Aspiring CPA Jose Manuel Bravo found excellent resources at Zicklin's MS in Accountancy program, which helped him land a position at a Big Four accounting firm before graduation: "I learned how to be a better professional."
Zicklin offers a Master of Science (MS) in Accountancy, an MBA in Accountancy, and an integrated BBA/MS in Accountancy for students interested in a future in accounting and public accountancy.
Graduates of this program satisfy the educational requirements for CPA licensure in New York State.
Choosing the Right Program
MS in Accountancy
The MS in Accountancy is our most popular program and more specialized than the MBA in Accountancy. It is designed for students who have an accountancy or other business-related degree from an undergraduate institution. Students in the MS program have an opportunity to shorten their program length through course waivers, depending on the courses completed in undergraduate study (see waiver criteria below).
MBA in Accountancy
The MBA in Accountancy is designed for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting or business. As part of this program, you will receive the core skills and knowledge of business and management, while gaining a strong foundation in accounting theory and concepts. This MBA degree in accountancy gives you the necessary tools to effectively interpret and use accounting and financial information, and prepares you to enter the accounting profession. The MBA in accountancy is available for both the Full-Time and Evening MBA programs. As course waivers are not possible, students who already have a degree in Accountancy should consider the General MBA or one of our MS programs.
BBA/MS Path to CPA (Current Baruch Undergraduate Students Only)
The bachelor’s and master’s pathway streamlines the undergraduate and master’s curriculum, allowing Baruch undergraduate students to complete their master’s degree in one year. Students must apply separately to the MS program in their senior year of undergraduate study. Graduates of this program meet the New York State CPA academic requirements.
BBA/MS Path to CPA
CPA Requirements
Accountancy students will meet with a program advisor to review their requirements. CPA licensing requirements are specific to each state. Information about the various state requirements is available on the NASBA State Boards website. Please see here to learn about the NYS CPA exam and licensure requirements.
Accreditation
Our programs meet New York State requirements to sit for the Certified Public Accountant exam and the educational requirements of the Institute of Management Accountants and the Institute of Internal Auditors. They also conform to the standards adopted by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International for accreditation of accounting programs.
MS Degree Curriculum & Degree Requirements
The credits for this program range from 30-70. The MSA is well-suited for those with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and other business areas desiring to pursue a career in public accountancy. This curriculum is effective for students who enter in Spring 2020 and beyond. Students who entered in a prior semester should consult the Graduate Bulletin for their semester of entry, or consult their program advisor.
General Business Requirements
Depending on your academic background, you may be able to reduce the number of general business requirement credits, with the exception of BUS 9557.
36 credits
|
| |
|
Credits |
| BUS 9557 (Students should substitute with BUS 9558.) |
Managerial Skills for Accountancy Professionals |
3 |
| CIS 9000 |
Information Technology Strategy |
3 |
| ECO 9730 |
Firms in the Global Economy |
1.5 |
| ECO 9740 |
Fundamentals of Macroeconomics |
1.5 |
| FIN 9770 |
Corporate Finance |
3 |
| LAW 9800 |
Intensive Survey of Business Contracts and Law of Corporations |
4 |
| MGT 9301 |
Managing People and Organizations |
3 |
| MKT 9703 |
Marketing Management |
3 |
| STA 9708 |
Managerial Statistics |
3 |
| Additional advanced business courses in areas other than accounting and taxation. |
11 |
Accounting and Taxation Requirements
34 credits
|
| ACC 9112(Students should substitute with ACC 9110.) |
Financial Accounting: Intensive |
3 |
| ACC 9804 |
Intermediate Financial Accounting |
4 |
| ACC 9805 |
Advanced Financial Accounting |
4 |
| ACC 9811 |
Managerial Accounting Theory and Practice |
4 |
| ACC 9818 |
Auditing and Accounting Information Systems |
3 |
| ACC 9821 |
Auditing |
4 |
| TAX 9861 |
Federal Income Taxation: Theory and Practice |
3 |
| TAX 9878 |
Taxation of Business Entities |
3 |
| At least two electives to be selected from the following: |
| ACC 9806 |
Financial Statement Analysis and Reporting |
3 |
| ACC 9810 |
Current Topics in Financial Accounting |
3 |
| ACC 9815 |
Advanced Managerial Accounting |
3 |
| ACC 9886 |
Data Analytics in Accounting |
4 |
ACC 9993
(formerly ACC 9901) |
Special Topics in Accounting (may be taken more than once with different topics) |
3 |
| After application of waivers, students may choose any Zicklin graduate electives to complete the degree credit requirements of the MSA. (This does not include courses on the list of general business requirements that have been waived. |
MS in Accountancy Waiver Criteria - General Business Courses
- Courses must have been completed in a degree-granting regionally accredited U.S. college or university [or international equivalent]. Continuing education courses are not accepted towards waivers.
- You must receive a grade of C or better to meet the waiver criteria.
- For CIS 9000 Information Technology and Strategy, equivalent courses must have been completed within five years prior to enrolling in Zicklin.
- Waiver criteria is effective for students entering in Spring 2020 and beyond. Students who entered prior to Spring 2020 should contact their program advisor with any questions.
| Course |
Course Equivalent Description |
Credits |
Baruch Undergraduate Equivalent Course |
| CIS 9000: Information Technology Strategy |
IS in organizations, including the relationship between information systems, competitive advantage, and organizational change [focus on IS strategy and IT Info. Technology] |
3 |
CIS 2200 |
| ECO 9730: Firms in the Global Economy |
Microeconomics or economics course that covers both micro and macroeconomics |
1.5 |
ECO 1001 |
| ECO 9740: Fundamentals of Macroeconomics |
Macroeconomics or economics course that covers both micro and macroeconomics |
1.5 |
ECO 1002 |
| FIN 9770: Corporate Finance |
Financial management or corporate |
3 |
FIN 3000 or FIN 3610 |
| LAW 9800: Business Contracts and Law of Corporations |
[2 courses – 6 credits.] undergraduate U.S. business law course work |
4 |
LAW 1101 AND LAW 3102 |
| MGT 9301: Managing People and Organizations |
Business management or organizational behavior |
3 |
MGT 3120 or PSY 3181 |
| MKT 9703: Marketing Management |
Marketing management |
3 |
MKT 3000 |
| STA 9708: Managerial Statistics |
[2 courses – 6 credits] undergraduate statistics, econometrics, biostatistics, psychometrics, social statistics and research methodology |
3 |
STA 2000 and another STA course [or ECO 4000 or OPR 3300] |
***An additional 11 credits of course work in business areas other than accountancy or taxation. [Course grades: C]***
MS in Accountancy Waiver Criteria - Accountancy and Taxation Courses
- ACC/TAX courses must have been completed in a degree-granting regionally accredited U.S. college or university or international equivalent. Continuing education courses are not accepted toward waivers. For courses completed outside of the United States, students must also obtain a NASBA transcript evaluation and NYS CPA exam evaluation notice.
- Courses must have been completed within five years prior to enrolling in Zicklin. It is possible for students whose work experience includes significant accounting backgrounds to waive the five-year requirement with approval from the MSA academic director.
- If a student’s undergraduate ACC/TAX credits falls below the 33 Zicklin credits, then the student will need to take an additional ACC/TAX elective.
- ACC 9811 Managerial Accounting Theory and Practice can not be waived. ACC 9811 is an advanced case-based course in modern managerial accounting theory and practice covering topics and techniques not included in undergraduate cost and managerial accounting courses.
- You must receive a grade of B- or better to meet the waiver criteria.
- Waiver criteria is effective for students entering in Spring 2020 and beyond. Students who entered prior to Spring 2020 should contact their program advisor with any questions.
| Course |
Course Equivalent Description |
Credits |
Baruch Undergraduate Equivalent Course |
| ACC 9112: Financial Accounting: Intensive |
Two undergraduate financial accounting courses |
3 |
ACC 2101 and ACC 3000 |
| ACC 9804: Intermediate Financial Accounting |
One intermediate financial accounting course for a total of 3 financial accounting courses |
4 |
ACC 3000 and ACC 3100 |
| ACC 9805: Advanced Financial Accounting |
One course in advanced financial accounting for a total of 4 courses in financial accounting |
4 |
ACC 4100 |
| ACC 9818: Accounting and Auditing Information Systems |
One course in accounting and auditing aspect of computer-based information systems |
3 |
ACC 3202 |
| ACC 9821: Auditing |
One course in external auditing |
4 |
ACC 5400 |
| TAX 9861: Federal and Income Taxation: Theory and Practice |
One course in Federal Income Taxation of Individuals |
3 |
TAX 3300 |
MBA Curriculum & Degree Requirements
The MBA Accountancy degree is designed for students with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than accounting. The MBA Accountancy degree enables students to acquire knowledge and develop competence in overall management at the same time they gain a foundation in accounting theory and concepts. It equips students with the necessary tools to effectively interpret and use accounting and financial information and prepares them to enter the accounting profession.
Students who are entering the MBA Accountancy program in Fall 2023 or after should follow the curriculum posted on the MBA curriculum page.
Students who entered the MBA Accountancy program prior to Fall 2023 should follow the curriculum posted in the Graduate Bulletin for the year and semester they entered the program.
