{"id":44902,"date":"2026-01-05T17:39:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T22:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/?page_id=44902"},"modified":"2026-02-12T11:59:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:59:58","slug":"master-of-science-in-accounting-msa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/academics\/graduate\/master-of-science-in-accounting-msa\/","title":{"rendered":"Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.)"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"cl-wrapper cl-menu-wrapper\"><nav id=\"\" class=\"cl-menu  \" data-name=\"Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.)\" data-show-title=\"0\"><ul id=\"menu-master-of-science-in-accounting-m-s-a\" class=\"cl-menu-list cl-menu-list-no-js\"><li id=\"menu-item-44908\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-44908\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/academics\/graduate\/master-of-science-in-accounting-msa\/\">Overview<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-44917\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-44917\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/academics\/graduate\/master-of-science-in-accounting-msa\/curriculum\/\">Curriculum<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-44923\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-44923\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/academics\/graduate\/master-of-science-in-accounting-msa\/admission-and-fees\/\">Admission and Fees<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-44927\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-44927\"><a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/academics\/graduate\/master-of-science-in-accounting-msa\/faculty\/\">Faculty<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/nav><\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Earn the accounting credential that will distinguish you from other business professionals\u2014a Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The current business climate, characterized by large, complex organizations, evolving tax laws, and a highly regulated environment, has created a strong demand for educated accountants in public accounting firms, industry, and government.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\"><a class=\"cl-button  block-level prominent\" href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/academics\/graduate\/rfi-graduate\/\" title=\"\">request information<\/a>\n\n<a class=\"cl-button  block-level prominent\" href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/graduate-school\/apply\/\" title=\"\">apply today<\/a>\n\n<a class=\"cl-button  \" href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/meet\/cynthia-blanthorne\/\" title=\"\">meet your coordinator<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leadership development topics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The M.S.A. degree, designed for students with a variety of educational backgrounds, provides accounting career preparation and\/or advancement. Your program of study, which includes core and elective courses, promotes critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and consideration of global issues. The M.S.A. degree will help you achieve the 150 credit hours required to sit for the C.P.A. exam, a prerequisite for many public accounting careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The accounting program at URI is accredited by the <a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/about\/accreditation\/\">AACSB<\/a>. This URI program is the only separately accredited academic program within the College of Business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Careers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Entry into the financial accounting profession, as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AACSB), requires 150 academic credit hours, and Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York all require a C.P.A. to have a minimum of 150 credit hours. Therefore, not only does a master\u2019s degree prepare you to deal with today\u2019s complex and competitive business environment, it is rapidly becoming a prerequisite for entry into the public accounting profession.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a master\u2019s degree from URI\u2019s accounting program, your professional opportunities are unlimited. The M.S.A. program has graduated alumni who have distinguished themselves as corporate CEOs, CFOs, and controllers of major corporations, owners of highly successful businesses, partners of prestigious accounting firms, and leaders in a variety of business enterprises.<\/p>\n\n\n<section class=\"cl-wrapper cl-breakout-wrapper\"><div class=\"cl-breakout use-content-width  \"><div class=\"content-width\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Programs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns equal-height is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"cl-wrapper cl-card-wrapper\"><a class=\"cl-card  \" href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/online\/data-analytics-grad-cert\/\" title=\"\"><div class=\"cl-card-container text\"><div class=\"cl-card-text\"><h2>Data Analytics for Accounting and Auditing\nGraduate Certificate<\/h2><p>This Graduate Certificate focuses on data analytics as it applies to accounting and auditing as opposed to a singular area.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cl-card-container button\">learn more about this certificate<\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"cl-wrapper cl-card-wrapper\"><a class=\"cl-card  \" href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/msa-accelerated-bachelors-to-masters-degree-msa-abm\/\" title=\"\"><div class=\"cl-card-container text\"><div class=\"cl-card-text\"><h2>M.S.A. Accelerated Bachelor&#8217;s to Master&#8217;s Degree<\/h2><p>Exceptional undergraduate students in the URI Accounting<br>Bachelor of Science program (ACC) are eligible to apply for the Accelerated Bachelor&#8217;s to Master&#8217;s M.S.A. program as a path to<br>earn the M.S.A. degree.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cl-card-container button\">learn about accelerated degrees<\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<p><strong>Professional Licensure Disclosure<\/strong><br>In accordance with the 2019 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, URI discloses that the M.S.A. program, which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), does not meet the educational requirements for licensure as a Certified Public Accountant in Arkansas, California, Kansas, Michigan and Nebraska. URI has determined that the curriculum for the M.S.A. program meets the educational requirements for licensure in all other states and territories. The applicable licensing board in your intended state territory may impose additional requirements on candidates prior to granting a license (e.g., specific coursework, passing of an exam, obtaining a certificate, providing evidence of work experience, etc.). Therefore, if you are interested in becoming a CPA, you are encouraged to investigate the requirements of your licensing board.Information about applying for licensure in each of the 50 states is available through the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/nasba.org\/blog\/2011\/05\/25\/accountancy-licensing-library-2\/\">National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Earn the accounting credential that will distinguish you from other business professionals\u2014a Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.). The current business climate, characterized by large, complex organizations, evolving tax laws, and a highly regulated environment, has created a strong demand for educated accountants in public accounting firms, industry, and government. Leadership development topics The M.S.A. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5286,"featured_media":0,"parent":43956,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-44902","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/44902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5286"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44902"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/44902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46271,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/44902\/revisions\/46271"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/43956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}