According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for accountants is on the rise nationally so there’s never been a better time to look into accredited accounting degree programs in Delaware. Accountants are the professionals businesses and people trust to analyze, summarize, prepare and report financial transactions. Candidates for this type of work must enjoy interacting with people, have good communication skills, and demonstrate an affinity for working with numbers. While entry level positions require at least a bachelor’s degree, accounting graduates with a master’s will have more job opportunities and faster advancement within the field.

Goldey-Beacom College

Graduate Degree Programs

Goldey-Beacom College was founded in 1886 as a commercial college with an emphasis on academic excellence and dedication to providing quality educational programs leading towards fulfilling careers. The college’s first Master of Business Administration curriculum was established in 1992. Since that time, the program has grown, and today, GBC offers students some of the leading accredited accounting degree programs in Delaware including three concentrations in the accounting field with a focus on taxation. Graduates with master’s degrees in these programs will be qualified to work in a variety of settings, including public and private financial institutions, business corporations and government agencies.

Master of Business Administration: Taxation Concentration

This comprehensive MBA program strives to improve management skills by providing professionals broader accounting expertise through increased knowledge and application of taxation principles. The curriculum requires taking 12 classes for a total of 36 credits in core business foundations, financial and marketing practices, managerial strategies and analysis. Concentration classes involve basic taxation principles, corporation taxes and tax research. Graduates will be prepared to find competitive employment. The degree is especially useful for currently employed business managers who wish to diversify within their jobs and experience more rapid advancement opportunities in their careers.

Master of Business Administration: Major in Taxation

An MBA with a major in taxation offers graduates more in-depth study into the taxation specialty area. It is designed for those holding a bachelor’s degree in accounting and other practicing professionals in the field such as tax advisers, lawyers or financial planners. Students engage in tax research and gain technical competence when applying current tax laws to real-life scenarios. The 36 hours of credit study are broken up into core and specialization components that focus on financial management, corporate finance, managerial accounting, economics, leadership, basic taxation principles, and taxation of gifts, estates, trusts, partnerships and S corporations.

Master of Science in Taxation

For those currently working as practicing accountants, lawyers or financial managers, the MST degree focuses on current trends and research in tax law and how those trends affect business and financial institutions. Study is detailed with regard to the technical aspects of tax law and its applications. Upon graduating, students with an MST will demonstrate special expertise and mastery in:

  • Preparation of income tax forms and computation of corporate or individual taxable incomes.
  • Understanding capital gains and losses as they apply to individuals or businesses.
  • Following Federal and state tax codes and guidelines.
  • Applying depreciation and amortization rules.

The MST curriculum is 36 credit hours with the majority of coursework in taxation specialization classes covering advanced taxation principles, multi-state taxation laws, corporation taxes, property and real estate taxation and taxation of gifts, trusts, estates, partnerships and S corporations.

Accreditation

  • United States Department of Education
  • Council for Higher Education Accreditation
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
  • International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education

Contacts

Goldey-Beacom College
Attention:Jane H. Lysle, Dean of Enrollment Management
4701 Limestone Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19808
Phone: (302) 225-6274
Email: lyslej@gbc.edu
Website: http://www.gbc.edu/programs/graduate/

University of Delaware

Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics

The beginnings of the University of Delaware date back to 1743 when establishing quality education for all citizens became its foundational goal. Keeping in that tradition, the university continues to meet the diverse educational needs of its community. Within that framework, UD stands apart as one of the foremost institutions offering accredited accounting degree programs in Delaware. Its Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics provides students with a variety of highly regarded undergraduate and graduate degree majors, including in the field of accounting. Programs emphasize research, collaboration and opportunities for real-world learning experiences to enhance the application of business and accounting principles in job settings. UD’s Lerner College is dedicated to making sure its graduates have the credentials to succeed in the workplace.

MS Accounting

Accounting includes the study of several related areas, specifically: financial systems, managerial techniques, auditing and taxation principles and information systems. For students wanting to expand their accounting career opportunities, the MS in Accounting is a degree that will allow them the flexibility to work within a variety of public and private settings. The degree is also useful in preparing graduates to continue with doctoral work in the accounting field. The MSA program is flexible, offering full- or part-time courses of study. Students entering the program full-time with a qualifying undergraduate bachelor’s degree can often finish the requirements in a year’s time. Coursework involves 30 credit hours of specified classes in accounting, finance and elective areas. Core accounting and finance classes entail 21 credit hours and the remaining nine electives come from areas of concentration chosen by the student. Students are also eligible to apply for graduate assistant-ships which provide real-world experiences in the accounting field.

MBA: Accounting Specialization

The Master of Business Administration with an Accounting Specialization is a way for MBA students to personalize their study in areas of interest. An MBA course of study takes a business management approach to core classes while focusing electives in the chosen specialty field. This type of program is less technical in terms of research applications but has a broader appeal for those in management positions within businesses. All MBA students take a core set of 10 business classes emphasizing business administration and accounting principles for the workplace. Students with an accounting specialization will then take four elective courses with more in-depth emphasis in advanced accounting areas, chosen from among: External reporting, management, Federal taxes, auditing, statement analysis, international laws, intellectual property creation, and planning.

Accreditation

  • United States Department of Education
  • Council for Higher Education Accreditation
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs

Contacts

University of Delaware
Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics
Accounting and Management Information Systems
206 Purnell Hall
Newark, Delaware 19716
Phone: (302) 831-2963

MS in Accounting:
Lisa Berry
Phone: (302) 831-2963
Email: lberry@udel.edu
Website: http://graduate.lerner.udel.edu/master-doctoral-programs/ms-accounting

MBA Specializations – Accounting:
Denise Waters
Phone: (302) 831-2221
Email: mbaprogram@udel.edu
Website: http://graduate.lerner.udel.edu/mba-programs-concentrationspecialization-faq/mba-specializations

Wilmington University

The College of Business

Chartered in 1963, Wilmington University offers economical, flexible educational opportunities to meet the needs of a diverse, tri-state community. The main campus is located in Wilmington, Delaware, but there are also satellite locations in nearby New Jersey and Maryland. Classes are offered in modular formats and combine traditional on-campus instruction, as well as distance learning classes so working professionals can attend graduate programs. The University places a strong emphasis on programs in the business profession, including accounting. It ranks #172 on Forbes list for the best colleges of 2013 in the Northeast and #527 out of 650 colleges and universities ranked nationwide.

Accounting – Master of Science

Delaware has changed its licensure requirements for professionals becoming Certified Public Accountants and WU’s MS in Accounting degree is on the cutting edge to meet the new criteria. The outcome of the program is to provide the foundation for students wishing to take the CPA exam and to be prepared to take the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) or the Certified Fraud Examination(CFE) exams. The program continues to uphold high standards for all its graduates to enter the accounting profession as credentialed accountants or financial managers. The curriculum is 30 credit hours with 24 credits taken from core accounting classes in financial theory and analysis, research, auditing, forensic accounting, fraud protection and federal tax policies. The remaining six credit hours are taken as two electives in approved master’s level business classes.

MBA with a Concentration in Accounting

The MBA with a concentration in accounting is a more in-depth study of accounting practices within the business world. This program also addresses Delaware’s new CPA requirements and prepares students for necessary competencies for that exam, as well as the CMA and CFE exams. Candidates in the program complete 36 credit hours of coursework, 18 in core business classes and 18 more concentrating in advanced accounting theory, practice and skills. Graduates will be prepared for leadership roles within management or to continue their education at the doctoral level.

Accreditations

  • United States Department of Education
  • Council for Higher Education Accreditation
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education

Contact

Wilmington University
320 N. DuPont Hwy
New Castle, DE 19720
Phone: (877) 967-5464 (Toll free)

Accounting Master of Science:
Sally S. Stokes
Chair, Accounting Program
Phone: (302) 856-5780
Email: sally.s.stokes@wilmu.edu
Website: http://www.wilmu.edu/business/msacct_program.aspx

MBA with a Concentration in Accounting:
Audrey M. Parajon
Chair, Business Management Program
Phone: (302) 356-6746
Email: audrey.m.parajon@wilmu.edu
Website: http://www.wilmu.edu/business/mba_concentration_accounting.aspx

Accounting is a profession on the rise nationwide. In Delaware, qualified accountants with good credentials are especially in demand as CPA licensure requirements have changed. If you enjoy working with people and managing finances, consider a fast moving career as an accountant by investigating one of the accredited accounting degree programs in Delaware.