The D'Amore-McKim MS in Accounting/MBA gives you not only comprehensive accounting knowledge, but also fundamental business and technical skills that will help you navigate the dramatic changes shaping the accounting industry. This combined degree will set you apart from the field—and you can earn it in just 15 months.

MS in Accounting/MBA Program Overview

We designed the MS in Accounting/MBA specifically for those who didn't get an undergraduate degree in accounting, or who studied accounting outside the United States. Our students represent a wide range of majors, like theater, music, economics, and history. Employers at top accounting firms are looking for leaders with diverse experiences and points of view, which makes your unique background a valued asset.

The MS in Accounting/MBA is a lockstep program; you'll take all courses in sequence with your classmates except for one business elective of your choice. This structure means you'll be part of a tight-knit group that will be a personal and professional resource for you for years to come.

  • Program Structure: Studying full-time, you'll complete nine accounting courses, seven MBA courses, four analytics courses, and one elective.
  • Class Schedule: Classes are typically held Monday–Thursday.
  • Time to Complete: 15 months.

MS in Accounting/MBA program timeline | 15 months

MSA/MBA Timeline Graphic

Unique Features

100%

Job placement rate over the last five years

100%

Corporate residency placement rate

Accounting is changing at warp speed thanks to dramatic advances in technology, and firms are looking for tech-savvy leaders. To succeed in this fast-paced field, you'll need skills that stretch beyond accounting theory and practice.

That's why we've redesigned our MS in Accounting/MBA curriculum to include three important components: a comprehensive accounting curriculum, core MBA courses to round out your business perspective, and a critical four-course analytics concentration that will prepare you for the digital future of accounting. You'll also participate in our MS in Accounting/MBA paid corporate residency, giving you invaluable experience and industry connections.

  • Gain professional industry experience and expand your professional network through a paid corporate residency at a top accounting firm
  • Prepare for the rise of big data accounting with a concentration in analytics
  • Build an outstanding peer and alumni network you can connect to for support
  • Get advanced preparation for the CPA examination
  • Earn a combined degree in Business and Accounting in a format that offers substantial time and cost savings over earning two traditional degrees

Meet our students

Admissions

  • GMAT/GRE required? Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business is currently test-optional and does not require applicants to submit GRE or GMAT scores. For more information watch this video, or review our admissions policies.
  • English language proficiency: English proficiency, both written and verbal, is necessary for success in D'Amore-McKim classrooms. For more information, review our admissions policies.
  • Where do I apply? Learn more here.
  • Interview required? Yes.

MS in Accounting/MBA

Application DeadlinesDecision NotificationsClasses Begin
Nov. 15, 2023*Dec. 15Late May, early June
Feb. 15, 2024March 15Late May, early June
April 1, 2024Rolling BasisLate May, early June
*November 15, 2023 deadline is the final deadline for international candidates who require a new F-1 or J-1 visa

Tuition

Northeastern Student Financial Services publishes the tuition rates for the MS in Accounting/MBA program. Under the “Graduate Programs” section, the cost per credit appears next to “D'Amore-McKim School of Business Programs.”

Financial Aid

Northeastern's Student Financial Services team will guide you through options to help you finance your graduate education. You can learn more about graduate financial aid options on their website.

Once you become a student, your financial aid advisor will work with you to answer your questions, and provide valuable insight as you navigate the financial commitments of your program.

Scholarships

D'Amore-McKim and Northeastern University offer a variety of scholarships. As an MS in Accounting/MBA applicant, you'll automatically receive consideration for a merit scholarship. The following scholarships are also offered for MS in Accounting/MBA candidates: AmeriCorps/Teach for America, Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars program, City Year, Full Circle Scholarship, Latin American Achievers Scholarship, Prospansica MBA Scholarship, Posse MBA Scholarship, Reaching Out MBA Fellowship, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Graduate Fellowship. You may qualify for funding support as an alumU.S. servicemember, or veteran.

Application Fee Waivers

D'Amore-McKim offers application fee waivers to applicants that meet specific criteria. You can review the policy on the Graduate Application FAQ web page.

The D'Amore-McKim School of Business community stands with our university and its leadership in our dedication to cultivating equity and inclusion for all humankind. Understanding and solving our problems requires constant interaction among people who bring their own diverse contexts and experiences to the conversation. Therefore, we must be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that values the uniqueness of its members, recognizes the power and importance of diversity in our own and surrounding communities, and ensures their engaged participation.

Scholarships and Fellowships

Northeastern University and D'Amore-McKim offers and partners with organizations that provide a variety of scholarships and fellowships to foster diversity and inclusion. Examples of these include the Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholars Program, The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Graduate Fellowship, Graduate Accounting DEI Fellowship, Prospansica MBA Scholarship, Posse MBA Scholarship and the Reach Out MBA Fellowship.

Graduate Student Clubs  

There are numerous university-wide and D'Amore-McKim-affiliated student groups that you may wish to join, and several are grounded in building inclusive communities and resiliency. Many of our graduate business students participate in the Graduate School of Professional Accounting DEI Fellows, Graduate Students of Color Collective, Grad Q, and Out in Business.

Campus Resources

Participate in community-building programs, lectures, and events offered by Northeastern's cultural centers representing a range of affiliations and interests including the LGBTQA Resource CenterLatinx Student Cultural CenterAsian American CenterOffice of Global Services, and many more.

Curriculum

Accounting Courses

Introduces the attest function and its application to financial statement opinion audits and other assurance services common in today's professional environment. Emphasizes a risk-based approach to audit planning, the internal control structure, and the control environment; the design of test of controls, substantive tests, and the resultant audit report. Topics include audit sampling, audit evidence, audit procedures, workpaper preparation, the impact of information technology on the audit process, and the auditor's responsibility to detect fraud. A primary focus is the auditor's legal and ethical responsibilities. Emphasis is also on operational audits, compliance audits, reviews, compilation, and other attestation services.

ACCT 6223 | 6 Hours

Introduces the principles of taxation including income and expenses, tax accounting methods, and the tax implications of property transactions (including the calculation of basis as well as gains and losses). Emphasizes tax compliance, planning, and research as they impact the decision-making process for individuals, corporations, and flow-through entities.

ACCT 6224 | 6 Hours

Examines the strategic decisions that managers need to make concerning the acquisition, measurement, and management of firm resources. Focuses on the strategic use of cost information for planning and controlling, and the use of cost analysis in making critical business decisions.

ACCT 6226 | 3 Hours

Examines the conceptual and practical aspects of business combinations. Topics include mergers and acquisitions, purchase accounting, cost vs. equity method, and accounting for intercompany transactions between a parent company and its subsidiaries.

ACCT 6227 | 3 Hours

Offers a capstone course on the theoretical concepts of accounting, with a focus on standards issued by various professional organizations including the FASB, SEC, and AICPA. Examines emerging issues in financial reporting. Real-world cases are utilized to illustrate the complex financial reporting issues confronted by the business community and accounting profession.

ACCT 6228 | 3 Hours

Deals with issues related to corporate governance and audit committee mechanisms in preventing financial reporting disasters and in providing high-quality financial reports to global capital markets. Emphasizes the role of the board of directors and its committees, management, shareholders, external auditors, and internal auditors in developing sound ethical practices and a good corporate governance culture. Examines efforts by legislative and regulatory bodies and the accounting profession in improving financial reporting transparency and auditor independence.

ACCT 6217 | 3 Hours

Examines the development of financial reports including their underlying concepts and measurement theories. Corporate financial reporting is a dynamic process in which information is provided to internal and external decision makers to assist them in the effective allocation of economic resources. Examines the legal, economic, and political processes that influence the financial reporting process.

ACCT 6220 | 3 Hours

Continues ACCT 6220. Examines corporate financial reporting in the decision-making process. Emphasis is on the economic consequences of alternative financial reporting practices. Provides students with the ability to understand and utilize critical information contained in corporate financial reports to improve business decision making.

ACCT 6221 | 6 Hours

Continues the study of corporate financial reporting, covering specialized topics that assume knowledge of the accounting principles covered in the first two courses. Topics include corporate reporting as equity instruments, executive compensation, reporting of fund flows, and reporting and disclosures for corporations engaged in diverse economic activities and those operating across geographic boundaries. Examines accounting and disclosure standards in the United States and in other countries, as well as standards developed by international bodies. Covers financial reporting models used by governmental and nonprofit entities.

ACCT 6222 | 6 Hours

MBA Courses

Examines the role of marketing as an organizational function and a set of processes to manage offerings that provide superior value to customers. Focuses on developing student skill in analyzing the customer and business environment and using that analysis to build an effective marketing strategy. Emphasizes methods for the identification, acquisition, and retention of customers in a way that provides mutual value to the customer and the organization.

MKTG 6318 | 2 Hours

Provides the fundamental concepts for understanding and managing strategy in a competitive context. Focuses on analysis, critical thinking, and making strategic decisions. Discusses the analytical tools to understand the industry and firm context. Explores the design and execution of strategies to compete successfully. Investigates the strategic changes involved as firms grow and expand into new businesses and geographic markets.

STRT 6318 | 2 Hours

Introduces time value of money calculations and applications. Building upon a basis in accounting, offers students an opportunity to learn how to extract relevant information from the accounting statements for use in financial calculations and ratio analysis. Also examines capital planning, including determining relevant cash flows, calculating decision measures, and making the correct decisions.

FINA 6318 | 2 Hours

Offers key insights every business professional should understand working in, managing, and leading organizations in today's complex, diverse, and dynamic business environment. The primary goal of this course is to challenge—and improve—students' understanding of human behavior in organizations so that they are better positioned to strategically leverage human capital. Introduces critical theories and concepts through case analyses, debates, TED Talks, and exercises that aim to help students understand, analyze, and ultimately address real business situations and problems.

HRMG 6318 | 2 Hours

Focuses on the integrative management of processes and activities involved in transformation and delivery of goods and services. Emphasizes foundational knowledge on supply chain and operations management concepts, techniques, and functions. Topics covered include sourcing and procurement, manufacturing and service operations, logistics management, process design and control, inventory management, interfirm relationship management, and attendant information flows.

SCHM 6318 | 2 Hours

Introduces several entrepreneurship and innovation topics, including innovation and entrepreneurship as a value-creating activity for economies and firms; types of innovation (technological, process, products, business models); fundamentals of product development (design thinking, rapid prototyping, ethnography); startup creation and articulating a value proposition; the role and traits of the entrepreneur; maximizing odds of success and minimizing odds of failure; growing the startup and creating a market; finding or creating the right niche; pivoting and judo strategy; lean startup approach; innovation in established firms and resistance to change; organizational inertia; business model change; and technological discontinuities.

INNO 6318 | 2 Hours

Examines the critical aspects of business essential in understanding the business and legal environment. Examines contract law and areas of the law that relate directly to the accountancy profession. Develops knowledge of the Uniform Commercial Code as it relates to the law of sales, commercial paper, and secured transactions. Also explores the importance of ethics in the business and accounting environment, and considers potential ethical dilemmas.

MGMT 6211 | 2 Hours

Analytics Concentration

Provides an overview of data collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation techniques used by contemporary organizations. Students use multiple software tools to collect, prepare, manage, analyze, evaluate, understand, critique, visualize, and present data sets of various types. Offers students an opportunity to obtain essential skills, tools, and techniques required to understand data sets, both large and small, from sources internal and external to an organization. This understanding can then be used to support datacentric decision making and create a measurable improvement in business performance. Businesses run on data, and employees at all levels must know how to properly use and interpret data to support their roles within a company.

BUSN 6365 | 3 Hours

Provides students with a fundamental understanding of the impact of technology on the organization and its financial systems. In particular, students are exposed to the new business models that technology enables and the control issues that these business models create. Discusses emerging technologies, digital business, supply chain, customer relationship management, and other technology subjects. Requires admission to MS/MBA program.

MGSC 6201 | 3 Hours

Introduces design principles for creating meaningful displays of information to support effective business decision making. Studies how to collect and process data; create interactive visualizations; and use them to demonstrate or provide insight into a problem, situation, or phenomenon. Introduces methods to critique visualizations along with ways to identify design principles that make good visualizations effective. Discusses the challenges of making data understandable across a wide range of audiences. Provides an overview of data visualization, key design principles and techniques for visualizing data, and the fundamentals of communication that are required for effective data presentation. Other topics may include ethical uses of information displays, storytelling, infographics, immersive visualizations, and information dashboard design. Offers students an opportunity to use one or more software tools.

MISM 6210 | 3 Hours

Examines data mining perspectives and methods in a business context. Introduces the theoretical foundations for major data mining methods and studies how to select and use the appropriate data mining method and the major advantages for each. Students use contemporary data mining software applications and practice basic programming skills. Focuses on solving real-world problems, which require data cleaning, data transformation, and data modeling.

MISM 6212 | 3 Hours

Electives

In consultation with advisor, complete 3 graduate-level semester hours for which prerequisites are met. Choose from the following subject codes:
ACCT, BUSN, ENTR, FINA, HRMG, INTB, MECN, MGMT, MKTG, SCHM, STRT, and TECE
Any graduate-level course at D'Amore-McKim | 3 credits

Corporate Residency Requirement

Provides eligible students with an opportunity for work experience. May be repeated up to five times.

BUSN 6964 | 0 Hours

The following is a sample curriculum and is subject to change. Enrolled students should reference the academic catalog for current program requirements.

Get in touch

Kellianne Frankel

Recruiting Specialist, Graduate School of Professional Accounting

Learn more about campus

Explore opportunities to connect with us and learn more about Northeastern University's world-class facilities.
Explore our Campus Explore our Campus

Upcoming Future Student Events

Mar 20

Join our Graduate School of Professional Accounting's admissions team to learn more about the MS in Accounting and MS in Accounting/MBA programs.

Mar 24

Discover D'Amore-McKim's experience-powered MBA program with Dena Snyder, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions, and unlock your path to success. Register now!

Related Programs