For students who are looking into accredited accounting degree programs in Tennessee, the Volunteer State offers a wide range of options at the graduate level. Tennessee boasts several top-tier schools, including Belmont, Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee, all known for rigorous academic programs and prestigious reputations, and students who choose to attend school here will find plenty of post-graduate opportunities for both work and play. Music lovers and entrepreneurs alike will appreciate the country music haven of Nashville, which is the capital and second-largest city, as several large employers make their home here. Educational and work opportunities abound throughout the state.
Belmont University
Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business
Belmont University was founded in 1890, and it operates today as a private, Christian liberal arts college serving approximately 7,200 students at the graduate, undergraduate and professional levels. According to Belmont’s website, the school seeks to help students “explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world’s needs.” Celebrating its 125th year in 2015, the university is ranked as one of the top schools in the Southern region by U.S. News and World Report. The publication also designated Belmont as one the “Most Innovative” schools in the country. Students have two options for accredited graduate-level accounting programs here.
Master of Accountancy
According to the Massey School’s website, Belmont’s Master of Accountancy program is the second-largest program of its kind in Tennessee, which means that students who come here will enjoy a program that has been refined and reshaped continually since its inception in 1992. The Financial Engineer also recognizes Belmont’s graduate-level accounting degree as one of the top 60 programs in the country. In order to gain admittance to the program, students need to have completed 18 hours of prerequisite coursework, which can be met through undergraduate study or a 10-week summer accounting program offered by the school. Once admitted, students will need to complete 30 credit hours to earn the degree. Of these 30 hours, up to 20 hours come from accounting courses while the remaining hours come from MBA classes. Students do not need to complete a thesis for this degree. Graduates will qualify to sit for the CPA licensing exam.
Professional MBA in Accounting
As the Massey School’s flagship graduate program, the Professional MBA offered by Belmont enjoys a longstanding history of providing top-notch educational opportunities to professionals who want to enhance and further their careers. Students who pursue a professional MBA program can focus their degrees on one of nine categories, including accounting. The Massey School believes in catering to students’ individual needs, and as such, great lengths are taken to ensure that class sizes are manageable. For example, most core business classes only have 25 students while elective classes only have 13. This allows students to build networking opportunities with future colleagues as well as their professors. Because this degree is designed for working professionals, class schedules are flexible. Students have up to four years to finish the degree and can opt out of certain semesters as their schedule demands. This program does not require a thesis, and students will complete 34 hours.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business –- International
Contact
Belmont University
Jack C. Massey Graduate School of Business
1900 Belmont Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: (615) 460-6000
Email: laura.merkle@belmont.edu
Website: http://belmont.edu/business/masseyschool/programs/macc/index.html
East Tennessee State University
College of Business and Technology
Originally established as a teaching college in 1911, East Tennessee State University evolved over the years to become a full-scale liberal arts university by 1963. The school offers about 140 degree programs via 11 distinct colleges, and the average class size is approximately 23 students. Business students can expect a quality education at ETSU. In 2013, The Princeton Review ranked ETSU’s College of Business and Technology among the nation’s most outstanding business schools in its annual list. Students who are interested in accredited Tennessee accounting programs will appreciate the college’s commitment to academic excellence and its Master of Accountancy degree.
Master of Accountancy
At ETSU, students can enroll in the College of Business and Technology’s Master of Accountancy program in order to earn a master’s degree in accounting. Once completed and combined with the bachelor’s degree in business, the program will meet the educational requirements demanded of all states to become a Certified Public Accountant. ETSU’s graduate-level accounting program is designed for professionals who already have some experience in the field, but it’s also meant for students who want to become teachers in the future. As such, the program combines elements of traditional business education with a teaching focus, and graduates will benefit from this two-pronged approach. To apply, candidates need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school and a 2.5 GPA. In addition, certain standardized tests, such as the GMAT, are required prior to entry. Accounting graduates will choose one of two concentrations: taxation or audit. Regardless of concentration, students will complete 33 credit hours.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business –- International
Contact
East Tennessee State University
College of Business and Technology
P. O. Box 70699
Johnson City, TN 37614
Phone: (423) 439-5314
Email: business@etsu.edu
Website: http://business.etsu.edu/acct/academics/MAcc/MAcc.htm
Tennessee Tech University
College of Business
More than 10,000 students attend Tennessee Tech University each year, studying everything from agriculture to education. The school offers more than 40 undergraduate degree programs and 20 graduate-level programs, and students will find an appropriate program to fit their needs under one of the university’s six academic disciplines. U.S. News and World Report has ranked TTU as one of the top public schools in the country 11 times since 2002, and the school currently ranks as one of the best schools in the Southern region. For students who want to pursue an accounting program at the graduate level, the College of Business offers an MBA with an accounting focus.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting
Tennessee Tech describes its MBA program as “broad in scope” because the school wants to encourage students with diverse backgrounds to explore a wide range of business principles through various pedagogies. Students have the option to earn the Master of Business Administration on campus, completely online or through a hybrid course of study. MBA candidates can also pursue the degree on a part-time or full-time schedule, and full-time students may be able to earn the degree in one year. The program requires completion of 30 credit hours divided into 10, 3-hour courses. Of those 10 courses, seven focus on business core topics while the remaining three are electives. Tennessee Tech does allow transfers of up to nine semester hours as long as the school is accredited by the AACSB. All students take the same core business classes except for accounting majors, who can skip the accounting core class since their focus is on accounting.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business –- International
Contact
Tennessee Tech University
College of Business
P.O. Box 5023
Cookeville, TN 38505
Phone: (931) 372-3600
Email: Contact form available online
Website: https://www.tntech.edu/cob/mba/
The University of Memphis
Fogelman College of Business and Economics
As of fall 2015 enrollment, the University of Memphis boasts an impressive student body population of 20,585. The school was founded in 1912 as a teaching college but now offers more than 254 areas of study at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students who come here looking for accredited accounting programs at the graduate level will appreciate the Master of Science in Accounting offered by the school’s Fogelman College of Business and Economics. Several features of Fogelman College make for a hands-on learning experience for students, including a Wall Street simulation as well as the Cook Analytics and Trading Lab.
Master of Science in Accounting
Students who wish to study graduate-level accounting at the University of Memphis must apply and be accepted into the Graduate School as well as the School of Accountancy. According to the department’s website, this program “provides a Service Sector Accounting Focus supportive of the market we serve and consistent with employment opportunities.” In other words, students will learn in an environment that promotes service as a primary learning objective. Other educational objectives for this degree include the following: to gain a better understanding of the functions of accounting, to become effective communicators, to think critically in order to solve problems, to understand the ethical implications of the profession, and to become technologically competent. Graduate students at the University of Memphis can choose to concentrate their degree in general accounting, data analytics or taxation. Regardless of focus area, students will complete 30 credit hours in order to earn the master’s degree.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business –- International
Contact
The University of Memphis
Fogelman College of Business and Economics
3720 Alumni Avenue
Memphis, TN 38152
Phone: (901) 678-2441
Email: dspice@memphis.edu
Website: http://www.memphis.edu/accountancy/programs/ms.php
The University of Tennessee
Haslam College of Business
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is one of the largest colleges in the state of Tennessee with an enrollment of more than 27,800 students, but it’s also one of the oldest public institutions in the country. While the school is well-known for its SEC championship status in football, UTK also boasts a number of prestigious programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, particularly in the areas of business and law. Students who enroll here can choose from more than 300 academic programs offered through 11 distinct colleges. Despite its size and its urban setting, the school offers a modest faculty-to-student ratio of 17:1.
Master of Accountancy
At the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, graduate students have access to an accredited accounting program that is constantly being reevaluated and retooled to meet the demands of today’s accounting industry. The Master of Accountancy can be specialized in one of three areas: Taxation, Information Management (Systems), or Audit and Controls. Program requirements are the same regardless of which track a student chooses. All graduate accounting students at the University of Tennessee will take five core accounting courses, which cover business combinations, financial institutions, financial reporting and current issues, CPA preparation, and an introductory valuation course. For non-UTK students, the school requires official transcripts to be sent along with two letters of recommendation, an essay, a resume and a non-refundable application fee. The school also holds the right to host an on-campus interview before admitting any prospective students into the program. Those who are interested in the success of this program can read recruiter testimonials on the school’s website.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business –- International
Contact
The University of Tennessee
Haslam College of Business
916 Volunteer Boulevard
Knoxville, TN 37996-0560
Phone: (865) 974-2551
Email: vandeest@utk.edu
Website: http://aim.bus.utk.edu/Prospective_masters.asp
The University of Tennessee Chattanooga
College of Business
Located within the heart of downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is “a national model for metropolitan universities” according to its website. Initially founded as a private school by Methodists in 1886, the university now comprises a wide range of academic programs and offers students the traditional liberal arts education that they expect of a public, four-year school. More than 11,000 students were enrolled as of the fall 2014 enrollment period. Students here can choose from 84 programs at the certificate, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. For students researching accredited accounting programs in Tennessee, UTC offers a Master of Accountancy under its College of Business.
Master of Accountancy
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Master of Accountancy program seeks to achieve the following objectives: to instill competency in modern accounting principles and technology, to help graduates build effective communication and research skills, and to prepare students to sit for and pass the CPA exam. In addition to helping students become professional accountants, the master’s degree at UTC could also help students to launch careers in forensic accounting as the school offers additional training in forensic analysis. The program requires students to complete 30 hours, and any person with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school can apply for the program. UTC also offers a 4+1 degree option to current undergraduates at the school, which will allow those interested to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously over the course of five years. For the Master of Accountancy degree, students complete 18 hours of core courses and 12 hours of electives.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business –- International
Contact
The University of Tennessee Chattanooga
College of Business
615 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: (423) 425-4313
Email: dan-hollingsworth@utc.edu
Website: http://www.utc.edu/college-business/academic-programs/macc/index.php
Vanderbilt University
Owen Graduate School of Management
In addition to being one of the state’s most prestigious private colleges, Vanderbilt University is also one of Tennessee’s top employers. Established by business magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1873, the school currently enrolls just over 6,800 students. Those who attend Vanderbilt will enjoy access to exceptional academic programs and more than 500 clubs and organizations. U.S. News and World Report has recognized the school for a wide range of programs, including ranking Vanderbilt 25th place on its list of the best graduate business schools in the country. Accounting students at Vanderbilt will appreciate the in-depth program available through the Owen Graduate School of Management.
Master of Accountancy
According to Vanderbilt’s website, students who graduate from the Master of Accountancy program are guaranteed to gain employment as the school boasts a 100 percent placement rate at the time of graduation, and nearly all graduates are offered jobs with Big Four firms. Unlike many other graduate accounting programs, Vanderbilt’s MAcc program requires the completion of 37 credit hours and includes the opportunity for a paid internship that lasts 10 weeks between January and March of each year. Courses in this program cover topics such as auditing institutions and processes, business ethics in accounting, advanced cost accounting, and taxation of business and investment transactions. The program is divided into modules that center on common topics, and the first module is separated from the remaining components by an “immersion week,” during which time students will complete an advanced auditing course. During the summer, students can take the Becker CPA review course.
Master of Business Administration in Accounting
As with the graduate accounting program, Vanderbilt’s Master of Business Administration program is structured using modules that represent half-semester time blocks of seven weeks each. This system enables students to complete coursework related to their concentration more efficiently. Vanderbilt’s MBA program is intense, and students will need to be prepared to live on campus in Nashville for at least two years in order to complete the required 62 credit hours for graduation. Of the 62-hour requirement, the first 11 courses are centered on core business classes that all MBA candidates must take. For the remaining requirements, students will choose at least one concentration and take courses that focus on their chosen track. The core curriculum covers topics such as leadership of teams and organizations, marketing management, business in the world economy, and managerial finance. Accounting track students will study a variety of issues, including information systems and financial statement analysis.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business –- International
Contact
Vanderbilt University
Owen Graduate School of Management
Management Hall
401 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 322-2534
Email: MBA@owen.vanderbilt.edu / MAcc@owen.vanderbilt.edu
Website: http://www.owen.vanderbilt.edu/programs/
According to the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance, prospects are good for up-and-coming professionals within the accounting industry. There’s a growing demand for tech-savvy accountants due to a retiring Baby Boomer population and increased reliance on new technology. Those who are looking into accredited accounting degree programs in Tennessee will benefit from any of the master’s-level programs listed above, and graduates will fare better in an increasingly competitive job market.
