Accounting, M.Acc.

Students in Saint Louis University's Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business Master of Accounting (M.Acc.) program enhance their professional accounting abilities while developing strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills. Our accounting graduates have a long history of success on the CPA exam, with pass rates exceeding both the Missouri and national averages. Our graduates have also earned the Missouri gold medal on several occasions.

Curriculum Overview

The Chaifetz School of Business, with its continuing mission to provide excellence in business education, developed the 30-credit Master of Accounting program to help students gain superior ethical, technical and professional accounting skills. The program offers in-depth expertise in general accounting, taxation and auditing.

The program consists of 30 credits of advanced coursework with between 15 and 21 credits in accounting. The remaining credits will be completed in business electives determined in consultation with the program director.

Internships/Student Organizations

Saint Louis University's central location within the greater St. Louis metropolitan area provides a distinct competitive business advantage and allows us to enhance internship and recruitment effectiveness by creating strong relationships in public accounting, private industry, not-for-profit organizations and governmental entities.

SLU's graduate accounting students have access to the Valerie A. Davisson Career Resources Center. Conveniently located within the School of Business, the Center serves as the catalyst for creating meaningful connections, developing outstanding internships and employment opportunities, and providing other valuable career management services for M.Acc. students.

The Saint Louis University chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, an international scholastic and professional honor society for financial information professionals, provides a vital link between students and the accounting profession. The chapter presents numerous guest speakers from various disciplines and industries each semester and has been recognized among all Beta Alpha Psi chapters for its continued excellence.

Graduate accounting students at SLU also have the opportunity for an international perspective on the accounting profession by participating in a two-week-long study abroad trip to Saint Louis University's Madrid campus.

Careers

Graduates from this program may take the CPA exam and pursue a career as an accountant. According to the Bureau of Labor, the mean annual wage of accountants in the St. Louis area was $83,980 as of May 2019.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are reviewed holistically for past undergraduate work, test scores, letters of recommendation and professional or internship experience.  Additional courses may be required of students without sufficient undergraduate background in accounting.

Application Requirements

• Online application form
• Official Transcript(s)
• Two letters of recommendation
• Résumé
• Official GMAT scores
• Professional goal statement of fewer than 500 words

Requirements for International Students

Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents will also need to submit:

• English Language Proficiency Scores: For non-native speakers of English, an official TOEFL or IELTS score report is also required and must be sent directly from ETS or the British Council (The school code is 6629 for ETS). TOEFL and IELTS scores should be no more than two years old. This program requires a TOEFL score of 88 and an IELTS broadband of at least 6.5. 

  • The Graduate Programs Office reserves the right to evaluate an applicant's English based on an admissions interview and/or an English language test. Based on the results from either or both, applicants may be referred to INTO SLU for additional coursework. 

• A GPA on a 4.0 scale is required and should be reflected on official transcripts or documentation. All international transcripts must be calculated by the World Education Services (WES) or the Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) and include a course-by-course evaluation, including GPA and course levels. The graduate business programs office prefers WES but will accept ECE.

• Documentation of Financial Support: After an admission decision has been made and scholarship consideration has been assessed, students will need to complete an addendum form outlining certification of financial support for one year of study (if a student visa is required) submitted with the necessary documentation. Documentation will include:

  • A letter (declaration) of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency providing funds for your tuition and living expenses for the duration of your study at Saint Louis University.

  • A letter (certification) from the sponsor’s bank verifying that such funds currently are available and will be so for each subsequent year of your study at this University.  The financial evidence must cover at least the amount of expenses needed for the first year of your study.

Review Process

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis once all application materials are received. Application files are reviewed holistically, considering undergraduate work, professional or internship experience, test scores and the professional goal statement. The average time for admissions decisions is two weeks.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

In addition to financial aid available to graduate students, SLU's Master of Accounting program offers two types of scholarships: merit-based and competitive.

A limited number of merit-based scholarships are available to admitted full-time students, and all admitted students are considered. Students who are awarded a merit-based scholarship will typically receive $1,500 to $3,750 per semester for two semesters total.

The competitive scholarships vary in amount and are awarded in the spring to students entering their first or second semester of the master’s program the following fall. Complete the application by April 30 to be considered for one of the externally sponsored competitive scholarships.

For more information, visit the student financial services office online at http://finaid.slu.edu.

Accreditation

Saint Louis University's Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the premier business school accrediting body. Achieving AACSB accreditation ensures continuous quality improvement in the learning environment through enhancements to the curriculum, instructional resources, student selection, career planning and placement and the intellectual contributions and qualifications of the faculty.

Fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide have achieved AACSB accreditation. The accounting program is also separately accredited by the AACSB, one of only 183 schools to have earned this distinction.

1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate technical competency and possess appropriate professional knowledge. Specifically:
   1. Apply knowledge of relevant professional standards and the regulatory environment to resolve financial reporting issues of U.S. business (including not-for-profit) entities.
   2. Apply knowledge of tax laws for planning (including financial planning) and compliance purposes.
   3. Recognize and evaluate areas of potential legal concern in the business environment and demonstrate understanding of the role of legal issues in risk assessment.]
   4. Recognize and evaluate areas of potential risk in an entity’s business processes and information technology environment.
2. Graduates will demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills. Specifically:
   1. Gather, interpret, evaluate, analyze and apply relevant professional standards to complex accounting-related issues, and come to well-reasoned conclusions.
   2. Apply analytical and quantitative techniques to analyze financial statements within the context of risk assessment and firm valuation.
   3. Communicate complex ideas and thought effectively both orally and in writing.
3. Graduates will be able to demonstrate interpersonal skills.  Specifically:
   1. Work effectively in diverse teams and employment settings toward a common goal.
4. Graduates will be able to demonstrate the ability to recognize and appropriately respond to ethical issues in the practice of accounting.  Specifically:
   1. Identify ethical issues and decision alternatives by incorporating appropriate professional codes of conduct and social responsibility.
   2. Demonstrate professional conduct and demeanor in business settings.

Note: Additional courses may be required of students without sufficient undergraduate background in accounting.

Audit Concentration

Financial Reporting Concentration

†

ACCT 6030 Contemporary Financial Reporting (3 cr) satisfies the research requirement now mandatory for some states.

Taxation Concentration

Elective Courses

¹

ACCT 4400 Auditing (3 cr) is required if not taken as an undergraduate student.

²

ACCT 6030 Contemporary Financial Reporting (3 cr) may satisfy the research requirement now mandatory for some states.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

For additional admission questions please contact:

Neil Jansen
Program Director
neil.jansen@slu.edu