Accounting (M.S.)

Accounting (M.S.)

Associate Professor Emily Xu reviewing an article with accounting students

Ready for a rewarding career in public or private accounting? This rigorous 30-credit part-time hybrid (evening) or full-time program will prepare you for the corner office. Develop rock-solid accounting expertise, plus the technical, analytical and communication skills needed to become the problem-solving candidate employers seek.

Credit Hours: 30   |     Program Length: 9–20 months full-time; 33 months part-time

Why get a master’s degree in accounting?

A master's degree in accounting will prepare you for fast-track advancement in the field. According to Monster.com the business field of accounting is one of the strongest sectors of the economy and Yahoo! Education notes that an M.S. in accounting is one of the top options for those looking to fuel a career switch from their current position. Paul College's rigorous program will give you the competitive edge you need and prepare you for the corner office. You'll develop rock-solid accounting expertise plus the technical, analytical and communication skills needed to become the problem-solving candidate employers seek.

Why choose UNH's M.S. in accounting program?

No. 1 CPA pass rate: UNH ranks #1 in NE on CPA pass rates (first-time testing events for advanced degree candidates).
Outstanding job placement: Our graduates are highly sought after, typically accepting jobs prior to the end of their first semester. The current job placement rate is 100 percent for those eligible for U.S. employment.
Flexible: The program of study offers a full-time (2 semester) and part-time hybrid (6 semester) option for students with an undergraduate accounting degree. An accelerated option for eligible UNH undergraduates to start the program during the last year of undergraduate studies. Other flexible options (that include pre-requisites) are available for non-accounting/non-business undergraduate degree students.
Three tracks: Choose auditing and assurance, tax, or integrated audit and tax.
Small classes: This is a place where professors know your name and you'll build a network of professional and personal relationships with your peers.
Real-world learning: Our faculty does an excellent job mixing theory with real-world experience to give students a more complete and relevant knowledge base they can apply in the workplace.
Professional networks: We've got connections to partners and principals at top accounting firms to ensure our program provides the most up-to-date skills and knowledge and career connections.
AACSB Accredited: Learn at a school that is among only 5% of business schools worldwide to meet the gold standard for the highest quality programs.

Potential careers

  • Auditing
  • Financial management
  • Forensic and investigative accounting
  • Government accounting
  • Public accounting
  • Real estate accounting
  • Tax and financial advising

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Application Requirements & Deadlines

9-33 

 9 MONTHS (full-time) and 33 MONTHS (part-time) FOR ACCOUNTING DEGREE HOLDERS. OTHER FLEXIBLE OPTIONS FOR NON-ACCOUNTING AND NON-BUSINESS MAJORS

91.3%

CPA PASS RATE
(for first-time testing events
with advanced degree candidates)

100%

JOB PLACEMENT RATE SIX MONTHS POST-GRADUATION

Curriculum & Requirements

The Master of Science in Accounting, offered by the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, develops students’ advanced accounting knowledge, strong analytical and communication skills, as well as awareness of ethical issues for careers in public accounting firms, small businesses, non­-profit organizations, and major corporations.

The AACSB-accredited MSA program satisfies the 150-­hour course load required by most U.S. state licensing boards, including the state of New Hampshire.  Students learn additional accounting knowledge in specialized courses focusing on the CPA exam.

Designed for students with undergraduate degrees in accounting, the graduate program can be completed in one year of full-time study or three years of part-time study. Applicants without an undergraduate degree in accounting or business will be required to complete additional foundation undergraduate courses prior to beginning the graduate program.

Upon admission to the program, applicants complete seven required courses and three elective track courses. ACFI 850 Accounting Theory and Research is the capstone course.

All admitted candidates are expected to have completed a series of foundation courses. If an applicant has not completed all of the foundation courses, the admissions committee may offer provisional admission and require that the applicant take certain foundation courses prior to beginning the standard course of study. Refer to the list of foundation courses below labeled "For Students with Non­-Accounting Business Degrees."

Required Core Courses

ACFI 820Corporate Taxation3
ACFI 825Ethics and Non-Profit Accounting3
ACFI 835Governmental Accounting3
ACFI 844Topics in Advanced Accounting3
ACFI 860Advanced Business Law3
ACFI 890Accounting Information Systems3
ACFI 850Accounting Theory and Research3
Select a track below9
Total Credits30

Auditing and Assurance Track

ACFI 830Advanced Auditing3
ACFI 896Topics (International Accounting)3
ACFI 840Forensic Acctg & Fraud Exam3
Total Credits9

Tax Track

ACFI 896Topics (Applied Tax Research and Planning)3
ACFI 896Topics (Advanced Topics in Tax)3
ACFI 896Topics (Advanced Business Taxation)3
Total Credits9

Integrated Audit and Tax Track

Select three of the six track courses above9
Total Credits9

For Students with Non-Accounting Business Degrees

Foundation courses that must be completed at the undergraduate level are:

ACC 721Intermediate Financial Accounting I4
ACC 722Intermediate Financial Accounting II4
ACC 723Advanced Managerial Accounting4
ACC 724Auditing4
ACC 726Introduction to Federal Taxation4
ACC 747Business Law4
Total Credits24

For Students with Non-Business Degrees

In addition to the accounting foundation courses listed above, students with non-business degrees are typically required to complete these courses at the undergraduate level:

ADMN 502Financial Accounting4
ADMN 503Managerial Accounting4
ECON 401Principles of Economics (Macro)4
ADMN 510Business Statistics4
ADMN 570Introduction to Financial Management4
In addition, students must choose two of the following: 8
ADMN 575
Behavior in Organizations
ADMN 585
Marketing
ADMN 580
Quantitative Decision Making
Total Credits28
  • Students will demonstrate core accounting knowledge.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to solve complex problems in accounting.
  • Students will engage in effective teamwork behaviors.
  • Students will communicate effectively in an accounting context.
  • Students will demonstrate an understanding of the key differences between US and international accounting standards.
  • Students will demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and professional dimensions of accounting practices.

Deadline

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  • Fall: November 15th (Early Decision); June 1 (regular admission)
  • Spring: N/A
  • Summer: N/A
  • Special: Contact Program

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: Case by case for ME

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload an official copy of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of Recommendation: 2 Required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Test Scores: GMAT Required

The GMAT is required for admission to the M.S. Accounting program. Request official test scores to be sent directly to the Graduate School by the testing service. Our CEEB code is 3918. Test scores more than five years old are not acceptable. Student copies and photocopies of scores are not considered official. To register for the exam or for more tools to help you prepare for the exam, please visit the Graduate Management Admissions Council homepage.

If you are a current UNH undergraduate accounting options student, or an accounting undergraduate student from another AACSB-accredited English speaking business school, or you hold an undergraduate degree in accounting from an AACSB-accredited English speaking business school and meet one of the following conditions below, please e-mail Paulcollege.grad@unh.edu requesting a GMAT waiver: Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher or Accounting Option GPA of 3.5 or higher.

For general information about test scores required for admission into our programs please visit our Test Scores webpage.

Personal Statement

Applicants to the Accounting Program must provide answers to these specific questions: 1) Do you believe your college grades reflect your ability? Explain. 2) Describe a situation in which you have had to assume a significant responsibility. What effect did that situation have on your personal development? 3) What do you consider to be your major strengths and weaknesses and how do you expect graduate study to affect them? 4) Discuss your long range objectives and the ways in which your planning has been influenced by past academic or work experiences. Additionally, please discuss the anticipated benefits you hope to gain from graduate education. *Optional: Provide any additional information which you feel should be considered by the Admission Committee.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Some academic departments recommend that international applicants, living outside of the United States, and planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit our extended inquiry form before submitting a full application. The extended inquiry form will be reviewed by the academic faculty and a department representative will reach out if your background and qualifications are a good fit for the program. 

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

Explore Program Details

Full-Time Option:

  • The 10-course curriculum is offered in a full-time mode over two semesters.
  • Students complete 5 courses in the fall semester and 5 courses in the spring semester.
  • This option is ideal if you want to focus on master-level accounting education prior to taking certification exams and/or entering the job market.

Accelerated Option:

  • Eligible UNH undergraduate students can take up to 3-4 courses (out of the 10 courses) in the curriculum during their last year of undergraduate studies.
  • This option is ideal for undergrads who have availability in their schedules and want to save time and money while earning credits towards a master's-level education.

Part-Time Hybrid Option:

  • The 10-course curriculum is offered in a part-time hybrid mode over six semesters.
  • Each semester, 2+ courses are offered in the evenings in hybrid mode.
  • The courses are coordinated so that up to 50% of classes can be attended remotely online.
  • The courses are coordinated so that, on average, the face-to-face classes (across the 2 courses in a semester) do not fall on the same weeks. This provides working professionals/students with consistency and flexibility in attending on-campus, face-to-face classes on average of one night per week.
  • Students can start the part-time option during any semester.
  • This option is ideal for professionals and interns who want to obtain a master's degree while working.

2021-2022 Academic Calendar

Where are they now?

Paul College M.S. Accounting graduates have launched successful careers with organizations including:

  • ALEXANDER ARONSON FINNING & CO.
  • BAKER NEWMAN NOYES
  • BERRYDUNN
  • CARON & BLETZER
  • DELOITTE
  • EY
  • FEELY & DRISCOLL
  • HOWE, RILEY & HOWE
  • JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, INC.
  • KPMG
  • LEONE, MCDONNELL & ROBERTS
  • LIBERTY MUTUAL
  • MELANSON HEATH & COMPANY
  • NATHAN WECHSLER
  • PWC
  • TONNESON AND COMPANY
  • WALTER & SHUFFAIN

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