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Offered by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Engage in group discussions with professors and peers
32 credit hours of graduate coursework
Hands-on learning from anywhere, no travel required
Depending on elective course choices
The online MS in Accountancy program curriculum is designed to provide students with a relevant set of analytical skills and a consultancy mindset. Delivered by Gies’ top-ranked accounting faculty with decades of industry experience, the iMSA helps students learn to collect and process information and make high-impact strategic decisions for their organization. The iMSA is designed to be a versatile degree. It is equally feasible that a student can use this degree to prepare for the CPA exam as it is that a student can use this degree to fundamentally change how they collect, analyze, and interpret data in their professional lives.
The curriculum is divided between core accounting and analytics coursework and elective coursework. Learning takes place in several modalities: online self-paced lecture content, high-engagement live classes, and practical mastery through hands-on projects as well as in everyday job responsibilities at work.
Financial Reporting: Learners will assess the validity and completeness of a publicly-traded corporation’s financial statements and disclosures of key risks, and analyze the corporation’s potential for future financial success.
Managerial Accounting and Control: Learners will role-play as managers and identify relevant information, analyze costs and profits, and use information management tools to make a strategic business decision involving uncertainty.
Corporate Tax Strategy: Learners will identify a publicly-traded, global corporation and assess its organizational structure’s effectiveness in minimizing domestic and global tax obligations.
Business Analytics Learners will apply a multi-faceted analytics approach to assess a company’s strategic and operational risk, and identify, measure, and quantify the impact of instances of manager fraud.
The iMSA was developed by top accounting faculty to build expertise in leading analytics methods, financial reporting, audit and control, and US federal taxation. This degree prepares you to sit for the CPA exam.
Learn more about the iMSA's high-engagement courses on the Gies website. You can explore the core and elective courses and discover how Gies can build your accounting knowledge.
Ready to sample a course from the iMSA program? Explore the online self-paced lecture content through the following Specializations and courses. These courses are open for anyone to enroll in. If you are admitted to the full program, these open courses count towards your degree learning.
U.S. Federal Taxation Specialization
This Specialization introduces the U.S. federal tax system via conceptual and applied material. Learners will be able to apply basic principles to settings involving individuals, corporations, and other business entities, complete key components of major, individual U.S. federal tax returns, and identify tax-related strategies and implications of structuring transactions and organizations.
The iMSA program offers various specializations, including: Financial Reporting, U.S. Federal Tax, and Data Analytics. You can complete the iMSA in as few as 4 semesters (18 months) or as many as 8 semesters (36 months).
Application Deadlines:
Upcoming Events:
Please contact Gies College of Business at giesonline@illinois.edu.
The full Gies Online Events Calendar can be found here.
Application Deadlines:
Upcoming Events:
Please contact Gies College of Business at giesonline@illinois.edu.
The full Gies Online Events Calendar can be found here.
These graduate certificates stack directly into the Master of Science in Accountancy (iMSA). Each of the high engagement courses that comprise these certificates carry University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign graduate credit.
Graduate Certificate in Accounting Data Analytics : Learn how to synthesize and communicate data-intensive information, findings and conclusions, and develop the job-ready skills to solve accounting and business challenges.
Learn more about this certificate
CPA Pathways Graduate Certificate: Build technical knowledge and skills in financial accounting, taxation, and accounting data analytics as you prepare for the Uniform CPA Examination®.
Learn more about this certificate
Accounting Foundations Graduate Certificate: Develop job-ready skills with the top accounting faculty in the nation in as little as eight months.
This course highlights the conceptual framework and financial statements. It also provides in-depth analysis of accounting issues related to the measurement, recognition and disclosure of current and non-current assets, and revenue recognition.
Students who have previously completed any of the required courses will take a suitable replacement course approved by a program advisor.
This course will cover the measurement and reporting of a firm's liabilities and shareholders' equity. Topics include contingencies, subsequent events, bonds, leases, deferred taxes, pensions, equity transactions, and earning per share.
Students who have previously completed any of the required courses will take a suitable replacement course approved by a program advisor.
Introduction to management accounting principles, as used to facilitate and align internal decisions made by managers and employees. Topics include analytical tools and techniques to address common business problems, cost information systems, budgeting, and strategic performance measurement systems.
Students who have previously completed any of the required courses will take a suitable replacement course approved by a program advisor.
Introduction to conceptual and applied material in the field of auditing. Emphasizes the audit process, reporting, and professional responsibilities.
Students who have previously completed any of the required courses will take a suitable replacement course approved by a program advisor.
Introduction to historical and conceptual as well as applied material in the accounting area of federal taxation; emphasizes the provisions of the tax law relevant to accounting measurement methods.
Students who have previously completed any of the required courses will take a suitable replacement course approved by a program advisor.
Students in the iMSA program will be able to choose from a list of electives to fulfill their degree requirements. Some electives include:
Concentrations:
Specializations or Emphasis Areas:
The final deadline is March 6, 2025
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