“Little Rhody” may be our country’s smallest state, but there certainly isn’t a lack of accredited accounting degree programs in Rhode Island to choose from. Three highly ranked business schools have received approval from the elite AACSB International for stellar graduate accounting education. Like 47 other states, Rhode Island requires accountants pursuing the elite CPA credential to earn a master’s-level education for fulfilling a 150-hour requirement. Investing in a Master of Accounting degree in Rhode Island can pay off because the state’s 4,080 accountants and auditors earn an above-average salary of $77,180 annually. Job prospects are also bright since Rhode Island is home for two Fortune 500 and six Fortune 1000 corporations as well as regional public accounting firms. Below we’ve highlighted the three master’s degree programs available for accounting professionals studying in Rhode Island.

Bryant University

Graduate College of Business

Enrolling more than 3,600 students, Bryant University is a fully accredited private non-profit higher learning institution located on a beautiful 428-acre suburban campus in the small town of Smithfield within Rhode Island’s Providence County. Highly regarded for being named the #1 “Most Connected Campus” in the United States by the Princeton Review, Bryant is currently ranked as the 11th best regional college and 4th top up-and-coming university in the North in the U.S. News and World Report survey. The Graduate College of Business uses a team-based approach to implement a globally-focused curriculum that prepares advanced students with the leadership capacity for longtime success in management.

Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc)

Developed with valuable input from top global accounting firms, the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPAc) program is AACSB-accredited to foster the key technical skills to address advanced accounting challenges in our competitive economy. Thanks to Bryant’s distance-spanning technology, coursework is offered simultaneously in the classroom and online for optimal flexibility. The 30-credit curriculum takes just two semesters full-time to fulfill the degree requirements for CPA certification in Rhode Island and most other states. Students also have the option to add a Tax Concentration for advanced coursework in individual, partnership, and corporate tax regulations. All accounting majors must start their studies with a unique weekend-long Preparing for MPAc Success bootcamp in Smithfield.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)

Contact

1150 Douglas Pike
Smithfield, RI 02917
(401) 232-6564
lfolami@bryant.edu
http://gradschool.bryant.edu/business/mpac.htm

Providence College

School of Business

First founded as an all-male school in 1917, Providence College has evolved into a private co-educational Roman Catholic liberal arts institution administered by the Dominican Friars to educate more than 4,200 students from its 105-acre urban campus just two miles west of the state’s capital city. Listed among the Princeton Review’s list of “Colleges That Pay You Back,” Providence is ranked the 2nd best regional college and 7th top value school in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. Also acclaimed for hosting the 153rd best part-time MBA nationwide, the School of Business successfully received AACSB accreditation in 2012.

MBA in Accountancy

Grounded in the Catholic Dominican tradition, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) was created by Providence College to deliver quality values-based education for graduate students seeking to advance in today’s competitive business workforce. After earning a breadth of business knowledge in the core, students can select a concentration in Accountancy for developing the requisite skills of CPAs. Within the 36-credit curriculum, students will study all aspects of financial management, accounting ethics, strategic planning, global business, information systems, taxation, and accounting decision-making. MBA students must complete a 400-hour business internship in their selected concentration area. There’s also a 4+1 plan of study offered for undergraduate students to accelerate their master’s education.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)

Contact

1 Cunningham Square
Providence, RI 02918
(401) 865-2294
mba@providence.edu
http://business.providence.edu/mba/

University of Rhode Island

College of Business Administration

Located on a sprawling 1,250-acre rural campus in the historic village of Kingston, the University of Rhode Island is major flagship public land-grant and sea-grant institution with high research activity and nearly 130 academic majors for its over 16,700 students. Well-known for having a friendly, safe campus with a low student-faculty ratio of 16:1, URI is ranked as the 161st best university and 88th top public school in the country by the U.S. News and World Report. Backed by prestigious AACSB accreditation, the College of Business Administration has collaborated with leading businesses globally to offer performance-based internships in all business disciplines.

Master of Science (M.S.) in Accounting

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Accounting program is ideal for URI graduate students seeking to develop the practical accounting skills needed to recommend effective financial business decisions in the ever-evolving global environment of the 21st century. Requiring a minimum of 30 credits, the curriculum can be tailored to fit the learning needs of students with undergraduate degrees in accounting and non-accounting fields. Students build the credentials needed to sit for the CPA exam in all surrounding states and become members of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). M.S. graduates are placed on the fast track to leadership careers in major corporations, prestigious accounting firms, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)

Contact

7 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881
(401) 874-2337
admitcba@etal.uri.edu
http://web.uri.edu/business/m-s-in-accounting-2/

Accounting isn’t all about number crunching; it plays a crucial role in organizing financial matters for business executives to make well-informed, strategic moves. Although accountants only need a bachelor’s degree for job entry, going the extra step to obtain a master’s degree can add up to better advancement opportunities and higher pay. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council, 45% of employers in the public and private sector plan to hire Master of Accounting degree holders. Let your career soar into management in the in-demand financial services field by attending one of these accredited accounting degree programs in Rhode Island.