master of accounting in florida

Looking into accredited accounting degree programs in Florida could be the first step to a lucrative and rewarding career in the Sunshine State. It’s home to an ever-increasing and diverse population of business and individuals in need of solid candidates for their open positions. There’s a wide variety of top-notch colleges and universities to choose from. They both public and private, in every setting from urban to rural. There is something to fit every style and budget for students seeking advance degrees. To see more accredited accounting degree programs in Florida, visit Master of Accounting Degree Programs in Florida (O-Z).

Barry University

Andreas School of Business

Established in 1940, Barry University is a Catholic, liberal-arts college located in Miami Shores on the southeast coast of Florida. It serves more than 9,000 students in more than 100 degree programs, ranging from Bachelor to Doctoral degrees. Barry is committed to providing a well-rounded education, preparing students for the 21st century. The Andreas School of Business is a more recent addition to the university. It was established in 1976 and offers a variety of business and accounting degrees at both Bachelor and Master level.

Master of Science in Accounting (MSA)

The Master of Science in Accounting program at Barry University prepares students to compete in a global market.  It emphasizes a strong sense of ethics and social responsibility in keeping with the Catholic nature of the university. Students completing this degree are eligible to take the exam to become a certified public accountant (CPA). They can also to take the exams necessary for certification in financial management or management accounting.  This degree program involves a total of 10 courses at three credit hours each, for a total of 30 credits. These are made up of nine core accounting courses and one business elective. Students seeking this degree must already have a Bachelor of Science in Accounting or satisfy prerequisite course requirements before beginning the 30 credit hours program.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact Information

Barry University
Andreas School of Business
Accounting MS
11300 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami Shores, FL 33161-6695
305-899-3535 or 800-289-1111 ext. 3535
E-mail: msa@barry.edu
https://www.barry.edu/accounting/

Florida Atlantic University

College of Business

Florida Atlantic University has multiple campuses across six counties in southeast Florida. It serves more than 30,000 students in more than 170 degree programs offered in 10 colleges. The College of Business in turn handles almost 7,000 of those students in six departments, including the accounting department. It includes many interdisciplinary offerings and professional development opportunities as well. The School of Business was named one of the “Best Business Schools” by The Princeton Review in 2011 and one of the “Top 50 Business Schools for Entrepreneurs” in the U.S. by Success magazine.

Master of Accounting

The Master of Accounting (MAC) degree prepares graduates to work in:

  • the public sector
  • industry
  • government

Students are prepared to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam, but are not limited to this one path. Students seeking this degree have the flexibility of taking some of the required courses online. This degree requires completion of the standard 30 semester hours, gained through 10 courses of three semester hours each. Of these courses:

  • six are required core courses
  • one is taken from a list of accounting electives
  • the remaining three are taken from a listing of program electives

Students seeking to enter the MAC program at FAU without an undergraduate degree in accounting, business, or a related field will be required to complete prerequisite coursework before beginning the master’s program.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact Information
FAU College of Business
School of Accounting
777 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431
561-297-3000
E-mail: soa@fau.edu
http://www.business.fau.edu/departments/accounting/index.aspx#.VNOYj4x0zIV”>http://www.business.fau.edu/departments/accounting/index.aspx#.VNOYj4x0zIV

Florida Gulf Coast University

Lutgert College of Business

Florida Gulf Coast University is a fairly young institution, established in 1997. It offers 82 degree programs ranging from undergraduate to specialist and doctoral levels. As one of its five colleges offering these degrees, the Lutgert College of Business manages a fair share of these degree programs. It offers both an undergraduate degree in accounting and the Master of Science degree detailed below in accounting and taxation. Emphasis throughout the business college is on service to community and college. It emphasizes relationships with the community that can foster strong entrepreneurship opportunities and economic growth for the area.

Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation

This Master of Science degree places an emphasis on advanced technical knowledge and competence in the areas of:

  • accounting and/or taxation
  • research and practice
  • effective communication skills

Core courses cover subjects involved in both accounting and taxation. Students may choose to follow either an accounting or tax track through the choice of electives. The accounting track offers courses in:

  • accounting theory
  • international applications
  • information systems involved with accounting

The tax track provides courses on:

  • entity taxation
  • research
  • international taxation
  • handling the taxation of estate and gifts

In either case, students are prepared for lucrative careers in both public and private sectors in accounting and taxation. As with most Master programs, a total of 30 semester hours earned through 10 courses of three semester hours each is required for completion.

Accreditations

      • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact Information

Florida Gulf Coast University
Lutgert College of Business
10501 FGCU Blvd, South
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565
239-590-1000 or 800-590-3428
E-mail: tbenford@fgcu.edu
http://www.fgcu.edu/cob/

Florida International University

Chapman Graduate School of Business

Florida International University (FIU) is Miami’s first and only public research university. It opened its doors in 1972 on ground that was originally an abandoned airfield at Tamiami Airport. From these unusual beginnings, FIU has become one of the largest universities in the country. The Chapman School of Business continues that entrepreneurial spirit by offering programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. They emphasize knowledge and skills to compete in a global marketplace. Programs include a variety of degree options, such as:

  • joint degrees
  • online degrees
  • dual degrees

They also include the traditional Master’s and doctoral levels.

Master of Accounting

This graduate degree is offered on a fast track schedule. Classes take place in lock step with all others entering at the same time. This allows relationships to form between classmates and networking opportunities both during your time in school and after. The fast track means that completion takes about 10 months rather than the more traditional two years to complete. It allows for access to library and software resources and career planning services throughout the time in the program. Classes take place either exclusively on Saturdays or on certain weekday evenings, depending upon when a candidate begins the program.

Either way, this Master of Accounting program is made up of five eight-week sessions. Two courses are taken per session, for a total of 10 classes and 30 credit hours. Beyond the core requirements, students may choose either an assurance or taxation emphasis, with elective courses chosen accordingly.

Accreditations

      • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact Information

Florida International University
Chapman Graduate School of Business
School of Accounting
11200 S.W. 8th Street – CBC 301
Miami, FL 33199-0001
305-348-2751
http://business.fiu.edu/chapman/macc/index.cfm

Florida Southern College

Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise

Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in Florida. It’s located in Lakeland, at the heart of Florida’s high-tech corridor between Tampa and Orlando. Affiliated with the Methodist church, this institution provides 50 undergraduate degrees and pre-professional programs. There are also graduate degree programs in the areas of:

  • business
  • nursing
  • education

The Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise emphasizes hands-on learning and interdisciplinary approaches. This creates a more balanced and well-rounded experience and preparation for a growing global business world. This school also houses the Institute for Accounting Excellence, which offers the graduate degree described below.

Master of Accountancy (MAcc)

This graduate degree program is another offered in a slightly accelerated format. It’s intended to be completed in 16 months of participating in a hybrid of traditional classroom time and online coursework. Students meet on campus one Saturday each month. They complete all remaining coursework online. Upon completion of the requirements, students will have the required  hours of coursework. They will have taken a Becker CPA review course as a graduation requirement. So they are well prepared to take the exam for certified public accountant (CPA) licensure. The degree program involves courses in:

  • managerial accounting
  • business law
  • ethics
  • auditing and financial reporting

These prepare students for a variety of career paths.

Accreditations

      • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact Information

Florida Southern College
Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise
111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive
Lakeland, FL 33801
863-680-4111
E-mail: lclements@flsouthern.edu
http://www.flsouthern.edu/academics/centers-institutes/institute-for-accounting-excellence.aspx

Florida State University

College of Business

Florida State University is one of the nation’s largest and most elite research universities. It’s one of the oldest continuous sites of higher education in the state. It’s located in the state capital of Tallahassee. It houses 16 colleges that offer a combination of more than 275 degree programs at all levels. The College of Business here is, by contrast, one of the youngest business schools in the country. It was founded in 1950. It is also one of the largest, offering:

  • nine undergraduate degrees in 13 major areas
  • six master’s degrees
  • seven doctoral majors

Master of Accounting

This Master of Accounting degree program offers flexibility in the options for completing the degree requirements and within the degree requirements themselves. The program is offered as either a one-year, three semester program. It’s designed for candidates entering with an undergraduate degree in accounting, or a two-year, six semester program. It’s designed for students without a prior undergraduate degree in accounting.

In either case, completion of all the requirements for this degree provides a broad knowledge of general accounting topics and more specific knowledge of a student’s chosen focus area. These areas include:

  • accounting information systems
  • assurance services
  • corporate accounting
  • taxation

Each focus area consists of 11 credit hours, divided between required courses and electives for the focus. Graduates with this degree are prepared for the CPA exam as well.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Concentration in Accounting

While not strictly an Accounting degree, this broader business graduate degree is offered at an accelerated pace that will have you completing your graduate degree in one year. The MBA degree involves 27 credit hours in required core courses that are geared toward strengthening managerial skills in several areas, including:

  • accounting
  • marketing
  • operations

From there, however, students can customize their degree by choosing a concentration area such as accounting and taking an additional nine credit hours in this concentration. Degree options with a concentration are taken on campus in a traditional classroom setting. The option for adding a concentration such as accounting to an MBA degree provides students with more expertise in a particular field. It’s a valuable addition to a resume.

Accreditations

      • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact Information

Florida State University
College of Business
600 West College Avenue
Tallahassee, FL 32306
850-644-3090
http://www.cob.fsu.edu/Academic-Programs/Graduate-Degrees

Nova Southeastern University

H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship

Nova Southeastern University is a private, not-for-profit research university located in the greater Fort Lauderdale area. It’s classified as an independent research university. The school serves about 27,000 students in a variety of academic programs. The H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship serves more than 6,600  students in programs ranging from undergraduate level to doctoral degrees and graduate certificates. It’s considered one of the top business schools in the country. The Huizenga School of Business believes in fostering innovative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit in all of its programs.

Master of Accounting

This particular graduate degree program involves a total of 40 credits offered through courses that meet alternating weekends on campus and online. It’s for working professionals and begins four times a year. This program prepares students to pass the exam to become a certified public accountant (CPA). Beyond this, though, students gain the skills and knowledge to either prepare for a career in accounting or enhance an existing accounting career path. Graduates are prepared to work in:

  • financial institutions
  • government
  • industry
  • public practice
  • nonprofit organizations

In addition to the accounting skills and knowledge, candidates gain professional competency in Value Driven Management. They’re required to take at least one course in internet technology.

Accreditations

      • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
      • International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education

Contact Information

Nova Southeastern University
H.Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL 33314
954-262-5000 or 800-672-7223
E-mail: info@huizenga.nova.edu
http://www.huizenga.nova.edu/

The choice of where to seek your graduate degree is a personal one and likely based on several factors, including personal goals and preferences. Whatever your motivation, however, when considering the Sunshine State, you have many options to choose from for accredited accounting degree programs in Florida.

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