We are looking for well-rounded applicants with diverse levels of previous accounting coursework and/or experience. While strong academic performance is important, we are also interested in learning about your other passions and your future career aspirations. We review applications on a holistic basis and all components are taken into consideration. There is an optional section of the application to provide any additional details that are not addressed elsewhere.

The Gies MSA program offers a Spring (January) and Summer (June) start.

The Spring start is specifically designed for learners who hold an undergraduate accounting degree from a university outside of the United States or who have a certification from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). Learners beginning in the Spring term will complete the program in three semesters (Spring, Summer, Fall), receive the benefit of taking advanced elective courses early in their program, become eligible to sit for the US CPA exam prior to completing the program, and be well prepared for the traditional recruiting cycle which takes place early in the Fall semester.

The Summer start is designed for learners of all academic backgrounds, including those with an undergraduate degree in accounting from an institution outside the United States. Learners beginning in the Summer term will complete the program in three semesters (Summer, Fall, Spring), become eligible to sit for the US CPA exam prior to completing the program, and be well prepared for the traditional recruiting cycle which takes place early in the Fall semester. During the Summer term, our MSA learners get a jumpstart on their coursework along with a heavy emphasis on soft skill development and career preparation.

Job prospects for MSA graduates continue to be very high with 100% of domestic graduates reporting successful outcomes and 91.3% of international graduates reporting successful outcomes within six months of graduation for our 2023 cohort. Graduates explore traditional roles in top firms as well as more specialized roles in tax and mergers and acquisitions.

For international learners, the MSA program is STEM-designated, a label given to academic programs in fields related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The STEM-designation allows graduates of the program to extend their OPT for an additional 24 months, helping them gain hands-on experience working in the United States.

The MSA program is a one-year professional program in accountancy for students of all academic backgrounds who did not complete a bachelor’s degree in accounting from an AACSB accredited U.S. based institution. The MAS program is designed for students that have a bachelor’s degree in accounting from an AACSB accredited U.S. based institution.

At Gies College of Business, we are committed to building diverse cohorts of learners with unique experiences, perspectives, and goals, and who come from many educational, socio-cultural, geographic, and familial backgrounds. To support this, we provide a limited number of scholarships each year, covering partial tuition to learners who enhance the diversity of the incoming cohort through their academic, professional, and/or lived experiences. To be considered for a scholarship, choose ‘Yes’ in the “Financial Aid” section of your Graduate College application and then complete the scholarship acknowledgement. The scholarship acknowledgement must be agreed to within the application for consideration of a scholarship.

Please note that we only offer partial tuition scholarships and are unable to provide teaching, research, or graduate assistant positions covering full tuition and fees.

Domestic candidates may apply for Federal Financial Aid via the FAFSA.