Master of Accounting

• We help you meet your career goals. Many states require 150 hours of college education prior to taking the Certified Public Accountant exam. Our 30 credit hour MAcc program helps you fill that requirement and teaches you skills needed for the job.
• The SAU Academic and Career Planning Office and Accounting faculty support you with résumé review, mock interviews, campus interviews, development of a professional profile on social media, and guidance in career decisions. We host career fairs and have accounting professionals, including SAU alumni, on campus scouting talent throughout the year.
• You can earn your degree in less than one year. Choose from our full-time, accelerated full-time, or part-time program. Start taking classes in the fall, spring, or summer semester.
• You don't need an undergraduate degree in accounting.
• Our faculty have real-world experience and some volunteer or work as consultants. Their focus is on you, and they are accessible when you need them.
• The SAU Master of Accounting program was designed with input from leaders in public and private accounting, industry and government, and has a solid reputation. The curriculum is further enhanced by the perspectives you and your peers bring to the program. We attract students from all corners of the globe, including India, Africa, and Russia.

You will learn about theoretical and practical issues - as well as controversies - in accounting; how advanced income tax regulations apply to corporations; ways to resolve tax issues; requirements for reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission; and non-profit financial reporting.

Courses include cases in taxation, advanced auditing, nonprofit accounting, law, and governmental accounting. Students can complete an internship for three credits and gain experience working for public accounting firms, major manufacturing and financial businesses, and service and government organizations.

The SAU Master of Accounting program is nationally accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). St. Ambrose University is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Program structure

To accommodate a variety of student needs and situations, the 150 course hours can be earned in traditional as well as unique delivery modes:

• Full-time Program: Students may take classes both daytime and evening, completing the 30-hour Master of Accounting degree in one year.
• Part-time Evening Program: Students may take classes in the evening (which allows you to continue working) and complete the 30-hour Master of Accounting degree in two years.

Financing a graduate degree may seem daunting, but SAU offers graduate assistantships, fellowships, and full-time MAcc students can qualify for a scholarship. Contact the program chair for more details.

2022-23 Tuition

Tuition is $1,044/credit hour plus fees.

Students who start the program within one year of graduation may qualify for a tuition discount of up to 30 percent on MAcc courses, up to 33 credit hours or 12 months of enrollment, whichever comes first.

George J. Till Scholarship

The George J. Till Accounting Scholarship is offered to outstanding undergraduate and graduate accounting students. The award varies from $500 to $5,000/year and is renewable for up to 4 years.

To be considered for the scholarship, students must:

• have a cumulative GPA of 3.5
• demonstrate financial need

Download the form to apply (pdf)

• Taegen Ertmer, '18, '18 MAcc is an associate in Caterpillar's Leadership Development Program, a position she accepted after an internship with the company.
• Kathleen Hall, '18, '19 MAcc, is an Audit Associate in Deloitte's Davenport office, a position she accepted after an internship with the firm.
• John Hammar '08, '09 MAcc, is the Controller for Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust after working several years in public accounting with both RSM and Deloitte.
• Kaitlyn Pulley '07, '08 MAcc, is a Senior International Accountant at Deere & Company, a position that opened to her after completing Deere's Accounting/Finance Development Program (FDP).

View Master of Accounting courses and descriptions in the online course catalog

Electives (15 credits)
ACCT 601 Advanced Financial Accounting Theory and Emerging Issues
ACCT 602 Accounting Issues Seminar
ACCT 603 Advanced Managerial Accounting Theory
ACCT 606 Advanced Tax Topics
ACCT 610 Advanced Financial Accounting Topics
ACCT 614 Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation
ACCT 616 Advanced Auditing
ACCT 620 Seminar in Graduate Accounting Topics 1-3 credits
ACCT 660 Graduate Accounting Internship 1-3 credits

Graduate Electives (15 credits)
From non-accounting courses that must be approved by the program director.

Take the next step toward your master's degree and apply to the Master of Accounting program.