
307 North University Blvd.
Mobile, AL 36688
University of South Alabama
Mitchell College of Business
Phone: (251) 460-6418
E-mail: mmenon@southalabama.edu
Website: http://www.southalabama.edu/graduateprograms/business.html

Accountants wishing to sit for the CPA examination in Alabama must pursue a graduate-level education in the accounting field to qualify for the test. Advanced coursework is a key part of CPA exam eligibility criteria. It must be obtained from a regionally accredited school. For maximum benefit students should make sure that their program is an accredited Master of Accounting degree programs in Alabama. It should feature both regional and AACSB accreditation.

Related Resources: