Program of Study for the Master of Science in Accounting

Admission Requirements: Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; complete application to the Graduate School ; official GMAT exam scores, unless waived; undergraduate course work in Accounting Principles, Economics, Statistics, Behavioral Science, and Finance; undergraduate accounting courses in Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, Accounting Systems, Individual Income Taxation, and Auditing. In extenuating circumstances, an applicant may obtain permission to remove deficiencies in course work after entering the graduate program.  Admission is competitive.

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the criteria for admission to the Graduate School . Meeting these criteria does not guarantee acceptance.

Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility: The standardized exam requirement may be waived for applicants who:

• Hold an undergraduate degree in accounting with a GPA of 3.3 or higher from a regionally accredited school and have included at least two of three letters of recommendation from professors for upper-level courses in their discipline; OR
• Have five or more years of professional work or military experience; OR
• Hold membership in Beta Gamma Sigma; OR
• Hold professional certification with a quantitative focus such as CPA, CFA, CMA, etc.

The GMAT waiver is only available to candidates who have not taken the GMAT within the past five years.

Location: On Campus

Additional Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility Information

Standardized exam (GRE, GMAT, MAT) waiver eligibility for graduate degree programs at Appalachian State varies by program, but requires that applicants hold a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last earned bachelor’s degree or 3.3 or higher in an earned graduate degree. No exam waiver is automatic but will require review and approval by the program and by the Graduate School upon submission of a complete application. An approved waiver request does not guarantee acceptance into the program. A denied waiver request does not mean that a candidate is denied admission to the program, only that a standardized exam score is needed to more fully evaluate the application.  More complete information about standardized exam waivers can be found in the Admissions Requirements section of this Bulletin .

Accelerated Master’s Program

This program offers an Accelerated Master’s  option for undergraduate students currently enrolled at Appalachian State University.

Course Requirements for the Master of Science in Accounting

Concentration Requirements (12 Hours)

• ACC 5310 - Auditing Theory Seminar (3)
• ACC 5390 - Contemporary Issues in Accounting (3)
• ACC 5590 - Advanced Accounting Topics (3)
• Three hours outside of the Department of Accounting approved by the Program Director (3)

Thesis Option (12 Hours)

Choose One:

Other Requirements for the MS in Accounting

• Thesis: Optional
• Proficiency: Not required
• Candidacy: Required for thesis option; awarded upon approval of thesis committee and prospectus
• Comprehensive: Not required
• Product of Learning: Not required