As the accounting industry becomes more competitive, professionals will start to look for accredited accounting degree programs in Illinois that offer graduate degrees and additional training in order to stand out in a saturated market. Fortunately, accounting professionals won’t need to worry about job security in Illinois or around the country. Jobs will remain steady over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and accountants working in Illinois can expect lucrative opportunities particularly in Chicago where the median salary for senior accountants is $73,012. The following Illinois universities offer comprehensive graduate degree programs in accounting.

Benedictine University

College of Business

As one of the fastest growing campuses in the country according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, Benedictine University offers students plenty of room to find their passion and pursue a degree program that prepares them for professional careers. The school boasts a number of other distinctions from publications such as Forbes Magazine and U.S. News and World Report, and the university’s commitment to academic excellence is evident in the wide range of programs available to students. For those interested in accounting programs, Benedictine University’s College of Business offers four separate options that help students engage in practical application of modern business theory.

Master of Science in Accountancy

Unlike many accredited accounting degree programs in Illinois, Benedictine University’s Master of Science in Accountancy program is designed for students with little working knowledge of the accounting industry but who hold an undergraduate degree in a business-related field and want to enhance their skills. Those who either want to change careers or need additional accounting mastery for their current professional positions will appreciate the program’s approach to accounting education. The program also helps students prepare for leadership roles by focusing on managerial accounting techniques, and those who hope to take and pass the Certified Public Accountant or CPA exam will find the program to be of particular use. The Master of Science in Accountancy program requires completion of 64 quarter credit hours designated as follows: 20 credits of core accounting courses, 16 credits of advanced accounting topics, 16 credits of managerial courses, and 12 electives relevant to a student’s intended specialization or career interest.

M.B.A./MAcc Dual Degree Program

For those who want to explore both a Master of Business Administration and a master’s program in Accountancy, Benedictine University offers a dual program that falls under the broader guidelines of their M.B.A. program. The dual program is designed to help students master both the business side of professional development as well as a relevant specialty field. In fact, the school offers a dual program in six distinct fields with the idea that students will complete the graduation requirements for both programs simultaneously. The dual M.B.A. program in Accountancy requires a total of 96 quarter credit hours. Along with these course requirements, students also need to complete the individual graduation requirements for both the Master of Business Administration degree and a graduate degree in accounting. Students also need to apply to both the business department and graduate department for their chosen specialization, and students will work closely with an academic adviser.

Master of Business Administration, Accountancy Concentration

Students seeking accredited accounting degree programs in Illinois that focus more on the business aspect of an accounting career will appreciate Benedictine University’s Master of Business Administration or M.B.A. program. Designed with working professionals in mind, the program requires 64 quarter credit hours for the basic master’s degree along with an additional 12 quarter credits of specialized coursework relevant to a student’s chosen concentration. Students who enroll in the M.B.A. program may choose at least one concentration from 18 options including Accountancy. Benedictine University believes in helping experienced professionals move forward in their careers and offers several options to make this program more convenient. Courses are divided into foundation classes, managerial classes, and electives. Night classes, mid-day “matinee” courses, weekend courses, part-time scheduling, and online courses are available in addition to the traditional full-time master’s curriculum. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to earn the degree. Benedictine University’s MBA in Accounting was listed as one of the top 10 online MBA in Accounting degree programs by our editors.

Master of Science in Taxation

As accounting concepts become more complex particularly in the field of taxation, many schools have risen to the challenge of creating a more intensive program specifically designed to help students prepare for careers as tax professionals. Benedictine University has added a Master of Science in Taxation to its list of graduate accounting programs in an effort to comply with the demand for more competent tax specialists. Students with an interest in preparing taxes professionally, becoming auditors, or working in the public sector on tax law and related fields will find comprehensive preparation in the university’s Master of Science in Taxation program. The degree requires 64 quarter credit hours divided into four basic competencies: accounting foundational courses, taxation competency courses, advanced taxation concepts, and electives. During the program, students will also be given ample instruction on business leadership while working directly with professors who hold real-world experience as tax and accounting professionals.

Accreditation

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Contact

Benedictine University
College of Business
Scholl Hall, Room 109
5700 College Road
Lisle, IL 60532
Phone: (630) 829-6206
Email: dssmith@ben.edu
Website: https://www.ben.edu/cob/graduate/index.cfm

Bradley University

Department of Accounting

Founded in 1897 as an institution of practical learning, Bradley University has evolved into a relatively small but impressive school boasting a number of distinctions. U.S. News and World Report, Forbes Magazine and The Princeton Review each award the school with various high rankings on their lists of the best schools in the nation, and students here enjoy a variety of opportunities with more than 100 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs. Bradley University’s Foster College of Business enables students looking into graduate programs to pursue two different courses of study that lead to a master’s in the field, and both programs center on modern, practical instruction.

Master of Science in Accounting

Housed under the Foster College of Business Administration, Bradley University’s Department of Accounting offers a Master of Science in Accounting program that helps students hone analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills to become better business leaders and accounting professionals. The program is designed to uphold the standards of international accreditation and features a wide selection of academically challenging coursework. Whether students want to specialize in a sub-field or not, all accounting graduate candidates must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours comprising at least 15 accounting core courses and no more than 15 electives. Students must choose their elective credits from relevant M.B.A. course selections. Courses cover a broad range of topics such as the legal environment of business, organizational management, and cost accounting or controllership. Upon completion of the program, students will have earned the required 150 hour minimum to sit for the CPA licensing exam in most states.

Integrated 3:2 Master of Science in Accounting

For students who want to accelerate their undergraduate degree or start fresh with a new career focus, Bradley University offers a dual program in accounting that they call an Integrated 3:2 Master of Science in Accounting. The program enables candidates to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree simultaneously, and those who complete the program will also earn enough hours to sit for the CPA licensure exam due to the combined nature of the degree. Benefits for enrolling in the integrated program include greater financial aid assistance, less time spent in school, and a quicker way to move ahead as an accounting professional. Specifics about hour requirements vary and are not listed on Bradley University’s program site, so students should contact the program coordinator for specifics. However, it can be assumed that those who complete this program will need to fulfill both undergraduate and graduate requirements in order to earn an integrated master’s degree.

Accreditation

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Member of the Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAEP)

Contact

Bradley University
Department of Accounting
427 Baker Hall
1501 W Bradley Avenue
Peoria, IL 61625
Phone: (309) 677-2288
Email: simonp@bradley.edu
Website: http://www.bradley.edu/academic/gradschool/admission/programs/msa.dot

DePaul University

Kellstadt Graduate School of Business

As the largest Catholic university in the United States and the 12th largest non-profit private institution, DePaul University lives up to its standard of academic excellence by offering a wide range of programs and holding a number of distinct rankings from significant educational publications. The school was founded in 1898 and continues to draw those who desire a challenging education combined with religious influence particularly when it comes to business-related programs. DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business offers four practical degree programs at the graduate level, and each is designed to help students prepare for the challenges of a competitive field via rigorous instruction.

Master of Accountancy

DePaul University offers several options for students looking into accredited accounting degree programs in Illinois depending on educational background and professional career goals. For students with an undergraduate degree in accounting or classes that fulfill the prerequisite standards, the school offers a Master of Accountancy program designed for those with an interest in pursuing careers in accounting information systems, forensic accounting, or internal auditing. The Master of Accountancy program requires 48 semester hours spanning 12 courses with eight required classes and four classes made up of electives from an approved list. Courses cover topics related to the program goals such as an introduction to forensic accounting, data mining and analytics, and IT auditing. For electives, students may choose four classes that address their individual career aspirations excluding certain courses outlined by the department. At the end of the program, students will have enough hours to sit for the CPA exam.

Master of Science in Accountancy

Offered via the School of Accountancy and Management Information Systems under the direction of DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, the Master of Science in Accountancy program is tailored to meet the needs of students who do not possess an undergraduate degree in accounting. The program combines core accounting topics with business courses to help students prepare for careers as accounting professionals. Students who want to become accountants but who lack formal training or educational background in the field will appreciate the sequential nature of the M.S. program as it’s designed to provide in-depth coverage of relevant accounting topics. The program requires at least 16 courses designated into 11 required accounting classes, four business courses, and one elective accounting course. Students with a background in financial accounting coursework may be eligible to waive certain course requirements related to this topic and should meet with an academic adviser for specific eligibility rules.

Master of Laws in Taxation

Students have unique options at DePaul University when it comes to accredited accounting degree programs in Illinois. The Master of Laws in Taxation or LL.M. program is offered in conjunction with DePaul University’s College of Law, and students will find detailed information on its separate requirements on the department’s website listed below. This program enables students to study taxation law in an in-depth environment from legal professors with professional experience. Students must be accepted into the LL.M. program in order for courses to count toward a degree, which means that students studying law cannot count their coursework toward the degree unless they’ve been accepted into the master’s program first. For completion of the Master of Laws in Taxation degree, students need 24 credit hours selected from legal taxation courses such as federal income tax, employee benefits, and tax exempt organizations. Students will be given a broad overview of relevant legal taxation topics.

Master of Science in Taxation

For students who are interested in taxation, DePaul University offers a Master of Science in Taxation program apart from its tax law master’s program. This program focuses on personal and corporate taxation and how these elements affect consumers and clients in the modern accounting arena. Students will receive hands-on training in a variety of technologies as well as academic instruction on relevant topics. The Master of Science in Taxation program requires a total of 12 courses including five required classes: federal income tax procedures; a seminar on current issues in taxation; tax accounting, periods, and methods; tax research; and taxation of corporations and shareholders. The remaining seven courses are selected from accounting core classes and electives as determined by academic advisement. Students also need to complete a residency requirement for completion. M.B.A. candidates may count some of their coursework toward an M.S. in Accounting, but specifics must be cleared with the department.

Accreditation

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International

Contact

DePaul University
Kellstadt Graduate School of Business
1 E. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 5300
Chicago, IL 60604-2287
Phone: (312) 362-8810
Email: kgsb@depaul.edu
Websites:

Dominican University

Brennan School of Business

Dominican University was originally established in 1901 in Wisconsin but moved to its present location in Illinois in 1922 and has evolved into one of the best universities in the Midwest according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2014 ranking. As a relatively small and private Roman Catholic institution, Dominican University seeks to engage students using a combination of religious influence and academically challenging subjects to prepare graduates for careers in a wide range of fields. Students looking for accounting programs will find two options at the graduate level offered by the university’s prestigious and fully accredited Brennan School of Business.

Master of Business Administration, Accounting Concentration

Accountants today need a broad understanding of business topics in order to compete on a global scale, and this mentality informs the Master of Business Administration program at Dominican University. Students may choose a concentration in accounting in order to satisfy the need for business development as well as accounting competencies. The M.B.A. program encourages the completion of three core educational objectives: to develop strong analytical and critical thinking skills, to communicate appropriately, and to meet the challenges of the business world with integrity. Students may customize their program according to individual scheduling needs as the school offers in-person, online, and hybrid classes to meet the demands of working professionals. However, the accounting concentration cannot be completed entirely online. The M.B.A. program requires between 12 and 18 courses covering a variety of topics divided into nine foundation courses, six core classes, and three elective classes on the concentration of choice.

Master of Science in Accounting

Students without an undergraduate background in accounting will appreciate Dominican University’s Master of Science in Accounting as the program specifically prepares those with limited accounting experience for careers as professional accountants. Faculty includes professors with varied experience as CPAs and other accounting professionals, which means students receive a top-notch education including real-world application. The Master of Science in Accounting program requires between 10 and 17 courses depending on educational background and transfer credits; students who studied at an accredited school prior to entering Dominican’s program may request a transfer of up to six credits toward the graduate degree. Class requirements are divided into six foundation courses, seven core courses, and four electives. Students who perform well enough on the GMAT or GRE may have additional coursework waived as determined by the department. Upon completing the program, students are encouraged to take an additional CPA prep course in order to prepare for the licensure exam.

Accreditation

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

Dominican University
Brennan School of Business
7900 West Division St.
River Forest, IL 60305
Phone: (708) 524-6810
Email: gradbus@dom.edu
Website: http://business.dom.edu/academics

Working toward a master’s degree in accounting allows students to hone their skills as professionals while gaining exposure to a variety of hands-on learning experiences and networking opportunities that could help propel them forward in a competitive industry. The schools and programs listed above offer a wide range of courses designed to challenge students academically, and those seeking accredited accounting degree programs in Illinois will find ample opportunities within the state.