Academic Programs Catalog

The Eli Broad College of Business and The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management

Department of Accounting and Information Systems

Graduate Study
Accounting and Data Analytics - Master of Science

The Master of Science degree in Accounting and Data Analytics program is designed for students wishing to pursue an advanced degree in accounting. Prior background in accounting is not a prerequisite for admission. The program includes a set of foundational accounting courses to prepare students who possess no accounting background. The program will equip students with the technical accounting knowledge and data analysis skills that are in high demand in organizations in all sectors of the economy. The degree will prepare students for accounting careers within public accounting, corporations, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Courses taken in the program will count towards the education requirements of professional certifications such as the Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant. Students entering the program without a background in accounting or business may need additional course work to meet certification requirements. The program is available only online.

Admission

Students may start the program in any semester. Admission decisions are competitive and will be made on a rolling basis. The minimum requirement for consideration is a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution with a recommended minimum grade-point-average of a 3.0. However, admission decisions are made holistically considering the applicant's full application including letters of recommendation, the applicant’s statement of objectives, work experience, and TOEFL and IELTS scores if relevant.

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Accounting and Data Analytics
                                        
Students must complete an approved program of study with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. A minimum of 30 credits under Plan B (without a thesis) is required. Students without a background in accounting must complete the foundational accounting courses which will count towards the credits required for the degree. The requirement to complete individual foundational courses may be waived at the discretion of the program director.

1. All of the following courses (18 credits) unless waived by the program director.
Foundations of Accounting, Information Systems, and Data Analysis
ACC  870 Principles of Financial and Managerial Accounting  3
ACC  871 Accounting Database Systems 3
ACC  872 Financial Reporting and Data Analysis  3
ACC  873 Principles of Federal Income Tax Accounting  3
ACC  874 Performance Measurement and Control Systems  3
ACC  875 Auditing – Assurance and Data Analysis  3
2. Complete at least one of the following concentrations:
Accounting Analytics (9 credits)
ACC  827 Accounting Analytics 3
Two of the following courses (6 credits):
ACC  814 Advanced Auditing  3
ACC  822 Information Systems Project Management 3
ACC  843 Value Chain Accounting and Analytics  3
Managerial Analysis for Decision Making (9 credits)
ACC  807 Using Financial Statement Data for Decision Making- An Analytics Approach  3
ACC  841 The Role of Accounting in Strategy Implementation  3
ACC  843 Value Chain Accounting and Analytics  3
Taxation (12 credits)
ACC  830 Tax Research  3
ACC  833 Federal Income Tax of Corporations and Shareholders  3
ACC  836 U.S. Taxation of Multinational Transactions  3
ACC  850 Accounting and Tax Implications of Mergers and Acquisitions  3
Transaction Services (12 credits)
ACC  807 Using Financial Statement Data for Decision Making- An Analytics Approach  3
ACC  850 Accounting and Tax Implications of Mergers and Acquisitions  3
ACC  891 Special Topics in Accounting and Information Systems (Transaction Service Capstone)  3
FI  845 Financial Modeling and Simulations I  1.5
FI  846 Financial Modeling and Simulations II  1.5
3. Choose electives from courses within the concentrations to meet the 30 credit minimum.