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Public Accounting M.S.

Master of Science
  • 30 Credits
  • School of Business
  • Westchester
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Public Accounting Overview

The Master of Science in Public Accounting is offered to those who want to enter or advance their careers in the profession of public accountancy as certified public accountants (CPAs). 

Our courses integrate advanced study and research in auditing, taxation and financial and management accounting with business courses in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. 

Â鶹¾«Æ· offers a supplemental pre-requisite preparatory program for candidates with business or accounting background. 

The tools of Public accounting.

Career Opportunities

The CPA license opens the door to a vast number of opportunities. 

  • Auditor 
  • Tax Accountant 
  • Controller 
  • Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) 
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO) 
  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 

Admissions Requirements

Requirements for matriculation and admission into the Master of Science in Public Accounting include:

  1. A baccalaureate transcript (foreign academic credit evaluation, such as World Education Services (WES), if applying as an international student).
    • Prerequisite courses include: ACCT 301, ACCT 330, and ACCT 420 (see for details). If you majored in something other than accounting, you’ll most likely need to take undergraduate prerequisite accounting and/or business courses. Contact the Accounting Chairperson, Denise Stefano, to apply to the prerequisite program and have your undergraduate credits evaluated.
  2. A detailed Personal Statement stating the reasons for applying to the program and how the applicant can benefit by its completion.
  3. Interview with the Accounting Department chairperson, Denise Stefano, or designee.

$67,000+ Salary 

The Average Annual Pay 
for experienced accountants and auditors in New York is $67,000.*

*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Career & Internship Opportunities

Students at Mercy have worked at the NYS Tax Department, Pepsi, IBM, all Big Four accounting firms and have completed VAST internships. 

Accomplished Faculty

Our students learn from highly accomplished faculty who have extensive practical experience as former Big Four firm auditors, controllers and CFOs; extensive experience in CPA exam prep; and leaders and members in some of the most prestigious state and national accounting organizations like: NYSSCPA, AICPA and IIA. 

A Public Accountant working with her clients.

The Mercy Advantage

  • Registered NYS 150 credit CPA licensure-qualifying program.
    • Prepares students to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam and become a licensed certified public accountant.  
  • No GMAT required
  • Career & Internship opportunities
    • Students at Mercy have worked at the NYS Tax Department, Pepsi, IBM, all big four accounting firms and have completed VAST internships. 

 

Business student

It Pays to Choose Mercy

  • Master’s degree programs in accounting increase earnings substantially over bachelor’s degree programs in accounting
  • Students at Â鶹¾«Æ· have the second highest annual earnings nationally net of debt payments two years after graduation among those with master’s degrees in accounting (Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis of data from the US Department of Education College Scorecard, 2022)
  • Employment of accountants and auditors is projected to grow 6 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  • Accountant is the #12 in Best Business Jobs (U.S. News 2024)
  • In 2023, 38.5% of Chief Financial Officers were CPAs (Journal of Accountancy 1/24/24)

In a recent report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) that examined the impact of higher education on earnings, the Master of Science in Public Accounting Program at Â鶹¾«Æ· ranked #2 in the U.S., based on graduates’ annual earnings (net of student debt payments) two years after graduation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A Bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited institution will most likely meet the program prerequisites. Prerequisite courses include: ACCT 241, ACCT 330, and ACCT 420 (see for details). If you majored in something other than accounting, you’ll most likely need to take undergraduate prerequisite accounting and/or business courses. Contact the Accounting Chairperson to apply to the prerequisite program and have your undergraduate credits evaluated.

The 30-credit M.S. in Public Accounting can be completed in as few as 14 consecutive months of study. Many students begin the program each June and finish by the following July. Typically, students take two courses each 10-week term in the evening at the Dobbs Ferry campus and can complete the program in five consecutive terms.

No, the GMAT is not required.

  1. A baccalaureate transcript (foreign academic credit evaluation, such as World Education Services (WES), if applying as an international student).

    • Prerequisite courses include: ACCT 241, ACCT 330, and ACCT 420 (see for details). If you majored in something other than accounting, you’ll most likely need to take undergraduate prerequisite accounting and/or business courses. Contact the Accounting Chairperson, Denise Stefano, to apply to the prerequisite program and have your undergraduate credits evaluated.

  2. A detailed Personal Statement stating the reasons for applying to the program and how the applicant can benefit by its completion.

  3. Interview with the Accounting Department chairperson, Denise Stefano, or designee.

The Accounting Chairperson must provide written approval for students who are eligible to switch majors to the combined BS/MS program. The student must show the ability to succeed in the MS program. The matriculation between the BS and MS degrees is seamless.

Students interested in Graduate Business programs should apply to the University with our graduate application. 

There are a limited number of scholarships available for graduate business students. 

Visit our Scholarships page for additional information.

Program Details & Curriculum

Courses are divided into sections:

Accounting Courses: 18 Credits
Business Courses: 12 Credits

Total: 30 Credits

By the end of this program, students should be able to:

  • Use strategic analysis and quantitative methods to solve problems
  • Make decisions utilizing knowledge of accounting, auditing, and taxation concepts and standards
  • Use oral, written, and presentation skills to communicate accounting and other business information effectively
  • Work effectively and collaboratively in teams
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical responsibilities of accountants and auditors
  • Evaluate ethical dilemmas to determine the impact of possible actions on stakeholder groups
  • Conduct research, support hypotheses with evidence, and respond to challenges

Download an Academic Sequence Map for: 

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