Master of Accounting

Program coordinator:
Donna K. Free
412 Elliott Hall
(248) 370-3281
free@oakland.edu

Program description

The Master of Accounting (MAcc) is offered in the Department of Accounting and Finance within the School of Business Administration. The MAcc is designed for students who are interested in careers in public, corporate, and non-business accounting.

The degree will assist accounting professionals in the dynamic corporate environment. Professionals in the field are required to be effective communicators, maintain a high level of expertise, and uphold ethical responsibilities, while providing financial information, analysis of the economic environment and input in decision-making activities.

Keeping these qualities in view, the MAcc is designed to achieve the following goals:

• Offer a graduate-level program developing superior technical knowledge and application skills beyond the baccalaureate accounting program
• Enhance students’ analytical, communication and decision-making skills
• Provide a sound base in ethics and professional behavior
• Prepare students for careers in public, corporate, and non-business accounting positions
• Provide students with the educational requirements necessary to be eligible to take professional exams.

Admission terms and application deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Admissions by the semester deadlines listed below.

• November 15, 2011 for the Winter 2012 semester
• March 15, 2012 for the Summer 2012 semester
• July 15, 2012 for the Fall 2012 semester
• November 15, 2012 for the Winter 2013 semester
• March 15, 2013 for the Summer 2013 semester
• July 15, 2013 for the Fall 2013 semester

International applicants:  International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment in the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission.

Special Graduate classification:  Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree or graduate certificate, but are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required application materials or credentials for graduate admission, may contact the department and request Special Graduate temporary admission.  The applicant must submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, plus a copy of a transcript providing evidence of a bachelor’s degree awarded and any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department.  Up to 12 credits may be earned in the Special Graduate classification. Admission as a special graduate student in no way assures subsequent admission to a degree or graduate certificate program.

Application requirements

• Application for Admission to Graduate Study         
• Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
• Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
  • As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
• Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
• Proof of English language proficiency
• International supplemental application and supporting documentation  must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.

Program application requirements

• Supplemental Program Form    
• Official Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores. The GMAT scores must be five years or less at the time of the applicant’s intended enrollment at Oakland University.
  • Applicants who have earned a master’s degree (or higher) may request a waiver of the GMAT score. To request a waiver, an applicant must include a GMAT waiver form for consideration as part of their admission packet. The request for waiver is subject to the approval of the Graduate Admissions Committee.

Admission review and assessment

Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Admission to the Master of Accounting degree program is selective and depends on several elements, including scholarship and an ability to communicate effectively. In making admission recommendations, the admission committee assesses the potential of applicants for success in the MBA program by examining their undergraduate records, their GMAT scores, their responses to questions on the supplemental application, their work experience, and their recommendation forms.