M.S. in Professional Accounting

The Stillman School’s Department of Accounting and Taxation offers Master of Science (M.S.) degrees in accounting and professional accounting.

Note: Program directors must be consulted concerning prerequisite coursework, course sequencing and choice of electives. Students lacking prerequisite knowledge may need to successfully complete additional coursework/credits or part of the Pre-Qualification Sequence in order to fulfill the M.S. requirements. Additional program-specific requirements are included under each degree and are subject to change as required by the Stillman School.

Mission Statement - Department of Accounting and Taxation

We prepare students to be leaders in a dynamic accounting profession. Building on student learning in the University and the Stillman school, we strive to create an engaging educational environment that focuses on knowledge of accounting disciplines, collecting and managing accounting data, problem solving, communications skills, and professional leadership.

Master of Science in Professional Accounting

Adviser: Danielle DiMeglio, M.B.A.

Seton Hall’s Master of Science in Professional Accounting (M.S.P.A.) is intended to help students meet the 150-credit hour pathway requirement, which will enable accounting majors to qualify to sit for the CPA exam in the state of New Jersey and several other states. This curriculum, also suited for accountants seeking to upgrade their skills, was developed in collaboration with top-level specialists to provide a practical graduate accounting education.

The Master of Science in Professional Accounting with a Major in Analytics (M.S.P.A.A.) includes coursework in data analytics that complements accounting topics. The M.S.P.A.A. program is STEM-designated.

Designed for aspiring tax professionals, the Master of Science in Professional Accounting with a Major in Taxation (M.S.P.A.T.) blends technical tax expertise with essential studies in data analytics, business law, and modern accounting systems.

Degree Requirements

Completion of the M.S. in Professional Accounting with a major in Professional Accounting requires a minimum of 30 credits of approved coursework, composed of 15 credit hours of required courses and 15 credit hours of graduate elective courses.
The M.S. in Professional Accounting with a major in Professional Accounting and Analytics requires 15 credit hours of required courses, 6 credits in required business analytics courses, 6 credits in accounting or taxation courses, and 3 credits in accounting, taxation or analytics elective coursework.

Three restrictions apply:

no course may be transferred if it has been applied to a prior degree;
a minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework must be completed at the Stillman School; and
students may not repeat courses taken previously at the graduate or undergraduate level.

As part of the graduation requirements for the M.S. in Professional Accounting, students are required to successfully participate in an assessment panel and complete a post-assessment test, preferably in their last semester before graduation.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or equivalent, and the following courses or equivalent:

3 credits of taxation of business entities (or essential of taxation)
3 credits of auditing
3 credits of advanced accounting
3 credits of cost accounting
3 credits of statistics
3 credits of database management

Prerequisites not satisfied before admission can be satisfied with specific accounting/tax or graduate business electives taken as part of the degree program.

Course Sequence and Program Length

Candidates for the master’s degree are expected to fulfill all degree requirements within a maximum of five years after they have begun their studies. The program can be completed in approximately one year (evenings only).