Master's of Accounting (iMSA)

Applications for Summer and Fall 2025 are open. Apply now!

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Master's of Accounting (iMSA)

Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois

Summer application deadline: March 6

Start your application or request more information.

Apply

Accredited diploma

Offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Taught in English

Engage in group discussions with professors and peers

18-36 months

32 credit hours of graduate coursework

100% online

Hands-on learning from anywhere, no travel required

$21,492 - $27,200 USD total cost

Depending on elective course choices

Become an analytics-minded professional with a fully online master’s from a top-ranked accounting powerhouse.

Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is consistently ranked among the nation's top three accounting programs and is a revered destination for accounting education globally.

The online Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA) provides students with skills in analytical thinking, data mining, and strategic accounting. This accounting degree is intentionally flexible to address the needs of today’s students: whether they seek to begin their career as an accountant, become a CPA, improve their standing in the accounting field and become a CFO, or want to leverage analytical skills in their existing non-accounting career.

In-demand skills to meet the future of accounting

The accounting industry is undergoing rapid change. New accountants need to become proficient in leading analytical techniques and tools like; programming in Python and R, data mining, statistical analysis and regression. All of this on top of a traditional accounting education.

The iMSA meets these needs with instruction from some of the very best accounting faculty in the world. Graduates from the Gies program are in high-demand because they possess the most sought-after skills. Alumni have gone on to become world-renowned founders of businesses, CEOs, CFOs, accounting firm partners, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders.

Application Deadlines:

  • Summer/Fall Applications Open: January 6, 2025
  • Summer Deadline: March 6, 2025
  • Fall Priority Deadline: April 3, 2025

Upcoming Events:

  • Lunch and Learn | February 7, 2025 at 12 PM CT - Register here
  • iDegree Webinar | February 12, 2025 at 4 PM CT - Register here
  • LinkedIn Live with Gies Online | February 14, 2025 at 12 PM CT - Register here

Have questions?

Please contact Gies College of Business at giesonline@illinois.edu.

Upcoming Events

The full Gies Online Events Calendar can be found here.

Summer application deadline: March 6

Start your application or request more information.

Apply

Accredited diploma

Offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Taught in English

Engage in group discussions with professors and peers

18-36 months

32 credit hours of graduate coursework

100% online

Hands-on learning from anywhere, no travel required

$21,492 - $27,200 USD total cost

Depending on elective course choices

Accredited diploma

Offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Taught in English

Engage in group discussions with professors and peers

Become an analytics-minded professional with a fully online master’s from a top-ranked accounting powerhouse.

Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is consistently ranked among the nation's top three accounting programs and is a revered destination for accounting education globally.

The online Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA) provides students with skills in analytical thinking, data mining, and strategic accounting. This accounting degree is intentionally flexible to address the needs of today’s students: whether they seek to begin their career as an accountant, become a CPA, improve their standing in the accounting field and become a CFO, or want to leverage analytical skills in their existing non-accounting career.

In-demand skills to meet the future of accounting

The accounting industry is undergoing rapid change. New accountants need to become proficient in leading analytical techniques and tools like; programming in Python and R, data mining, statistical analysis and regression. All of this on top of a traditional accounting education.

The iMSA meets these needs with instruction from some of the very best accounting faculty in the world. Graduates from the Gies program are in high-demand because they possess the most sought-after skills. Alumni have gone on to become world-renowned founders of businesses, CEOs, CFOs, accounting firm partners, entrepreneurs, and other business leaders.

Application Deadlines:

  • Summer/Fall Applications Open: January 6, 2025
  • Summer Deadline: March 6, 2025
  • Fall Priority Deadline: April 3, 2025

Upcoming Events:

  • Lunch and Learn | February 7, 2025 at 12 PM CT - Register here
  • iDegree Webinar | February 12, 2025 at 4 PM CT - Register here
  • LinkedIn Live with Gies Online | February 14, 2025 at 12 PM CT - Register here

Have questions?

Please contact Gies College of Business at giesonline@illinois.edu.

Upcoming Events

The full Gies Online Events Calendar can be found here.

Choose Your Path

Ready to give the iMSA a try? Get started on your application today, or start with an open course. With an open course, you can try the asynchronous component of the program in advance. These open courses feature degree instructors, video lectures, and readings.

Learn more about open courses related to this degree

An affordable pathway into one of the fastest growing occupations

  • $21,492 - $27,200 total tuition Competitively priced against other top accounting schools, the iMSA provides a gateway into one of the fastest growing occupations.
  • Pay-as-you-go You pay tuition only for courses you're enrolled in. If a scheduling conflict arises, you are free to take a term off and won’t be charged during that term.
  • Financial aid & scholarships Gies College of Business and Coursera have partnered to offer a limited number of competitive scholarships covering 70% of tuition for select students. If you’re a U.S. resident, you may also qualify for student aid.

Advance your accounting career

  • The iMSA was developed by top accounting faculty to build expertise in leading analytics methods, financial reporting, audit and control, and US federal taxation.
  • Accounting is one of the fastest growing careers and the universal language of business. An accounting degree can open doors in almost any field.
  • The iMSA delivers an exceptional degree at a fraction of the price of other top MSA programs. Earn your degree in as little as 18 months in a flexible online format.

Accounting by the numbers

76% received a job offer or promotion

Gies focuses on tracking promotions or new job acceptances among iMSA graduates, with 76% reporting better jobs post-degree, highlighting an immediate ROI from the Gies iMSA program.

96% applied the skills directly into their careers

iMSA students engage in projects that address real job challenges and seek advice from peers and faculty, with 96% of graduates effectively applying their iMSA learning in their careers, highlighting the program's high value.

Average 22% salary increase

Gies iMSA graduates see an average salary increase of 22%, significantly highlighting the strong ROI of the iMSA degree in an era of typical 2% raises.

Future of accounting

The accounting industry is projected to grow at 4% year over year. The growth in technology and automation will affect the role of accountants, but overall demand is not expected to decrease according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, it will increase efficiency and make accountants' analytical abilities more prominent.

[Featured image] Man at a desk working on taxes on a computer

Open to all backgrounds

The iMSA is open to those without an accounting background all the way to C-suite executives. No accounting undergraduate degree is required for admission.

There are four ways to access our courses:

  1. Apply into the iMSA program

  2. Apply into the performance-based admissions track (PAT)

  3. Enroll in a for-credit course as a non-degree student

  4. Register for a non credit option

Learn more

[Featured image] Man at a desk working on taxes on a computer

Gies is accepting applications for Summer 2025

The final deadline is March 6, 2025

Build toward a degree

These courses are part of the degree program. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Leadership and Business Skill for Immediate Impact

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Develop Data Analytics Skills for Accountants

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    U.S. Federal Taxation of Individuals & Businesses

¹Successful application and enrollment are required. Eligibility requirements apply. Each institution determines the number of credits recognized by completing this content that may count towards degree requirements, considering any existing credits you may have. Click on a specific course for more information.

News

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November 4, 2024

Taking a Nontraditional Route to an Accounting Career with the Gies iMSA

Stephen credits coordination between Illinois and Coursera for his success. Discover his path to getting the iMSA.

September 3, 2024

A Lifelong Learner Earns the Gies iMSA To Further Stand Out

Learn how Eric Albrecht boosts his career at AT&T with the transformative iMSA program.

March 14, 2024

Frequently asked questions

In general, we expect applicants to have completed a course in business management along with a one- or two- course sequence in principles of accounting or a course in financial accounting. If you are missing any prerequisites for the full degree, you can complete open courses through Coursera to demonstrate readiness and strengthen your application for the iMSA:

The three courses below, in combination, will satisfy the principles of accounting prerequisite.

For the business management course prerequisite we offer a course titled Business Strategy.

You will want to make sure that you earn a course completion certificate for each course, so you can prove that you’ve successfully completed them.

If you don’t meet the GPA requirement but are still very interested in applying, you may consider applying to our Performance-based Admissions Track (PAT). You will undergo the same rigorous application review as a degree-seeking student, including a possible interview. If admitted into the PAT program, you will take a set of two iMSA for-credit courses, and upon completion (cumulative GPA or 3.0 or better, including a B or better in both courses) you will automatically be admitted to the iMSA program as a degree-seeking student. The credits earned in those two courses will be transferred toward your MSA degree. Click here for more details.

Yes, you can enroll as a non-degree student at the University of Illinois to earn official university credit through relevant online for-credit courses. To submit the short application to enroll as a for-credit, non degree student, go to https://giesonline.illinois.edu/explore-programs/degree-access-points

Gies is accepting applications for Summer 2025

The final deadline is March 6, 2025