Master of Science in Accounting Practice — Online

Core Courses

• ACCT 610 — Financial Reporting I
  2 Credits
  Understand financial accounting in more depth in the first of a series of 3 courses. You’ll gain the conceptual framework of accounting and prepare several financial statements as part of this course.
• ACCT 611 — Financial Reporting II
  2 Credits
  Tackle the more challenging aspects of corporate reporting including short- and long-term liabilities, contingencies, investments, stockholders equity, dilutive securities and earnings per share calculations so you understand how financial accounting affects important transactions. Within the course, you’ll create a stockholders equity section of the balance sheet.
• ACCT 612 — Financial Reporting III
  2 Credits
  In this final course of the three-part series, you’ll cover revenue recognition, accounting for income taxes, pensions and leases, accounting changes and error analysis, statement of cash flows and disclosure requirements. Within the course, you’ll create a statement of cash flows.
• ACCT 617 — Auditing, Ethics and Professional Responsibility
  3 Credits
  Understand ethics issues as they relate to auditing and independence and learn the basic concepts in assurance and auditing services. The course emphasizes the legal and ethical judgement required of the auditor within a changing and demanding business environment.
• ACCT 615 — Advanced Financial Reporting, Governmental, and Not-For-Profit Topics
  3 Credits
  Understand how a variety of important business transactions should be treated as you learn the remaining topics required for the Financial Accounting and Reporting section of the CPA exam. Topics include partnerships, business combinations, foreign currency transactions and government and non-for-profit accounting. Within the course, you’ll account for a business combination and foreign currency transactions.
• ACCT 613 — Federal Taxation of Income and Property Transactions
  3 Credits
  Understand the tax law more thoroughly as you learn income and expense recognition, tax accounting periods and methods, individual income tax provisions, tax credits and property transactions. Within the course, you’ll prepare a portion of a tax return.
• ACCT 604 — Database Design and Implementation
  3 Credits
  Introduces the fundamentals of modern database concepts. Covers relational database design and implementation techniques, as well as the current relational database standard - the structured query language (SQL). Explore advanced topics such as big data analytics.
• ACCT 653 — Business Law for Accountants
  3 Credits
  Understand how business law affects accounting and be able to detect possible legal problems. You’ll touch on a number of topics such as the formation, use and performance of contracts, including both Common Law and the Uniform Commercial Code, product liability, negotiable instruments and an accountant’s legal liability. The course also covers a variety of areas of law such as agency, partnerships, corporations, unfair competition, debtor-creditor relationships, bankruptcy, secured transactions, real and personal property, as well as wills and trusts. Within the course, you’ll determine the legal issues in business transactions.

Elective Courses — Choose 3

• ACCT 614 — Advanced Federal Taxation
  3 credit hours
  Introduces master's student to techniques and tools of technical tax research. Advanced federal tax concepts including income taxation of corporations, partnerships, estates, and trusts as well as wealth transfer taxes (Estate and Gift Tax).
• ACCT 620 — Theory of External Reporting and Applications
  3 credit hours
  Study of contemporary models of accounting for information users external to the firm. Includes an examination of the institutional environment and the impact of the institutions on the development of accounting theory and practices.
• ACCT 625 — Financial Statement Analysis
  3 credit hours
  Examines contemporary aspects of financial statement analysis such as the supply and demand for accounting information, statistical properties of accounting numbers and the impact of information on securities prices.
• FINC 650 — Financial Management
  3 credit hours
  Provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of the finance function with an emphasis on the decision-making techniques relevant to financial and nonfinancial managers. Topics include valuation, risk and return, capital budgeting, cost of capital, financial analysis and planning, and working capital management.

Possible Prerequisite Courses

If accounting was not your undergraduate degree, you’ll complete the following accounting courses online before starting the curriculum for the Master of Science in Accounting Practice degree.

• ACCT 207 — Introduction to Financial Accounting
• ACCT 208 — Introduction to Managerial Accounting

If you haven’t had both a basic micro- and macro- economics course, you’ll take ECON 503 - Economic Analysis for Business Policy.

Additional coursework may be necessary based on your undergraduate program and specific course load. A quick call to an admissions counselor can easily clarify what you may need at 844-237-1338.

Back to top

Career Outlook

The advantage of earning your Master of Science in Accounting Practice is that you can make a career change into the accounting field in just a year. And, with 75% of members of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) eligible to retire by 2020,¹ the need for CPA-prepared accountants will increase as companies plan for the absence of those senior positions. Titles can be found in every industry in a variety of roles such as:

• Accountant & Auditor
  Under this general title, you may work as a public accountant, forensic accountant, cost accountant, government accountant and more. Though responsibilities vary slightly from title to title, you’ll prepare, use and maintain financial statements and financial records and look for ways to reduce costs, enhance revenue and improve profits.
  $70,500/year and 6% (average) job growth through 2028.²

• Financial Analyst
  Assess current and historical financial data, economic and business trends, the strength of the management team, and recommend portfolios based on individual needs.
  $85,660 and 6% job growth.³

• Financial Manager
  Guide your organization to success by directing investment opportunities and developing strategies for the long-term financial goals of their organization. Core functions of a financial manager include managing risk and cash, preparing financial forecasts, and analyzing markets for business opportunities, making this a highly sought after position.
  $127,990 and 16% job growth.⁴

Admissions & Tuition

No work experience is required to enter the program. To apply, you will need:

1. A bachelor's degree in any academic background from an accredited college or university.
2. A GPA of at least 3.0 or a minimum of 2.8 GPA in the last two years of your undergraduate program.
3. GRE/GMAT not required. 
4. Two letters of recommendation from professional references. You can also submit recommendations from professors who can speak to your academic and professional motivations and potential.
5. A current resume, application fee, transcript and personal statement are also required.

International Students

International applicants must submit one of the following:

1. Proof of having earned a degree in either the United State or a country where the primary language is English or,
2. A TOEFL* score of 100 or higher or,
3. An IELTS* score of 7.5 or higher

*If the TOEFL/IELTS score is too low or if the applicant has not taken the TOEFL/IELTS, the applicant can enroll in the UD English Language Institute’s ELI-CAP program. Successful completion of the ELI-CAP program means the TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived. The length of time required depends on the applicant’s English skills when entering the program.

Tuition

The tuition for this program is $950 per credit hour. Estimated tuition, based on a total of 11 courses and 30 credit hours, is $28,500.

Back to top

FAQs

1. How long does it take to complete this program?
   You can complete our online Master of Science in Accounting Practice in as little as year. Most students take 18 months, but you may take up to five years to complete the program.

2. When can I begin the program?
   The University of Delaware offers five start dates every year for this program which makes now a great time to apply. Contact an admissions counselor for specific term application deadlines and class start dates.

3. What is the career outlook after earning a Master of Science in Accounting Practice?
   University of Delaware's Master of Science in Accounting Practice helps you launch or advance your career in accounting. For more information on your career options, read the Career Focus section on this page.

4. Do I need to have a background in accounting?
   No. Prior work experience in accounting is not required, and we encourage students from all undergraduate backgrounds to apply.

5. How much will it cost to complete this degree?
   The tuition for this program is $950 per credit hour. Estimated tuition, based on a total of 11 courses and 30 credit hours, is $28,500.

6. Is this a full- or part-time program?
   You can take this program either as a part-time or a full-time student. One benefit of online learning is that your coursework is asynchronous, and you can complete it whenever you wish as long as you meet assignment deadlines.

7. Which classes are required to complete the program?
   The Master of Science in Accounting Practice features core courses focused on solid accounting principles, the assurance function, tax regulations and business law. It equips you with the educational requirements to sit for the Uniform CPA exam and gives you a holistic understanding of the business environment.

8. Can I transfer credits?
   Yes. You can transfer up to 9 credits from an accredited college or university. Graduate credits earned at another institution (but not used in the completion of another graduate degree) will be evaluated at the written request of the student for any course.

9. Why is the University of Delaware my best choice for this program?
   The University of Delaware is widely respected in the accounting field for our dedication to excellence and ethics. We engage professors that influence the future practice of accounting and many of our students are recruited to the Big 4 accounting firms.

10. Does this program require any on-site residencies?
    No, you will not be required to visit the campus at any time for this program. However, online students are always welcome to visit our campus.

11. Is this program accredited?
    The University of Delaware is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the program holds AACSB Accounting accreditation.

12. How do I apply for financial aid?
    Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. The University of Delaware's school code is 001431.

    Additionally, you may qualify for a Federal loan. Unsubsidized loans are a very common source of funding for our graduate students, and are not determined based on need. Graduate students may borrow up to $20,500 per year.

13. Are there opportunities for career networking and career coaching?
    Yes. You can work directly with the Lerner Career Services, which serves as a comprehensive resource for all things career-related.

    We offer our students access to career fairs, appointments with career counselors and workshops on resume and cover letter writing. You can also take advantage of on-campus interview events with visiting employers.

14. Will I have access to tutoring services?
    Yes. Online students may schedule tutoring sessions as needed through their advisor.

15. Will I have the opportunity to collaborate with peers online?
    Yes. Coursework in the online Master of Science in Accounting Practice requires collaboration among classmates for case studies, seminars and other program experiences.

    Many classes also have weekly virtual office hours available for students to speak with the faculty. You can also schedule a time for one-on-one conferences with your faculty as needed.

16. How do I apply?
    You can apply right now by submitting an online graduate application. Our application process is designed for ease and control, so there's no need to send anything by mail. If you have any questions along the way, contact an admissions counselor at (844) 237-1338. We're here to help!

Back to top