Accounting, Master of Science

Admission

Please refer to www.wilmu.edu/admission/msacct_admission.aspx for general graduate admission information. For consideration and admission to the Master of Science (M.S.) in Accounting program, applicants must satisfactorily submit and/or complete the following:

1. A graduate application for admission accompanied by a non-refundable application fee.

2. Applicants whose native language is not English or who have graduated from an institution where English is not the language of instruction should contact International Admissions or go to the University's website for admission requirements.

3. A program planning conference meeting with a program chair or advisor to discuss admission, candidacy, and program requirements is highly recommended.
4. Students must request official copies of their undergraduate transcript(s) at the time of the application submission.

All required application and candidacy documents should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Program Purpose

The M.S. in Accounting is designed to meet the growing need for credentialed accountants and financial managers.  The program is designed for accounting professionals who want to extend their education and advance their careers, as well as professionals who want to begin a new career in accounting.  The M.S. in Accounting provides students with relevant in-depth analytical, technical, and problem solving skills.  It also provides the foundation for students who are interested in the Certified Public Accountant Exam (CPA), Certified Management Accountant Exam (CMA), and the Certified Fraud Examination Exam (CFE).

Program Competencies

In addition to satisfying the University’s graduate graduation competencies, students will have an advanced level of applicable knowledge in the following areas as appropriate to one’s field of study:

1. Demonstrate highly-developed communication and collaboration skills needed by effective accounting professionals.
2. Integrate accounting theory and practice in the process of complex problem solving.
3. Evaluate ethical problems and apply professional standards in management decision making.
4. Analyze complex data utilizing appropriate technological and quantitative methods and tools for accounting decision-making.

Program Design

The program incorporates a methodology that provides students with a deep appreciation of the relevant skills and knowledge required for decision-making and problem solving. The program consists of accelerated 7-week courses scheduled to permit students the flexibility to complete the degree requirements at their own pace.  The program is currently offered fully online and at various locations throughout Delaware and New Jersey.

MS: Accounting Program Requirements

The program consists of ten 3-credit hour courses.  The seven core courses (21 credit hours) provide an in-depth exposure to core accounting theory, practice and data analytics that are applicable to a wide range of situations and organizations.  Students also select three elective courses to complement the core requirements. The elective courses allow the students to work with their advisor or Program Chair to design individualized programs for their chosen accounting career path.  Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to graduate.

The M.S. in Accounting requires the prerequisite completion of 12 credits in undergraduate Accounting and 3 credits in undergraduate Finance.  Wilmington University provides graduate course options to satisfy these requirements.

1. Accounting I and II (equivalent to W.U. BAC101 and 102); graduate options: MAC 5000 and MAC 5010.

2. Intermediate Accounting I and II (equivalent to W.U. BAC 201 and 202); graduate options MAC 5100 and MAC 5110.

3. Finance (equivalent to W.U. FIN 305); graduate option MBA 5900.

Prerequisites are a scheduling priority.

Registration

Prior to registering for your second M.S. in Accounting course, students should:

1. Submit official transcript(s) from an accredited college, university, or other degree-granting institution verifying completion of a bachelor’s degree. Send official transcript(s) directly from the identified college or university to the Wilmington University Graduate Admissions office or email gradadmissions@wilmu.edu.
2. Meet with a program chair or advisor for a program planning conference if not completed earlier.  Official transcript(s) should be on file prior to the conference.  Students may bring unofficial transcript(s) to this meeting if official transcript(s) are not yet on file.

Advancement to Degree Candidacy

Students who have met the M.S. in Accounting admission requirements are advanced to degree candidacy after completing four courses with a minimum GPA. of 3.0, provided they have met the following requirements:

1. Official undergraduate transcript(s) are on file with the Graduate Admissions office.
2. Successfully completed undergraduate or graduate courses in Accounting Foundations I and Accounting Foundations II with a grade of "C-" or higher.

M.S. Accounting Program Course Requirements

Ten courses are required for program completion; the seven courses immediately below and three additional courses to be selected from the elective offerings. While some course sequencing is important, the program is designed to permit students to complete requirements at their own pace.

Courses

Electives

M.S. Accounting Core 21 credits