Master of Science in Accounting

Course details

What is distinctive about this course?
Our Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program provides students with advanced knowledge and techniques to pursue professional careers in public and private accounting. MSA students develop skills necessary to solve accounting problems that are of contemporary relevance to the fields of accounting, finance and other business areas.

Course overview:
The Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program is designed to provide students with knowledge and preparation to pursue professional careers in public and private accounting; develop skills necessary to solve accounting problems that are of contemporary relevance and more challenging in the fields of accounting, finance and other business areas; and teach the required technical and nontechnical accounting competencies. Although pre-class readings and in-class lectures remain essential for presenting key accounting theories and concepts, the reinforcement and assessment methods are oriented toward experiential exercises that require the participants to apply the material to real-life cases. Thus, the program makes extensive use of case studies, individual and team projects and other “real-world” opportunities to use the material covered.

The MSA program creates additional employment opportunities and promotes the career success of our graduates. Career options for graduates will include positions in public accounting such as auditors, controllers, financial analysts and management consultants. This program will allow students to meet the current 150-semester-hour education requirement to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination in most US states. The objective of the proposed accounting program is to give our students an edge in passing the CPA exam and to prepare them for careers in professional accountancy.

The combination of undergraduate and graduate courses in the MSA program deepens students’ competencies in business in general and accounting in particular. This knowledge is needed to achieve professional certifications such as CPA, CMA and CIA—qualifications expected of top professionals in the accounting field. The MSA program will open a broader career path to students who enter public accounting as auditors, consultants, corporate accountants or financial analysts. The Big Four accounting firms in the region and other top employers will hire graduates from the MSA program particularly because of its solid auditing/assurance component.

Students must complete the following core courses:

• Topics in Financial Accounting
• Auditing and Attestation
• Advanced Topics in Managerial and Cost Accounting
• Advanced Topics in International Financial Reporting Standards
• Regulatory Environment in Accounting
• Enterprise Database Systems

Who is this course for?
Motivated students who desire to increase their accounting skills and increase their chances of passing the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exams.

How will I benefit from taking this course?
The AUS Master of Science of Account program prepares students for careers in accounting and helps them develop the decision-making skills necessary to lead successful business enterprises. The curriculum presents global business perspectives and challenges students to apply them to the Gulf region.

Entry requirements:
Admission to the AUS Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program is competitive. Regardless of undergraduate major, to be considered for admission, each applicant to the MSA program is expected to have achieved a minimum undergraduate CGPA of 3.00, in addition to meeting the university’s graduate admission requirements. Applicants with a lower CGPA may be granted conditional admission, but are generally expected to participate in a face-to-face interview. Such applicants may also be required to meet additional specific requirements of the MSA program.