Accountancy, MSA Postgraduate Programme By Gies College of Business - University of Illinois Urbana Champaign |TopUniversities

Accountancy, MSA Accountancy, MSA

Location

Gies College of Business, Champaign, United States
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Programme Duration

12 monthsProgramme duration

Tuitionfee

53,496 USDTuition Fee/year

Application Deadline

31 Oct, 2025Application Deadline

Main Subject Area

Accounting and FinanceMain Subject Area

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University CTA

Programme overview

Main Subject

Accounting and Finance

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

The MSA program is a 12 month, STEM designated non-thesis program designed for students of any background; a bachelor’s degree in accounting is not required. Our top-ranked program will help you develop the (US) accounting and critical thinking skills needed to successfully sit for the CPA exam and become a data-driven decision maker.

Programme overview

Main Subject

Accounting and Finance

Degree

MSc

Study Level

Masters

Study Mode

On Campus

The MSA program is a 12 month, STEM designated non-thesis program designed for students of any background; a bachelor’s degree in accounting is not required. Our top-ranked program will help you develop the (US) accounting and critical thinking skills needed to successfully sit for the CPA exam and become a data-driven decision maker.

Admission Requirements

3+
7.5+
103+
The MSA program welcomes students with a bachelor’s degree in any academic discipline, subject to certain business background prerequisites. Decisions are based on the individual’s previous academic accomplishments, work experience, test scores, personal statement, resume, demonstrated potential for graduate and professional success, and references. Applications are processed on a rolling basis. 

31 Oct 2025
12 Months
Jun
Jan

  • Candidates are required to submit references or letter(s) of recommendation for acceptance
  • Candidates are required to submit an essay(s) for acceptance

Tuition fees

Domestic
42,740 USD
International
53,496 USD

Scholarships

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Frequently Asked Questions

No, the MSA program is designed for students with a variety of different backgrounds. Students will be individually placed in courses based on their undergraduate coursework and be provided with the tools and knowledge to become successful in the business world.
We are looking for well-rounded applicants that may have varying amounts of previous accounting coursework and/or experience. We expect you to have done well academically. We also want to know what other interests you have. The resume and personal statement is your opportunity to share with us something else about yourself and what your goals are so that we can get to know you better and be able to evaluate you not just on your grades and test scores when we make a decision. For example, what extracurricular activities are you involved in? Have you done volunteer work, been involved in clubs, student groups, or athletics? What leadership roles have you held? What did you learn from the work experiences you completed?
There are basically two key reasons why the MSA program starts so early. First, by starting to take accounting classes during the summer, our students can become eligible to take the US CPA exam in the spring semester. We structure our MSA program to ensure that those students who want to take the US CPA exam can do so either while they are still in school, before they start working in the US or before they are required to return to their home country. If we started our program in the fall semester, it would be difficult to structure our program to allow students to start taking these exams during the spring or before they would start working. Second, for accounting majors, the primary US recruiting takes place early the fall semester at all major US universities. This is when most, if not all, US jobs are filled. In addition, US recruiters focus almost all of their time assessing students’ soft skills.
The Spring start is specifically designed for learners who hold an undergraduate accounting degree from a university outside of the United States or who have a certification from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). Learners beginning in the Spring term will complete the program in three semesters (Spring, Summer, Fall), receive the benefit of taking advanced elective courses early in their program, become eligible to sit for the US CPA exam prior to completing the program, and be well prepared for the traditional recruiting cycle which takes place early in the Fall semester.
The MSA program is a one-year professional program in accountancy for students of all academic backgrounds who did not complete a bachelor’s degree in accounting from an AACSB accredited U.S. based institution. The MAS program is designed for students that have a bachelor’s degree in accounting from an AACSB accredited U.S. based institution.
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