The curriculum for the online Master of Science in Accountancy is designed with the philosophy of preparing graduates to excel in their careers from the start. Students take 12 courses and have the option to take three business classes, allowing them to complete the program in 18 months by taking two 10-week courses simultaneously. The coursework includes comprehensive coverage of accounting principles and theory, practices and methodologies and utilizes real-world business challenges to develop problem-solving skills.
This course covers the core principles of accounting. Students will also gain an understanding of financial statements as well as knowledge of how to prepare balance sheets, income statements and statements of cash flow. Additional concepts covered include:
This course focuses on flow of accounting information in organizations, and the role accountants play in risk mitigation and disaster recovery for their organizations. It focuses on topics related to accounting technology, including database management tools and the acquisition of accounting information systems. Students will gain an understanding of security, internal controls and the use of information technology in financial decision making, including:
This is the first course of intermediate accounting. It is designed to aid students in understanding and applying more advanced accounting principles and concepts through critical analysis of accounting and asset valuation methods. Other topics include:
This course focuses on how to use internal accounting information to make sound managerial decisions. Emphasis is placed on understanding business transactions in the context of cost and managerial accounting analysis, including:
This course further develops students’ intermediate accounting knowledge and skills. It is designed to assist students in preparing and understanding financial statements alongside additional complex accounting concepts, including:
The course covers the substantial issues related to accounting for acquisitions and subsequent consolidation of business entities with a focus on developing problem-solving skills. Students will gain opportunities to apply the theory and skills they’ve learned in other courses to real-world accounting problems. Other topics covered include:
This is the first of two courses of auditing. It provides an introduction to auditing theory and standards. The course covers the role of the auditor as a professional in a legal, ethical and business context. Other concepts include:
The purpose of this course is to examine the U.S. taxation of individuals and includes an in-depth study of the methods of the determination of tax. The course is designed to provide a deeper understanding of tax topics, including:
This is the second of two courses in auditing. The course emphasizes the implementation and application of generally accepted auditing standards to financial transactions, and it is intended to provide experience with common tools and procedures such as sampling and data analysis. Other concepts include:
The purpose of this course is to examine the U.S. taxation of corporations and partnerships and includes an in-depth study of the methods of the determination of tax. The course is designed to provide a deeper understanding of tax topics, including:
This course covers the legal and regulatory aspects of the practice of accounting. It provides knowledge of business structures underlying accounting transactions, including:
This is intended as the final course in the program and provides exposure to financial accounting policy issues. The course challenges students to critically analyze the formation of accounting policies using real-world examples. It is designed to provide an understanding of the current state of financial accounting, with topics including:
We also recommend the following business courses for students without a prior business degree. These are optional and not required.
*Required for international students; may be waived for those students with a prior U.S. degree.
To learn more about DePaul University’s online MSA program fill out the fields below to download a brochure. You can also call (800) 950-0232 (toll-free) or (312) 676-6438 to speak to one of our admissions advisors.
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