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Public Accounting B.S., M.S.

Combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Science
  • 150 Credits
  • School of Business
  • Westchester
A Certified Public Accountant working with her clients.

Public Accounting Overview

Earn a jump start on your career with our accelerated degree program and active learning model that offers real-world experiences. The Combined B.S./M.S. in Public Accounting program will prepare you for a dynamic profession.

As an undergraduate, you have a strong liberal arts foundation complementing the professional accounting and business curriculum. 

As a graduate student, you’ll experience an integration of advanced accounting research and studies in graduate business courses. This 150-Credit program is for highly qualified students pursuing the Public Accountancy profession.

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Prepare for the New York State CPA Exam

The Combined B.S./M.S. in Public Accounting is a registered Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure-qualifying program. Upon completion, students will meet the academic requirements for admission to the CPA examination in New York State and will satisfy the licensure requirements with one year of appropriate professional experience.

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Career Opportunities

Public Accounting graduates may seek positions such as:

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Government auditor 
  • Internal auditor
  • Financial advisor 
  • Tax accountant
  • Forensic auditor/accountant.

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Program Outcomes

At the end of this program, students should be able to:

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Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts in the business core curriculum

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Evaluate ethical issues in accounting, auditing, and business

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Use accounting and research tools to integrate business and accounting information in making strategic decisions

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Use oral, written, and presentation skills to communicate accounting information and auditing results

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Use business, accounting and auditing techniques to evaluate business performance, and substantiate business results

Requirements

Admissions Requirements for matriculation and admission into the Combined B.S. / M.S. in Public Accounting:

A. Undergraduate Program Admission:

  1. Undergraduate students enroll in the B.S. Public Accounting Program.
  2. Students must maintain an overall and accounting GPA of 3.0 or higher throughout their undergraduate studies. 
  3. After completion of the 300-level Accounting courses, students who meet the 3.0 GPA requirement may be eligible to switch majors to the Combined B.S. / M.S. in Public Accounting Program after an interview with and the written permission of the Accounting Department Chairperson.
  4. Accounting credits more than five years old may not be accepted in transfer in fulfillment of the major; they may only be used for elective credits. Foreign accounting transfer credits are generally not accepted. Contact the Accounting Department Chairperson for more information.

B. Graduate Program Admission:

During the last year of undergraduate study, students who have an overall and Accounting GPA of 3.0 or higher meet with the Accounting Department Chairperson to switch majors to the Combined B.S. / M.S. Public Accounting degree. Students who meet graduate admission criteria will matriculate into the graduate portion of the Combined B.S. / M.S. Public Accounting Program. Program continuation will be granted to candidates who show promise of success in graduate studies. An interview with the Accounting Department Chairperson is required.

Degree Requirements for matriculation and admission into the Master of Science in Public accounting include:

  1. A baccalaureate transcript with 120 credits of prerequisite courses in the specific content areas of accounting, business and liberal arts and sciences are required for entrance into the program. Contact the Accounting Department chairperson for prerequisite course specifics. International students must submit a formal evaluation of all international coursework; an evaluation by World Education Services (WES) is preferred.
  2. Two-page written Professional Goals Statement stating the reasons for applying to the program and how the applicant can benefit by its completion.
  3. Interview with the Accounting Department chairperson or designee.

Satisfactory GMAT score may be required for applicants with no substantive business experience or GPA below 3.0. The successful completion of the CPA or CMA Examination or an equivalent examination could be used instead of the GMAT.

Frequently Asked Questions

Full-time students can complete the 120-credit degree program in four years and the 150-credit degree program in five years.

Interested students are admitted to the BS Public Accounting program . Upon completion of the 300 level accounting courses, students with a 3.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) overall and in major can switch to the combined major by making an appointment with the Accounting Chairperson

Classes for the B.S. program are offered in the day, evening and some classes on weekends primarily at the Dobbs Ferry and Bronx campuses.  

M.S. classes are offered primarily at the Dobbs Ferry Campus in the evenings (with some of the program’s business core classes offered at all three of the University’s campuses – Dobbs Ferry, Bronx and Manhattan).

Up to 75 credits from a two-year institution. Up to 90 from a four-year institution. Up to 90 credits combined however the credits may not exceed 75 credits from any combination of two-year institutions as they apply to your chosen degree. In addition you may only transfer in two courses of upper-level business credit (six credits) to apply to the major / specialization.

Yes, faculty are always ready to help students with questions about what courses to take, the sequencing of courses, and career opportunities, including internships and cooperative education.

The Accounting Chairperson must provide written approval for students who are eligible to switch majors to the combined BS/MS program. The student must show the ability to succeed in the MS program. The matriculation between the BS and MS degrees is seamless.

Yes. Qualified applicants are admitted without regard to race, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age or physical disability.

Program Details & Curriculum

Bachelor of Science

General Liberal Arts and Sciences
General Education Requirements: 60 Credits

ECON 125, 210, 220, 221, 230, MATH 116 and MATH/CISC 120 are prerequisites for the major and must be used to fulfill general education requirements.

Business Core: 24 Credits
Public Accounting: 36 Credits
Total Bachelor of Science: 120 Credits

Master of Science

Students who are enrolled in the M.S. in Public Accounting Portion of the 4+1 Program must complete:

Public Accounting: 18 Credits
Business: 12 Credits
Total Master of Science Credits: 30 Credits

Total B.S./M.S.: 150 Credits

For a full curriculum listing visit our catalog.

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