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Nov 21, 2024
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2024-2025 Graduate Studies Bulletin
Accounting, MS
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 Return to: Programs (Alphabetically, University-wide)
This program qualifies students for general and public accounting careers in business and satisfies in full the educational requirements for licensure as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New York State. New York, and most other states, require 150 semester hours of coursework for licensure as a CPA. Students planning to obtain CPA licenses in states other than New York should review individual state requirements.
Please read the below in full for all information regarding pre-program competencies and prior coursework requirements. The following program requirements may be modified based on a student’s prior academic coursework. Previous coursework is evaluated by the Graduate Programs Office of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business upon a student’s admission.
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Requirements for MS Programs
Pre-program Competencies (Zarb School of Business) – No Credits
Pre-program competencies evaluate the readiness of admitted students to start the M.S. program with the appropriate level of essential business skills. Full-time students must complete these requirements during the first semester in which they begin their program. Part-time students must complete these requirements within the first two semesters of enrolling in the program. Documentation of completion must be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office in order for students to register for the subsequent semester. Specific skills are evaluated for MS Programs in the following areas –
- Statistics (for students in all MS Programs) – Students are expected to have an understanding of the basic statistical concepts. Demonstration of this proficiency can be satisfied either through previous coursework in statistics or by completing an online, self-paced module covering basic concepts in statistics.
- Spreadsheet Skills (for students in all MS Programs) – students are expected to register for an online module and complete an assessment exam.
- Calculus (for students in the MS Business Analytics, Finance, and Information Systems programs only) – Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency through an online, proficiency exam as part of a self-paced module. Those students who do not complete the calculus proficiency exam with a satisfactory score and others who feel a need to refresh their knowledge of calculus are encouraged to take an appropriate course to help them gain the needed knowledge.
- Economics (for students in the MS Finance program only) – Students are expected to have an understanding of basic concepts in microeconomics and macroeconomics. Demonstration of this proficiency can be satisfied by completing an online, self-paced module. The module will be available as a knowledge base to all students in the MS Finance program.
No costs are associated with any of the above modules. The competencies in Statistics and Calculus can be satisfied by previous equivalent undergraduate or graduate course work taken within the preceding period of five years, with a B or better grade at an accredited college or university. Students will receive, with their letter of admission, information about which skill sets have been met through prior course work.
*English Proficiency Requirement is for international students
In addition, newly admitted international students are required to take an English placement exam during fall and spring orientation. The exam consists of a short writing task on a topic of general interest and a standardized test including listening comprehension, grammar and reading comprehension. Results are reviewed by the Hofstra English Language Program (ELP) faculty, who make the decision if students must take ELP 235 (2.0 s.h.). All international students who are placed in ELP 235 (2.0 s.h.) must complete the course during the first semester in which they begin an MBA/MS program and must receive a grade of P (Pass). ELP 235 (2.0 s.h.) will carry no degree credit. A fee equivalent to 2.0 s.h. is charged for this course. A grade of P (pass) is required or the course has to be repeated the following semester. The same fee equivalent will be charged for the repeated course. Department of Accounting Advisement & Guidance
For more information about the accounting major and determining which program is the best fit for you, please refer to our department page.
GMAT Waiver Policy
The GMAT will be waived for Zarb School of Business undergraduate students earning a minimum 3.2 GPA in their BBA program. The GMAT will also be waived for Hofstra Honors College Graduates and Associates with a minimum GPA of 3.2. Consideration will also be given to waiving the GMAT scores for business undergraduates who have earned a minimum 3.2 GPA from another AACSB school. Eligibility for such waivers will be evaluated upon request.
The GMAT requirement may also be waived for candidates with significant years of progressive work experience. Eligibility for such work experience-based waivers would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for qualified applicants under this category.
Program Prerequisites
Incoming students must have either earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or a Bachelor’s degree in business (non-Accounting) from a college or university that is a NYS Licensure Qualifying Registered Program or accredited by one of the accreditation agencies listed below.
- Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
- Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJS)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SASCOC)
- WASC Senior College and University
Within their prior course work, incoming students must have already completed at least 39 undergraduate semester hours in business, inclusive of a minimum of 3 semester hours of coursework in each of the following areas:
- Business Analytics
- Finance
- Economics
- Business Law
In addition to the above, students who have earned a Bachelor’s degree in business (non-Accounting) must complete the following accounting coursework, as deemed necessary based on a review of prior course work:
- ACCT 101 Financial Accounting AND ACCT 102 Managerial Accounting (or equivalents)
OR
- ACCT 203 Accounting & Financial Reporting (or equivalent);
- ACCT 123 Financial Accounting Theory & Practice I (or equivalent);
- ACCT 124 Financial Accounting Theory & Practice II (or equivalent);
- ACCT 125 Accounting Entities (Advanced) (or equivalent);
- ACCT 133 Auditing (or equivalent);
- ACCT 115 Accounting Applications with Spreadsheets and Databases OR BBA 002 Microsoft Excel Expert Certification (or equivalent);
- ACCT 143 Income Tax Accounting I (or equivalent);
Students who have earned a Bachelor’s degree in a field outside of business are not eligible for admission into the program. Students can matriculate into the program when they have 9 or fewer semester hours of prerequisites to fulfill. Previous coursework is evaluated by the Graduate Programs Office of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business upon a student’s admission. If it is determined that the student will be accepted into the program, upon completion of such evaluation, the student will be notified of any program prerequisites that must be satisfied so that they have the information before deciding whether they want to enroll in the program. Students will need to earn a minimum overall 2.0-grade point average for all prerequisite courses taken outside of the graduate program to matriculate into the program.
The admission requirements and program prerequisites, combined with the Master’s curriculum, ensure students who complete the MS in Accounting program satisfy the specific educational requirements
Program Requirements - Semester Hours: 30
Students must complete 30 credits in this program in addition to the prerequisite courses.
Students can select from one of these two accounting tracks, Business Analysis & Reporting (BAR) OR Information Systems & Controls (ISC). These tracks represent two of the three disciplines students must choose from when taking the CPA exam in 2024 or later. Students interested in tax should pursue the MS in Taxation degree.
Requirements for both the MS in Accounting Business Analysis & Reporting (BAR) track AND the Information Systems & Controls (ISC) track:
Students must choose one of the following concentrations:
1. Business Analysis & Reporting (BAR) Concentration
2. Information Systems and Control (ISC) Concentration
Footnotes
1 Can be replaced with a graduate accounting, tax, or information systems elective chosen under advisement from the Department of Accounting
2 Based upon expected prior course work, the BAN elective will typically be BAN 203 or BAN 204.
3 Based upon expected prior course work, the IT electives will typically be IT 203, IT 215, IT 224, IT 226, or IT 228.
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