Accounting MS | School of Management

Our 30-credit Master of Science (MS) in Accounting program is intended to provide
students with in-depth accounting and auditing knowledge. Faculty emphasize conceptual
understanding, analytical methods and logical reasoning.

How to apply?

Program highlights

• 100% of recent graduates received full-time job offers prior to graduation.
• Binghamton University ranks among the nation’s top public colleges for graduates who secure high-paying jobs in accounting.
• The School of Management holds a separate AACSB accounting accreditation. Fewer than
  25% of AACSB-accredited institutions have this distinction.

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Important forms for graduate students

As the accounting industry continued to evolve, students will need to develop new
technical skills to successfully navigate their careers. Utilizing case studies and
software such as  Visio, SAP, Alteryx, Tableau and Mathematica, our courses give students
the opportunity to get hands-on experience.

Throughout the program, students use real-world data sets to learn about data analysis
and visualization, programming, blockchain, and cybersecurity.

Our graduates go on to secure positions in public accountancy or in managerial positions
at a variety of industry, government, and not-for-profit organizations.

Curriculum

One-Year Curriculum (30-credits) – For students with an undergraduate degree in Accounting from an AACSB accredited school.*

Our 30-credit MS Accounting program provides students with the accounting coursework
required to sit for the Uniform CPA examination. In order to fulfill the education
requirements to be licensed as a certified public accountant (CPA) in the State of
New York, students enrolled in the program are expected to have an undergraduate degree
in accounting from an AACSB accredited institution (thus they will have already completed
36 credits of business courses and be set up to meet the minimum 33 credits of accounting
courses required to sit for the CPA exam).

• Binghamton University’s BS Accounting/MS Accounting Combined program is a NYS Licensure
  Qualifying Registered Program.
• Students enrolled in our MS Accounting program who have completed their undergraduate
  degree at another AACSB institution should work with the Director, SOM Master’s Program
  Admissions and Student Services to ensure they are taking the coursework needed to
  meet the CPA licensure education requirements. Upon completion of the program students
  will independently verify they meet the education requirements by submitting their
  transcripts to the NYS Education Department Office of the Professions.

*On rare occasions students may need to complete additional business or accounting
courses to fulfill core background requirements. These courses include Microeconomics/Macroeconomics,
Financial Accounting, Statistics, Cost Accounting, Intermediate Accounting Theory
I and II, Auditing, Entity Taxation (corporate tax), Business Law I and II, Organizational
Behavior, Finance, Management Information Systems, Marketing and Operations Management.

Two-to-Three Year Curriculum – For students who do NOT have an undergraduate degree
in Accounting from an AACSB accredited school.

While the MS Accounting program is intended primarily for accounting undergraduates
from AACSB-accredited programs, we welcome students with little or no accounting/business
coursework to apply. These students may pursue the program in an extended time frame
(typically two-to-three years) and will need to take additional business and accounting
coursework. Additional coursework may be in the form of prerequisites for required
MS Accounting courses, as well as courses needed to meet the education requirements
to sit for the CPA licensure examination.

Core background coursework requirements are Microeconomics/Macroeconomics, Financial
Accounting, Statistics, Cost Accounting, Intermediate Accounting Theory I and II,
Auditing, Entity Taxation (corporate tax), Business Law I and II, Organizational Behavior,
Finance, Management Information Systems, Marketing and Operations Management.

Students interested in pursuing CPA licensure should work closely with the Director,
SOM Master’s Program Admissions and Student Services to ensure they are taking the
coursework needed to meet CPA licensure education requirements. Upon completion of
the program students will independently verify they meet the education requirements
by submitting their transcripts to the NYS Education Department Office of the Professions.

MS Accounting Coursework 

*For students entering Fall 2025 on. Students enrolled in previous semester should
consult with the Director, SOM Master’s Program Admissions and Student Services.

Career outlook

School of Management graduates entering the workforce are recruited by top-tier public
and private companies. Binghamton University is a leading new hire pipeline for the
Big Four accounting firms: EY, PwC, Deloitte and KPMG.

 With the school’s strong national reputation, alumni are also actively sought out
by regional firms and government agencies such as the U.S. Department of the Treasury
and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

With a degree in accounting you could be:

• Certified Public Accountant
• Financial Analyst
• Budget Analyst
• Forensic Accountant
• Finance Manager
• Personal Financial Advisor

Our MS Accounting program also provides a solid theoretical foundation for students
who intend to pursue a doctoral degree following graduation. 

Application requirements

Complete instructions for applying to Binghamton University are available on the Graduate
School’s how to apply webpage.

• While we accept GMAT and GRE scores for consideration, they are not required for our
  MS Accounting program.
• Students admitted into this program option typically have an undergraduate GPA of
  3.0 or higher.
• Applicants with significant work experience and/or strong GMAT/GRE scores (while not
  required) are also considered for admission.

Information regarding admissions, financial aid, housing, program costs and visiting
the Binghamton University’s campus can be found at the Graduate School website.

If you have questions regarding application submission, contact the Graduate School
at 607–777–2151, or [email protected].

Individuals interested in the MS Accounting: Taxation Concentration should be aware
the program is currently on pause and we are not accepting new applications. 

International students

There are additional requirements for international students. To find out about admissions
and more important information, visit our International Students page.

Current Binghamton BS Accounting Majors

Binghamton University School of Management accounting undergraduates interested in
the MS Accounting program should apply for Binghamton University’s Accounting 4+1
program. You must begin your application by accessing BU Brain via the myBinghamton Portal. 

Teaching and Graduate Assistant Positions

All individuals who are eligible for admission are considered for assistantship positions
within the academic area that they are applying to during the admissions process.
The Schoof of Management evaluates the entire pool of current and incoming graduate
students when determining who to award an assistantship to.

How to become a Graduate Assistant