Accountancy

The MSA program provides the academic prerequisites for candidates who wish to take the United States Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination. Graduates of the MSA program have had notable success in passing the examination.

The Illinois tradition of excellence in graduate accountancy education began with the awarding of the department’s first master’s degree in 1922 and its first Ph.D. in 1939. One of the largest suppliers of leaders of the accountancy profession, Illinois boasts more partners in the Big-Four CPA firms than any other academic institution.

The Department of Accountancy is an innovator. As a graduate student in the Department of Accountancy and College of Business, you will take courses that are part of a dynamic curriculum.

Receive hands-on training, gain transferrable knowledge and skills that will provide a foundation for success in many careers, including:

• Public Accounting

• Corporate Accounting

• Banking and Financial Services

• Consulting

• Investment Banking

• Government and non-profit

Candidates are required to have a business background and the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. They must have earned a minimum grade average of “B,” or the equivalent, in the last two years of undergraduate study. In addition, applicants must have completed two Principles of Accounting courses and one course in each of the following areas: finance, management, statistics, microeconomics, and macroeconomics.All applicants, domestic or international, are required to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). This test should be taken early enough to ensure that the results will be available to the department before action must be taken on admission.Application ChecklistOnline ApplicationOfficial Transcripts and Degree CertificatesProfessional ResumePersonal StatementThree Letters of RecommendationGMAT Score Reports: Institution Code -VKR TK 32TOEFL/IELTS Score Reports: Institution Code - 1836Declaration & Certification of Finances (International Students Only)MSA Coursework Form (upload as part of online application)Supplemental Materials English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 610 TOEFL iBT® test: 102

Accreditation

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has consistently ranked among the top accountancy departments in the United States. Business Week, U.S. News & World Report, and Public Accounting Report have rated both the undergraduate and graduate accounting programs among the best in the United States.