Accounting
MS

Advance your career with Charlton’s Master of Science in Accounting (MSA). The MSA offers the professional development that will position you as a leader in the accounting field while maximizing your earnings potential.

If you have your bachelor’s degree in accounting, pursuing the MSA offers the academic preparation and practical skills that will lead to career success.

For non-accounting graduates, the MSA provides the opportunity to transition to rewarding careers in accounting and related professions.

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Discover why UMass Dartmouth is the right place to earn an advanced degree or certificate.

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CPA, CMA, and other accounting certifications

If you are pursuing the CPA designation, the MSA program will help you meet the 150-credit rule that has been adopted by all states. The program offers courses that are consistent with the content specifications of the CPA and Certified Management Accounting (CMA) exams and topics. The program will also provide excellent preparation for other valuable accounting-related professional certifications such as the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Student success

Accounting MS mean starting salary

NACE Data Collection of Class of 2025 Graduate Alumni

Program requirements

Program requirements vary, depending on whether you begin the MSA with a bachelor's degree in accounting, a business degree, or a degree in another field.

Degree type	Required courses	Elective courses
Bachelor's in accounting	7	3
Bachelor's in business	9	2
Bachelor's in another field	15	N/A

Selected MS Accounting courses

ACT 650 Accounting for Decision Making
ACT 670 Financial Statement Analysis and Firm Valuation
ACT 671 Strategic Cost Management
ACT 672 International Accounting
ACT 673 Government and Non-profit Accounting
ACT 680 Forensic Accounting
ACT 681 Advanced Managerial Accounting
MGT 600 Corporate Social Responsibility and Law
MIS 650 Information Technology Management
FIN 650 Finance for Decision Making

Course descriptions, schedules and requirements

Graduate admissions requirements

Admissions requirements

To apply please create an account in our Applicant Portal. You will need to submit:

Application form
$60 application fee (non-refundable)
Statement of Purpose (minimum 300 words)
Resume
Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not)
English Proficiency test scores:TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE Academic (if applicable)
Letter(s) of Recommendation (see program requirements for more information)
GRE/GMAT (not required for most programs, see program requirements for more information)

Unofficial transcripts and test scores are accepted for application review but official documents are required for enrollment, please have documents (ie. test scores) sent prior to the expiration.

Program-specific requirements

Candidates must submit the required application materials, university requirements and program-specific requirements, for consideration.

GMAT, LSAT or GRE score (minimum score of 500). Alternatively, some applicants may qualify for GMAT waiver.
2 letters of recommendation: preferably from a faculty member or an employer. Applicants will be required to provide each recommender's name and email address so we can contact the recommender for the letter of recommendation.
International students should have a minimum English Proficiency score of TOEFL iBT 80 (New TOEFL 2026 score of 4), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110 or the Pearsons PTE Academic 58.

Application dates

Maximum flexibility with online, blended, and face-to-face delivery formats
Offers three tracks of graduate accounting education for students with different accounting and business backgrounds
Provides high value and high quality
Taught by leading scholars supplemented by a cadre of seasoned practitioners
Opportunities for networking and dialogue with other professionals and faculty