MS in Accountancy

A top accounting master’s degree designed for any undergraduate major

Add accounting to your skillset and become a business leader in just one year with this top-ranked Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) from Gies College of Business.

This STEM-designated accounting program is designed for students of all academic backgrounds; a bachelor's degree in accounting is not required.

You'll develop skills to excel in a competitive job market while becoming a more professional version of yourself. The Department of Accountancy features a #1 ranked faculty (according to BYU’s Faculty Research Ranking) focused on providing an outstanding student experience, strengthening your business skills, and developing leading-edge accounting curriculums.

Applications for Summer (June) 2023 are now open.

Leading curriculum with a focus on data analytics

Technical excellence is a given. Hiring outstanding faculty, admitting students with exceptional credentials, delivering innovative and market-relevant accounting curriculum, and preparing students to pass the CPA exam are essential ingredients of our leading accounting master’s program. At Gies, we take all of these areas seriously. We teach students to develop and apply an analytics-oriented mindset to a variety of accounting scenarios, including financial accounting, audit and tax, advisory and managerial, and forensics.

Practicing skills is an equally important component of learning. At Gies, we create opportunities for our students to learn by doing through practicing key technical and non-technical business skills. The results are invaluable and help to accelerate personal and professional development.

The MSA core curriculum applies to all of our students. However, for those students who have previously taken accounting courses equivalent to those in our core curriculum, we will work with you to find a suitable course replacement to recognize the sufficiency of your prior accounting education.

An outstanding student experience

The MS in Accountancy balances academic education with the development of non-technical business soft skills through a personalized approach. That’s what makes our program unique. We create experiences to enhance your education, job search, wellness, personal and professional development, and cultural fit.

For international students, we offer a supportive environment. This includes the opportunity to enhance your understanding of American university culture and improve your English speaking proficiency through networking events, conversation partners, and group outings. If you’re looking for a STEM-designated, top-ranked graduate accounting degree that will exceed your expectations, look no further than the MSA at Gies Business.

On-Campus Recruiting Opportunities

The reputation of our College and our graduates bring hundreds of recruiters from the world’s top companies to campus each semester. The Gies Business Career Services team sponsors recruiting fairs each fall and spring semester, which provides opportunities for students to interview with companies for full-time and internship positions.

In addition, you have additional opportunities to participate in recruiting fairs across campus, including two in The Grainger College of Engineering; one in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences; one in the Research Park; and two all-campus recruiting fairs. As a Gies student, you can take advantage of a full array of resources and the experience of our Gies Business Career Services professionals to prepare you for these recruiting opportunities.

Curriculum and Requirements

The MSA program begins in June each year. The MSA degree requires 32 semester hours of graduate course work of which at least 20 hours are in graduate-level accounting courses, and at least 4 hours are in a non-accountancy graduate course. In addition to the core curriculum, some students may be eligible to add a concentration. Our MSA program has concentrations in:

• Business & Public Policy
• Corporate Governance & International Business
• Data Analytics in Accountancy
• Finance
• Information Technology & Control
• Supply Chain Management
• Taxation

Strong career opportunities

We are proud that 100% of our domestic graduates seeking employment landed a job within three months of graduation, and international graduates reported a placement rate of 97% within six months of graduation in 2021.

As one of the largest suppliers of leaders for the accounting profession, we boast more partners in the Big-Four CPA firms than any other university. Our graduates consistently go on to earn C-suite positions with major corporations such as:

• Amazon
• Deloitte
• EY
• Facebook
• GE
• Goldman Sachs
• KPMG
• PwC
• Tencent

With the MSA, you gain a competitive advantage in the job marketplace. Future employers want to hire students who are academically excellent and also possess important professional business skills. The MSA team works hard, along with Gies Business Career Services, to intentionally create impactful opportunities for students to develop a balance between technical and non-technical skills.

• 197 Started their careers with Big Four firms

2020 Accounting Graduates

• #1 Accountancy faculty

BYU Accounting Faculty Research Rankings

• 100% Domestic placement rate within three months of graduation

2021 Graduates

Career Development and Job Search Services

Here at Gies, we are dedicated to your career development, whether that means preparing you for a successful job search or helping you plan for your professional life after graduation. Throughout the year, the Gies Business Career Services team offer a wide range of services and development programming including but not limited to:

• Résumé, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter reviews
• In-person interview workshops and practice
• Digital and virtual interviewing platform
• Case interview resources
• One-on-one advising
• Career fair preparation
• Online platform access and guidance
• Company information sessions
• Virtual alumni conversations

Leading curriculum with a focus on data analytics

Technical excellence is a given. Hiring outstanding faculty, admitting students with exceptional credentials, delivering innovative and market-relevant accounting curricula, and preparing students to pass the CPA exam are essential ingredients of our leading accounting master’s program. At Gies, we take all of these areas seriously. We teach students to develop and apply an analytics-oriented mindset to a variety of accounting scenarios, including financial accounting, audit and tax, advisory and managerial, and forensics.

Practicing skills is an equally important component of learning. At Gies, we create opportunities for our students to learn by doing through practicing key technical and non-technical business skills. The results are invaluable and help to accelerate personal and professional development.

The MSA core curriculum applies to all of our students. However, for those students who have previously taken accounting courses equivalent to those in our core curriculum, we will work with you to find a suitable course replacement to recognize the sufficiency of your prior accounting education.

An outstanding student experience

The master's in accounting program balances academic education with the development of nontechnical business soft skills through a personalized approach. That’s what makes our program unique. We create experiences to enhance your education, job search, wellness, personal and professional development, and cultural fit.

For international students, we offer a supportive environment. This includes the opportunity to enhance your understanding of American university culture and improve your English speaking proficiency through networking events, conversation partners, and group outings. If you’re looking for a STEM-designated, top-ranked graduate accounting degree that will exceed your expectations, look no further than the MSA at Gies Business.