master of accounting iowa

There’s only one way for Iowa accountants to turn an undergraduate accounting degree into a career as a CPA. That is to enroll in one of the many accredited accounting degree programs in Iowa. These programs have been certified as among the best in the state by both the Higher Learning Commission and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The combination of regional and professional accreditation ensures that students’ degrees are:

  • highly valuable
  • recognized by employers throughout the country
  • sufficient for CPA exam qualification

This means that students can take their career to the next level with any of these excellent programs.

Iowa State University

College of Business

Iowa State is among the largest universities in Iowa, with a total student enrollment of more than 34,000. That positions Iowa State as one of the two rival flagships in the state. It gives its Master of Accounting degree a great deal of weight with employers throughout the Midwest. Students in Iowa State’s College of Business will learn from doctoral professors who have obtained real world experience in their fields. This gives students advanced knowledge and practical experience that will prove invaluable as they begin studying for the CPA exam. Program options include a Master of Accounting or an MBA with an accounting concentration. Iowa State appeals to both accounting undergraduates as well as those applicants with a more general business or management background.

Master of Accounting

Students in the Master of Accounting program will pick up where their undergraduate degree left off, with courses in:

  • government accounting
  • advanced financial accounting
  • cost accounting
  • forensics and auditing
  • advanced federal taxation
  • international accounting
  • advanced accounting programs

The graduate accounting program consists of 30 total credits. Of these, 24 are part of the required core. Students will also select at least 6 elective credits from the accounting department, helping to specialize their degree or broaden their advanced understanding of accounting concepts. All program graduates will be qualified to take Iowa’s CPA exam upon receipt of their degree.

MBA in Accounting

The MBA program at Iowa State is broad in nature, with students studying:

  • advanced marketing concepts
  • financial and strategic management
  • advanced managerial accounting
  • organizational behavior

In addition to the general courses that are common to MBA programs, students will take a slate of at least three specialized accounting classes. These classes teach:

  • advanced federal taxation
  • government and non-profit taxation
  • auditing and forensics
  • advanced accounting programs

The combination of accounting courses and business classes will prepare students for managerial jobs in the accounting industry. They will also qualify them for Iowa’s CPA exam if they wish to pursue that option after graduation.

Accreditations

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International

Contact

Iowa State University
College of Business
Dr. Charles B. Handy Graduate Programs Office
1360 Gerdin Business Building
Ames, IA 50011
Phone: (515) 294-8118
Email: busgrad@iastate.edu
Website: http://www.business.iastate.edu/masters/macc/

St. Ambrose University

College of Business

St. Ambrose is a small, private university in Iowa. It gives students unique opportunities for individualized attention throughout the graduate accounting program. Less than 1,000 graduate students attend St. Ambrose across all disciplines. Most accounting classes will consist of fewer than 20 students in total. The program is designed purely for students with an undergraduate degree in the field. It begins with advanced coursework and requires no foundation courses. Most professors hold doctoral degrees in this program. Several assistantships are available to students interested in research or teaching while they complete the program.

Master of Accounting

In many accounting degrees  a required core makes up the vast majority of the program. St. Ambrose takes an approach that allows almost its entire program to consist of elective classes. Just two classes are considered part of the required accounting core:

  • Advanced Financial Accounting Theory and Emerging Issues
  • Advanced Managerial Accounting Theory and Controllership

Beyond these two classes, students will pick from a long list of accounting classes and choose at least 24 credits in an area that interests them. Students can choose from classes in:

  • managerial accounting
  • government and public accounting
  • auditing and forensic accounting, taxation and more

By the end of the program, students will have a custom-designed accounting degree that qualifies them to take the CPA exam and further their career.

Accreditations

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International

Contact

St. Ambrose University
College of Business
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52803
Phone: (563) 333-6000.
Website: http://www.sau.edu/accounting

University of Iowa

Tippie College of Business

The University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business is one of the top business schools nationwide. It’s consistently in the top 50 public schools of business in the U.S. News and World Report rankings. The school’s focus in the MAcc program is on teaching advanced accounting skills to future managers. This means most applicants will have an undergraduate degree in the field. Tippie does offer foundation courses, taken through its MBA program. These are for students who completed a general business degree and do not have a sophisticated educational background in accounting. Professors all have doctoral degrees in this program. They often advise students in teaching, research, and organizational assistantships during their time in the program.

Master of Accountancy

Tippie’s accounting program is a non-thesis program that focuses on the practical skills needed to succeed in a CPA role or in a managerial accounting position. This means that students will take courses in:

  • managerial accounting
  • accounting decision-making and ethical concerns
  • accounting information systems
  • accounting system design
  • federal taxation
  • government accounting
  • public accounting, and others

At least 6 elective credits can be chosen from a long list of accounting and finance-related courses. This gives students the opportunity to focus on a specific area of interest in the profession. Tippie graduates will be prepared and qualified for both the CPA exam and managerial accounting positions in firms of all sizes.

Accreditations

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International

Contact

University of Iowa
Tippie College of Business
108 John Pappajohn Business Building
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: (319) 335-0862
Email: accounting@uiowa.edu
Website: http://tippie.uiowa.edu/accounting/mac/

University of Northern Iowa

College of Business Administration

For students in the northern part of the state, UNI is the largest and most prestigious university offering a graduate degree in accounting. The school’s Master of Accounting program is often ranked by major publications as a great value. It also earns high marks for:

  • class size
  • on-campus research and teaching opportunities
  • the qualifications of its faculty

Students are required to have completed an undergraduate degree in accounting at a regionally accredited university. This program does not offer foundation courses or any introductory accounting classes. Several teaching and research assistantships are available to highly qualified students. They can expect to be advised by a doctoral professor for the duration of the accounting program at UNI.

Master of Accounting

Like Tippie’s program, UNI’s Master of Accounting curriculum is a continuation of undergraduate accounting studies. Students will dive into advanced coursework immediately. Required classes include:

  • federal and state taxation
  • auditing
  • cost accounting
  • advanced managerial accounting
  • accounting information systems and systems design
  • financial statement analysis

All told, 21 credits in the program are part of the required accounting core. Students can choose 9 elective credits in a broad array of topical areas. They will help specialize the degree and give students a more specific focus in the industry. The program’s 30-hour design means that all graduates are eligible for the Iowa CPA exam after graduation.

Accreditations

  • Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International

Contact

University of Northern Iowa
College of Business Administration
1227 W 27th St.
Cedar Falls, IA 50614
Phone: (319) 273-2311
Email: mary.christ@uni.edu
Website: http://business.uni.edu/web/pages/academics/masteraccounting.cfm>

Graduate-level accounting programs are typically a requirement for aspiring accountants who wish to sit for the CPA exam and expand their long-term career prospects. Luckily for these individuals, Iowa has a number of very strong programs that feature both regional and AACSB accreditation. These give students the skills and prestige they need to build rewarding careers as CPAs and accounting managers. Accredited accounting degree programs in Iowa:

  • meet the state’s CPA threshold
  • teach a variety of key accounting concepts from various sectors of the industry
  • provide proper preparation for a long, rewarding career in this stable and attractive field.

Related Resources: