master of accounting in michigan

Listed here are some of the best accredited accounting degree programs in Michigan. As the ninth most densely populated state in the country, Michigan offers diversity and energy in educational programs. Business programs, especially, profit from the rapid pace set by the state known for its automobile industries but also for:

  • Dow Industries
  • Kellogg’s
  • Whirlpool
  • Con-way

More than 25 per cent of the people of Michigan have at least a bachelor’s degree, so it is obvious that Michigan values education.

Central Michigan University

College of Business Administration

Central Michigan University is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #194 of National Universities. One of the 100 largest public universities in the country, the school awards more than 200 academic degrees. The student-to-staff ratio is 21:1. The College of Business Administration is ranked as #6 for Best Online MBA degrees. More than 90 per cent of its graduates are employed within six months of graduation. There are about 300 graduate students in the school and 60 College of Business Administration students study abroad each year.

Master of Business Administration in Accounting

This degree is offered online but students still must present an acceptable GMAT score for admission. Students coming into the program with an undergraduate degree in accounting may be able to waive some or all of the prerequisite courses. Otherwise you can satisfy them with courses taken after admission. Students wanting to enter the program must also have a working knowledge of:

  • statistics
  • spreadsheets
  • presentation graphics
  • other advanced business skills

They must also be literate in computers and computer language and business communications. The degree contains 35 to 43 hours dependent upon undergraduate academic background. Some of the core classes in this program are:

  • Managing Information Systems in the Global Economy
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Managing and Leading Individuals and groups in Organizations
  • Data Analysis
  • Marketing-based Accounting

Students enrolled in accounting at Central Michigan University can earn their Master’s Degree concurrently with their Bachelor’s degree in the accelerated program.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact
College of Business Administration
Central Michigan University
1200 South Franklin Street
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
984-774-1790
aitkeljj@cmichu.edu
https://www.cmich.edu

Eastern Michigan University

College of Business

This school was ranked as # 77 of Regional Universities Midwest. It was founded in 1849. The College of Business is one of the largest in the state with more than 492 graduate students enrolled. All classrooms are technology rich with LCD displays and video-conferencing capabilities as well as charging ports for laptops and smartphones. The business school awards six degrees in thirty-two programs.

Master of Science in Accounting

This degree is for professionals who want to work for public, corporate or non-profit organizations in accounting. It is intended to give students a broad and balanced education with a deep understanding of accounting. When admitted to the program, each student must prepare a plan of study with the help of an advisor. After review by an advisory committee, the plan becomes the degree requirement map. There are 18 foundational credits  that include basic accounting skills and knowledge sets. Some of these may be waived depending upon the undergraduate classes taken. Then, there are 30 core course hours including:

  • 12 hours of prescribed classes
  • 12 hours of restricted electives

The restricted electives are the classes that help you build you track in taxation, non-profits and other specializations.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact
College of Business
Eastern Michigan University
900 Oakwood Street
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-487-0075
daniel.bmckee@emich.edu
http://catalog.emich.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=19&poid=9814

Grand Valley State University

Seidman School of Business

Tis school is tied in the U.S. News and World Report for #26 of Regional Universities Midwest. Founded in 1960, Grand Valley State University has more than 200 areas of study. The average class size in the school is 27. Seidman School of Business has 349 graduate students enrolled. Of the 990 full time faculty members, nearly 70 hold PhD degrees. The school includes a new center for business expositions, seminars and research. The L. William Seidman Center is a new facility at the school for business expositions, seminars and research.

Master of Science in Accounting

Graduates of this accredited accounting degree program will have met the 150 hour educational requisite for the CPA. The degree contains 33 credits, 18 of these in the accounting concentration. The focus of the program is practical and applied knowledge. Full-time students can complete the degree in just 12 months. Part-time students can expect to finish in two years. Students are required to take:

  • ethics
  • financial statement analysis
  • international accounting
  • accounting theory

The rest of the credits are earned from graduate level accounting and business classes. Students without a background in accounting will have up to 36 credits in the degree including the prerequisite skills and foundations classes. Students who have finished the requirements for the degree may take other classes outside the Seidman School with the approval of the advisory committee.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact
Seidman School of Business
Grand valley State University
1 campus Drive
Allendale, MI 49401
616-331-7387
bajemcc@gusu.edu
http://gvsu.edu/business/msa/msa-requirements-5.htm

Michigan State University

Eli Broad College of Business

Michigan State University is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #85 of National Universities. The Eli Broad Full-Time MBA program ranks  #22.  Forbes Magazine ranks the school as #9 of Public Business schools. Graduate programs are awarded by the Broad School of Management. There are 120 full-time faculty members at Broad. Because of the size of the Eli Broad College of Business, industry and business leaders seek out and recruit regularly from its student ranks. Its faculty members serve as corporate consultants.

Master of Science in Accounting

This degree, from a school that has a world-class faculty and state-of-the-art facilities, is customizable. The program contains 30 credit hours and incorporates three specializations from which students must choose one:

  • taxation
  • information systems
  • public and corporate accounting

There are 12 to 15 credits in the concentration, then 15 additional credits. Nine of these must be in a discipline outside accounting. At least 24 of the credits must be earned at the 800 level and completed with a 3.0 GPA to graduate. Students who do not have a background in accounting through undergraduate coursework may be required to take additional prerequisite courses, using their elective options. Students who want to tailor their degrees with courses from colleges outside the Broad College of Business may do so. However, they must have approval from the director in order for the courses to count toward the 30 credits required for the degree.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact
Eli Broad College of Business
Michigan State University
220 Trowbridge Rd.
East Lansing, MI 48824
acct@broad,msu.edu
http://accounting.broad.msu.edu/welcome/ms/curriculum/

Oakland University

School of Business Administration

Oakland University was founded in 1957. The School of Business Administration began in 1969. The university is ranked with National Universities, but the ranking is not reported. The school intends to give students relevant education in a changing world economic environment. The ratio of students to faculty is 21:1. Class sizes are small. One of the points of pride for the Oakland University School of Business Administration is the Ideas2Business Program. This innovative offering helps students and faculty initiate new business ventures. It also gives them assistance in entrepreneurial issues.

Master of Accounting (MAcc)

This Master of Accounting degree is intended for those people who want careers in public, corporate or non-business accounting. The credits earned will complete the 150 hours of education required for the CPA. This degree is housed in the Accounting and Finance Department of the School of Business Administration. It has earned a separate accreditation from AACSB. Applicants to the program must demonstrate proficiency in financial and cost accounting and macro-economics. There are a minimum of 30 credits in the degree. There are 24 credits in foundational courses which may be waived depending upon a student’s undergraduate courses. If a class is waived, the student must fill the credit requirement with an approved elective. After the foundational courses, there are nine core credits and 0 to 12 elective credits available. All students must take the Professional Accountant Research Course on exit from the program.

Master of Business Administration in Accounting

This degree program, with a separate accreditation from AACSB, is a “concentration-enhanced” MBA with more background study in:

  • auditing
  • financial analysis
  • information systems fraud
  • other areas

The degree contains 36 to 48 credits excluding the prerequisites. Some or all of the prerequisite classes may be waived depending upon courses taken at the undergraduate level. Classes are held Monday through Thursday evenings at the Oakland campus. Full time students usually take 12 credits in the fall and winter semesters and two in the summer. They can complete the program in less than two years. Students with a business background, or an undergraduate degree in business, can finish in 16 months. There are 30 credits in core classes followed by electives. Students who want a concentration in accounting must take three courses, or nine credits, of accounting courses in their electives.

Accreditation 

  • AACSB

Contact
School of Business Administration
Oakland University
2200 North Squirrel Road
Rochester, MI 48309
248-370-4289
dillon@oakland.edu
http://www.oakland.edu/academics#2

University of Michigan Dearborn

College of Business

Founded in 1959, the University of Michigan Dearborn is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #35 of Regional Universities Midwest. The College of Business is unranked, but its part-time MBA is ranked #113. The university has four colleges:

  • Arts, Science and Letters
  • the College of Business
  • the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences
  • the College of Education, Health and Human Services

With 21 full time faculty members, the College of Business has:

  • high-tech classrooms
  • labs
  • a learning laboratory that simulates a trading floor

Master of Science in Accounting

The 30 credit accounting program is separately accredited along with the College of Business. Most classes are held on campus with a few offered online. There is a rolling admission to the school. Students may take up to six graduate classes at the end of their undergraduate program. Graduates of the program will have completed the 150 credit hours for the CPA.

Students without a bachelor’s degree in accounting or undergraduate coursework to meet the prerequisites must take foundational courses. In addition, they must present a GMAT score from within the last five years. There are seven core, three-credit classes:

  • Communications for the Accounting and Tax Professionals
  • Advanced Accounting Information Systems
  • Controllership
  • issues in Auditing and Forensic Examination
  • International Accounting
  • Commercial Transactions
  • Fundamentals of Corporate Transactions

In addition, there are nine credits of electives that can help you establish your track.

Master of Business Administration in Accounting

This 36 to 48 credit degree program is offered in evening classes and online. It features Applied Integrated Management courses. These give students a broad perspective enabling them to solve difficult global business problems. There are nine courses representing 27 credits of core classes. These include:

  • Developing and Interpreting Financial Information
  • Economic Analysis: Firm and Consumer
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Applied Statistical Modeling
  • Financial Fundamentals and Value Creation
  • Computer Information Systems
  • Marketing Management
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Operations Management

There are four courses in Applied Integrated Management, including a three-credit capstone project. There are three courses in electives that can be used to tailor a concentration. There is also a “3,4,5” requirement. Of the courses chosen, students must complete AIM classes in at least three different disciplines, but no more than four AIM classes in any one discipline. They must complete graduate-level business courses in at least five different disciplines.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact 

College of Business
University of Michigan Dearborn
4901 Evergreen Rd.
Dearborn MI 48128
313-593-4680
lredding@umich.edu
http://umdearborn.edu/cob/mba-program/

University of Michigan Flint

School of Management

The University of Michigan at Flint ranks # 99 of Regional Universities Midwest in the U.S. News and World Report rankings. The university was founded in 1956, but the School of Management was not established until 1975. The School of Management touts its newly refurbished Riverfront Center. It features 27,000 square feet of labs and technology-rich classrooms and learning environments. Labs are open24 hours a day. The school offers an MBA with eight concentrations or a Master of Science degree.

Master of Science in Accounting

Students completing this degree will fulfill the 150 credit hour requirement for the CPA. Classes are offered in the Net Plus format. Those courses combine traditional classroom delivery with online classes as well. Weekend sessions are held on campus, every six weeks. Some electives are available entirely online.

There are six credits of foundation classes that may be waived if the student has enough undergraduate coursework in the class. The 33-credit degree program includes 15 credits of additional accounting classes and six credits of electives, or at least two courses from:

  • Advanced Financial Reporting
  • Individual Income Taxation
  • Advanced federal Income Taxation Theory
  • Research Governmental and Non-Profit Accounting and Financial Reporting

These courses establish a track. There are also at least six credits of additional required courses in non-accounting management.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact
School of Management
University of Michigan Flint
303 East Kearsley St.
Flint, MI 48502
810-762-3267
clememtc@umflint.edu
http://umdearborn.edu/cob/mba-program

Wayne State University

School of Business

This university is ranked in the second tier of National Universities. It is also named Michigan’s most diverse student population. The university has more than 370 degree and certification programs in 17 schools and colleges. Wayne State University was founded in 1868 as Detroit Medical College. In 1984, it became Wayne State University. The school of business has more than 600 graduate students, most of which are working professionals. It has 95 full and part-time faculty members.

Master of Science in Accounting

This degree program has enough educational credits to help people complete the requirements for the CPA. It is flexible, with multiple campuses and online components, and it contains practical curriculum. The program is built around four parts:

  • Foundation courses that may be waived if there is sufficient undergraduate coursework in the area
  • Core Courses
  • Electives
  • a Capstone Experience

The Foundation classes are basically prerequisites for the program and cannot be counted in the credit hours needed for graduation. The degree contains 30 credits, plus any foundation course credits that may be necessary. Students use the electives to customize their degree program and must take at least two. They can take courses from outside the accounting department with departmental approval. The Capstone is taken in the last 12 credit hours of the degree program.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact
School of Business
Wayne State University
42 West Warren Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
313-577-4214
aa4816@wayne.edu
http://business.wayne.edu/msa/requirements.php

Western Michigan University

Haworth College of Business

U.S. News and World Report ranks Western Michigan University #173 of National Universities. It was founded in 1903. It’s  received recognition from the Carnegie Foundation as a public research university. The Haworth College of Business is one of the largest business colleges in the country. Incoming freshmen can elect the “B-Start” program that allows them to earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees concurrently in five years. The business school offers classes in traditional delivery in the evenings or daytime, and online so that working adults can complete their degrees.

Master of Science in Accountancy

This degree gives students with bachelor’s degrees in accounting a greater breadth of knowledge. It also prepares them for licensure. Students who have an undergraduate degree in accounting and who take a full course load each semester can complete the degree program in three semesters. The program is 30 credit hours, of which 24 must be at the 6000 level. Fifteen of those hours must be in accounting and nine outside of the accounting department. Courses are offered on a rotation by semester, so careful planning of degree paths is advised.

Accreditation

  • AACSB

Contact
Haworth College of Business
Western Michigan University
1903 West Michigan
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
269-387-5857
http://wmich.edu/accountancy/academics/graduate/requirements

Global business education is important in a country involved in world commerce. This list of accredited accounting degree programs in Michigan is a tool you can use to select schools for further study.

Related Resources: