Accounting

Learning Outcomes
Requirements

New England College’s Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) is a 40-credit-hour program designed to help student’s expand their breadth and depth of knowledge in taxation, financial reporting, cost accounting, auditing, legal concerns, mergers, and acquisitions. Students will be prepared for careers in auditing and risk management, corporate accounting, management consulting, banking and financial services, governmental and nonprofit organizations, and taxation practices.

Based on the functional, personal and broad business competencies identified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the MSA program satisfies the 150-hour requirement for the CPA examination in most states. It also helps you prepare for other professional certification programs such as Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).

The MSA degree is also offered with a concentration in Forensic Accounting which is designed for those students interested in fraud prevention or criminal investigation. This concentration helps prepare you for the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation.

Faculty in the MSA degree come from a variety of professional and academic backgrounds, and pedagogical emphasis is placed on practical application of knowledge and developing strong professor to student rapport.

Who Should Enroll in the MSA Program?

This degree path is ideal for students wishing to sit for the CPA or enter careers in auditing and risk management, corporate accounting, management consulting, or banking, governmental, and not-for-profit accounting. NEC Master’s of Science in Accounting is designed to accommodate busy working professionals seeking a “student-centered” touch to complement their education.

Program Sequence

7 Entry points per year
100% online or on campus (for general MSA degree only - no concentrations offered on-campus)

Career and Professional Development Opportunities

New England College’s Master’s of Science in Accounting degree provides professionals an opportunity to advance in their careers, whether they have prior professional accounting experience or not. For those who have an undergraduate degree in accounting, NEC’s MS in Accounting will satisfy the requirements to sit for the CPA exam in most states.

Through three concentrations (Forensic Accounting, Banking, and Finance) Students can develop essential skill sets in taxation, financial reporting, cost accounting, auditing, legal concerns, mergers and acquisitions, non-profit management, and banking and financial services.

Learning Outcomes

(adapted from AICPA core competencies):

Decision Modeling: consider issues, identify alternatives, choose and implement solutions;
Risk Analysis: identify and manage audit risk and understand how business risk affects business strategy;
Measurement: use traditional and non-traditional (e.g. quantitative and qualitative) measures that are relevant and reliable;
Reporting: communicate clearly and objectively the work done and the resulting findings in accordance with professional standards;
Research: access relevant guidance/information, understand it, and apply it;
Strategic Thinking: link data, knowledge, and insight together to provide information for decision making;
Legal: describe and apply the legal, regulatory, and ethical requirements of the profession.

Note: Students may choose any of the courses listed below, for an MSA with no Concentration (where students define the path that best suits their needs), or they choose a specific Concentration from the list described below.

Programs

Major

Courses

Accounting