Finance and Accounting Degrees Offered at Drexel University
Drexel University appears in our ranking of the 50 Best Online Master of Finance Degree Programs.
The LeBow College of Business at Drexel University offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in accounting and finance. One feature of these programs is the opportunity for students to participate in cooperative education, or the Drexel Co-op. The university has partnered with over 1500 businesses, and students can alternate in six-month (two-quarter) intervals between taking classes and working full-time at one of these business. Drexel monitors all aspects of the Co-op, so the work is related to the academic program, and students receive college credit as well as a paycheck. While this adds extra time onto a degree plan, students who take the five-year program already have a year and a half of experience on their resumes.
The undergraduate accounting and finance programs both result in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) followed by the specific major. Both degrees require 180 credits consisting of general education courses, business requirements, major requirements, and 18 credit hours of electives. For the business portion, students take eight classes covering introductory accounting, economics, marketing, and management among other topics. Accounting students then complete Financial Reporting I, II, and III, Advanced and Cost Accounting, Principles of Auditing, and The Individual and Business Income Taxes. Students in the finance major are required to take Intermediate Corporate Finance, Investment Securities and Markets, and Financial Institutions and Markets followed by five electives in the department. Some students choose portfolio management electives and help manage The Dragon Fund that is worth about $1.8 million.
The Master of Science in Accountancy and Master of Science in Quantitative Finance both involve 45 credit hours of study. The accounting program is designed to prepare students with a bachelor’s in accounting for the CPA exam and can be completed in 1 year with full-time study. Five specific courses are required including Accounting Analysis and Theory and Law for the CPA Exam. Students can choose the remaining 10 classes based on their career goals. Possible concentration tracks include business analytics, finance, tax, or research. The M.S. in quantitative finance focuses heavily on predictive modeling with four required core classes followed by six interdisciplinary electives and eight finance classes including Derivative Securities and Seminar in Finance. Graduates from the M.S. programs can continue academic study with a Ph.D. in economics or business. Drexel University’s M.B.A. program also offers a concentration in finance which can be completed online or on campus. In addition, students who know that they want to pursue graduate education upon completion of their bachelor’s can take advantage of the B.S./M.B.A. or the B.S./M.S. dual degree programs which can be completed faster than enrolling in each program separately.
About Drexel University
Since its opening in 1891 as the Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry, the school has maintained its identity as a private, independent organization without ties to a specific religion or other ideology. With a total enrollment of over 24,000 students, Drexel now is a prominent research university in Philadelphia offering over 170 degrees from the bachelor’s to doctoral level. Throughout its history, the school has been a leader when it comes to incorporating new technologies and teaching methods into its curriculum and campus practices. For example, the school has recently implemented Drexel Green, a project that focuses on sustainability and environmental protections on campus. As a result of these efforts as well as other programs like the Drexel Co-op, the U.S. News and World Report has ranked the school #13 on its list of most innovative national universities. In addition, the online MBA program is ranked 45th out of 301 schools across the country.
Drexel University Accreditation Details
Drexel University has maintained continuous regional accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) since 1927 with its next reaffirmation due in 2027. This verifies that the university meets specific standards in a variety of categories including Ethics and Integrity, Support of the Student Experience, and Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement. Each review cycle lasts ten years and involves routine self-reporting tasks as well as campus visits and peer reviews. To maintain their status, schools also need to demonstrate a commitment to self-monitoring and improvement. In addition to regional accreditation, some organizations evaluate specific programs or departments to ensure that the curriculum meets industry training standards. At Drexel University, the accounting, finance, and other business degrees are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Drexel University Application Requirements
Freshmen applicants can apply via the Common Application or Drexel University’s website and then send official transcripts along with ACT or SAT scores. Undergraduate transfer applications must be accompanied by all transcripts, an essay, and test scores only for students with less than 24 hours of college credit. Graduate school applicants include the online application with personal essay, $65 application fee, official transcripts documenting completion of an undergraduate degree, two letters of recommendation, and GMAT or GRE scores of at least 570 and 310 respectively. Students can apply to the B.S./M.B.A. program when applying for freshman admission or while attending Drexel. Freshman applicants to this program need to be in the top 10 percent of their graduating class with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and an SAT score of at least 1300. Current Drexel Univerity student can apply for the dual admission program as long as they have between 90 and 120 credit hours with a GPA of 3.2 or higher and a minimum GMAT score of 570.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Students enrolled in undergraduate accounting and finance programs including the four-year and five-year co-op tracks are charged $16,958 in tuition and a $790 fee per term. Graduate tuition depends on the specific degree with the Master of Science in Accounting costing either $824 or $1139 per credit hour for the one-year or two-year programs respectively. The Master of Science in Finance costs $1139 per hour, and tuition for the full-time MBA runs about $1300 for both online and on-campus versions. Drexel University does offer a variety of scholarships to both graduate and undergraduate students including the Dean’s Fellowship and the Drexel Distinguished Service Scholarship. After receiving the results of a student’s FAFSA, Drexel University financial aid advisers can help students understand all of their financing options.
