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Careers in Accounting.
Most of the graduates of Colorado State’s Master of Accounting program
become Certified Public Accountants (CPA). Many work in the field of
public accounting, typicaly with one of the “Big Four” international
CPA firms. Others work for regional and local CPA firms, in Denver,
northern Colorado, and throughout the United States. CPA firms provide a
wide range of business services, including auditing, financial and tax
planning, and consulting on information systems and a variety of other
business matters.
Some of our graduates work in industry or
government, often in corporate controllership functions. These positions
may involve design and operation of accounting information systems,
budgeting and forecasting, financial and managerial reporting, and cash
management.
Because of their breadth of knowledge of financial
and operating matters, experienced CPAs are increasingly moving into
high-level management positions.
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The CSU MAcc.
Graduates of CSU’s MAcc program are well prepared to become
CPAs. The program's unique blend of courses provides a wealth of
practical job-related knowledge, as well as the topic coverage needed to
successfully sit for the national Uniform CPA Examination. Use of a
masters program to prepare for the CPA exam greatly enhances a person’s
mobility, as 48 states require at least 150 semester hours of education
to be licensed as a CPA. The breadth of our
curriculum reflects the breadth of services performed by CPAs. In
addition to a core of required courses in the major sub-fields of
accounting, students opt for one of three specialized certificates: |
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Financial. Courses in financial reporting and corporate finance are sound preparation for public accounting,
controllership, and corporate finance careers.
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Taxation. This field is a well-established
specialty of our department, and is excellent preparation for work in
financial and tax planning.
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Consulting. Students tailor this unique
specialization to their own preferences, drawing on courses in
information systems, e-commerce, marketing, and other business areas.
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The MAcc program consists of 30 semester hours of
coursework. It can be
completed in one year of full-time study. Many of our students choose to
pursue the program on a part-time basis, because of employment or family
situations. To facilitate part-time study, we offer most of our graduate
courses in the evening or late afternoon. |
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Financial Aid. Many of our students receive
scholarships and fellowships through the generous support of alumni, CPA firms,
and the Graduate School,
Graduate assistantships, in which the student assists a professor with
teaching and research, provide for remission of in-state tuition plus a
monthly cash stipend. Both scholarships and assistantships are offered
on a competitive basis, and require a course load of at least nine hours
per semester. Early application to the program increases the chances of
receiving financial aid. |
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Admission. Incoming students must have a bachelor’s
degree (any field) with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale. An
acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is
also required, though it may be waived in for those with substantial
work experience. Specific
undergraduate coursework amounting to 30 semester hours — primarily in
accounting but including economics, statistics, and finance — is also
required. It is usually possible to be admitted to the program before
completing all of the prerequisites and to take the remainder
concurrently with graduate courses.
For further information regarding the Department of
Accounting, contact administrative assistant, Laura McGrath,
(970-491-5102) or for application submission, contact Graduate
Admissions Coordinator, Rachel Stoll (970-491-3704). |
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