Considering the abundance of public and private four-year universities across the Commonwealth, it is no surprise that there are a large number of accredited accounting degree programs in Pennsylvania available at the master’s degree level. In addition to be a hub for higher education in the Mid-Atlantic region, Pennsylvania has a booming market that provides ample job opportunities for students graduating with accounting degrees. As a national leader in the financial and banking industry, Pennsylvania serves as the headquarters for over fifty Fortune 500 companies with the country’s sixth largest economy. Read on to learn more details about the master’s in accounting degree programs (O-T) in Pennsylvania that place graduates on the track towards becoming a CPA in this dynamic business environment.

Pennsylvania State University

Smeal College of Business

Headquartered on a vast 8,556-acre urban campus in University Park within “Happy Valley” with 24 satellite locations statewide in commuting distance to virtually every Pennsylvanian and an online World Campus from anywhere, Pennsylvania State University is the state’s flagship major public research land-grant institution of over 100,000 students. Named the 49th top university in the world by Times Higher Education, Penn State is ranked as the 48th best college, 14th top public school, and 2nd best school for veterans nationwide by U.S. News and World Report. As the 41st best business school, the Smeal College of Business is also home to the 21st top accounting degree programs in the United States.

Master of Accounting (MAcc)

In order to complete the 150 credit hours of education required in Pennsylvania to become licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program is available to open professional opportunities across the business landscape to enter careers in public accounting, corporate finance, financial analysis, consulting services, and even law enforcement. Within one of the most prized programs of its kind in the nation, students receive rigorous preparation for the CPA examination and strong connections with top accounting firms. Students can choose the Integrated MAcc program during the spring semester of their sophomore year to begin in their junior year and graduate in the fifth year with both degress. Or, students can enroll in the One-Year MAcc program in the junior year to receive the bachelor’s and master’s degree in just one year.

Accreditation

  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

210 Business Building
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 863-0448
Email: info@smeal.psu.edu
Website: http://www.smeal.psu.edu/macc

Pennsylvania State University—Erie

Sam and Irene Black School of Business

As a four-year residential college offering a student-centered environment with the resources of the major elite public research institution, Pennsylvania State University – Erie is home to just over 4,300 students on a wooded 854-acre suburban campus within minutes from the heart of the state’s fourth largest city. Along with being among the top public universities in Pennsylvania for student-to-faculty ratio, Penn State Erie is ranked #1 in the Wall Street Journal for producing graduates prepared to succeed. Also recognized for being one of the “Best 295 Business Schools” by the Princeton Review, the Sam and Irene Black School of Business is the only AACSB-accredited school in the region in a high-tech academic environment.

Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc)

Designed to provide the additional academic work needed to acquire the professional competence, technical knowledge, and practical skills required by today’s CPAs, the Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) program follows the curriculum guidelines by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy to fulfill the 150-credit requirement for Certified Public Accountant licensure in 48 states nationwide. In the program, students will be prepared for entry into the accounting profession with increasingly complex business strategies, more sophisticated auditing approaches, an understanding of new tax laws, and the expanded knowledge base in technical services to be effective accounting professionals. Students may complete the 30-credit degree in just one year of full-time study on the path towards promotion to manager or partner positions in accounting firms.

Accreditation

  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

4701 College Drive
Erie, PA 16563
Phone: (814) 898-7255
Email: PSBehrendMPAcc@psu.edu
Website: http://psbehrend.psu.edu/school-of-business/academic-programs/master-of-professional-accounting

Saint Joseph’s University

Erivan K. Haub School of Business

First founded in 1851 as a comprehensive private Roman Catholic and Jesuit research institution with a focus on the common good, Saint Joseph’s University is home to more than 8,200 students on a 114-acre suburban campus on Hawk Hill along the western edge of metropolitan Philadelphia in America’s fifth largest city. Recognized as the preeminent Jesuit university in the Northeast, SJU is currently ranked as the 11th best college and 2nd top university for veterans in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. Even more importantly, the AACSB-accredited Erivan K. Haub School of Business is acclaimed for offering the 57th best online graduate business degree programs in the entire nation.

Master of Business Administration (MBA): Accounting Concentration

Established as a uniquely flexible graduate business program focused on each individual student’s academic and career goals, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program will integrate practical management strategies, effective communication skills, technology applications, and creative thinking abilities with relevant functional expertise. Students who select an Accounting Concentration will be able to develop as professional accountants towards earning a CPA license by taking courses in accounting, financial management, shareholder value, value management, business intelligence, statistics, and mathematics. With a commitment to accommodating working professionals, the 33-credit program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis conveniently on-campus in Philadelphia or online anytime without interrupting career and life obligations.

Accreditation

  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

5600 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131
Phone: (610) 660-1690
Email: sjumba@sju.edu
Website: http://www.sju.edu/int/academics/hsb/grad/mba/

Seton Hill University

Business Division

Strategically located on a 200-acre suburban campus in Greensburg within just 35 miles east of Pittsburgh in southwestern Pennsylvania, Seton Hill University is a private co-educational Catholic liberal arts institution founded by the Sisters of Charity to deliver values-based education. As home to more than 2,200 students in 38 academic programs, Seton Hill is currently ranked as the 11th best college, 7th top value school, and 3rd best university for veterans in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. Also renowned for offering one of the largest MBA programs in the Pittsburgh area, the Business Division provides small class sizes with personal attention in an IACBE-accredited supportive learning environment.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting

Featuring courses in strategic management, tax research, new venture development, forensic accounting, advanced auditing, and more to expand professional know-how, the MBA in Accounting program is designed to strengthen business leadership skills while earning academic credits towards satisfying the CPA licensing requirements. In a case-drive application approach, the program connects business theories to practice to develop the analytical tools needed to identify, assess, and resolve challenges facing companies in today’s dynamic business world. With convenient eight-week sessions offered six times a year to begin at almost any time, the program is delivered in an accelerated format of weeknight and Saturday classes to finish the 36-credit degree in as little as one year.

Accreditation

  • The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)
  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

One Seton Hill Drive
Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: (724) 838-4208
Email: gadmit@setonhill.edu
Website: https://www.setonhill.edu/academics/graduate_programs/mba/mba_in_accounting

Temple University

Fox School of Business

With a reputation for providing affordable educational opportunities to a diverse population of over 38,600 students, Temple University is a dynamic comprehensive top-tier public research institution located on a large 330-acre urban campus in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. As the nation’s fourth largest provider of professional education, Temple is currently ranked as the 121st best college, 58th top public school, and 31st best university for military veterans in America by the U.S. News and World Report. Also named the 48th best business school, the Fox School of Business is highly regarded for having the 9th best online graduate business degree programs and the 42nd best master’s degree in accounting nationwide by the Public Accounting Report.

Master of Accountancy (MAcc)

Intended to bridge aspiring Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) to the public accounting industry to expand career opportunities, the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program is focused on providing graduate students with an in-depth advanced understanding on the professional practices of accounting, auditing, and taxation. Within the full-time one-year program, students are prepared for specific parts of the CPA examination while fostering the development of communication, presentation, leadership, interviewing, and analytical skills. During each semester, students will have the opportunity to participate in a colloquium to form connections with members of the professional accounting community in interactive sessions relevant to current issues in the field. To this date, the program has placed 96% of graduates in leading public accounting firms, including all Big Four accounting firms, within three years of graduation.  Temple University’s Master of Accountancy program was ranked number 30 of the “30 Top Affordable Master’s in Accounting / Master of Accountancy Degree Programs” by our editors.

Accreditation

  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

1801 Liacouras Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Phone: (215) 204-5890
Email: foxinfo@temple.edu
Website: http://www.fox.temple.edu/cms_academics/specialized-masters-program/concentrations/master-accountancy/

The University of Scranton

Kania School of Management

Situated on a beautiful 58-acre urban campus in the thriving community of Scranton within the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, the University of Scranton is a comprehensive four-year private Roman Catholic and Jesuit institution known for its personal approach to educating more than 5,600 students. Recognized by the prestigious Carnegie Classification in Community Engagement for performing over 175,000 hours of volunteer service annually, Scranton is ranked as the 7th best college, 12th top value school, and 5th best up-and-coming university in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. Within one of the nation’s finest master’s universities, the Kania School of Management is accredited by the AACSB International to offer the 132nd best part-time MBA program and 51st best online graduate business programs in the United States.

Master of Accountancy (MAcc)

Offered with specialized tracks in General Accounting, Forensic Accounting/Fraud Examination, or Accounting Information Systems, the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program aims to prepare graduate students with the advanced knowledge, technical know-how, and practical skills needed to enter today’s ever-expanding world of international commerce with fluency in the language of business. Students are prepared for taking the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination in Pennsylvania and many other states to find successful professional employment in national or local public accounting firms, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and notable firms in private industry. Within the one-year full-time program of just 33 credits, students are given the valuable option of participating in an internship to enhance classroom learning, apply skills in actual business settings, and form important life-long professional contacts throughout the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area.

Master of Business Administration (MBA): Specialization in Accounting

Informed by the university’s Jesuit traditions on ethics, economic justice, social responsibility, and sustainability, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is designed to deliver a broad-based business education to qualified graduate students in order to meet the specific self-defined career development objectives. Within the campus-based program in Scranton, students have the opportunity to select a Specialization in Accounting to concentrate their well-rounded graduate business education in topics related to advanced practices in accountancy. For the accumulation of at least 36 credits, students are required to take specialization courses in federal taxation, accounting integration, advanced auditing, international accounting, managerial accounting, and advanced financial accounting.

Accreditation

  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

800 Linden Street
Scranton, PA 18510
Phone: (570) 941-4049
Email: accounting@scranton.edu
Website: http://www.scranton.edu/academics/ksom/

Earning a graduate degree in accounting can be the best way to learn the essential knowledge needed to keep track of finances, help businesses make solid financial decisions about managing their affairs, organize tax records properly, and maximize cash flow for competition in a dynamic business marketplace. Whether you are a native Pennsylvanian or are considering attending college in the “Keystone State,” be sure to contact some of these accredited accounting degree programs in Pennsylvania that could be your key to success as a licensed CPA.