The Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program is a specialized online graduate program that prepares students for careers in public accounting and integrates accounting knowledge into the broader context of the other functional areas of business. Students graduate from the MAcc program having fulfilled the educational requirements to become Certified Public Accountants (CPA). 

Applicants with a Bachelor in Accounting degree from an AACSB-accredited undergraduate program can begin the MAcc program any semester. All other applicants must successfully complete the Summer Accounting Institute before starting the MAcc program. The online Summer Accounting Institute begins each April.

Admission Requirements for the MAcc Program

For applicants whose first language is not English, a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is required and considered.

Accelerated Undergraduate-to-Graduate Track

The Langdale College also offers an accelerated undergraduate-MAcc track for VSU undergraduate accounting majors. VSU undergraduate accounting majors accepted into the accelerated undergraduate-to-graduate track can earn up to nine graduate credit hours (courses at the 5000 level or above) that count toward both a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a MAcc degree.

Acceptance in to the Accelerated track requires:

1.  written notification by an LCOBA professional advisor from the Student Engagement Center to the LCOBA Director of Graduate Programs of her/his willingness to serve as the student's Accelerated Undergraduate-to-Graduate Track advisor.

2.  completion of 75 credit hours of undergraduate coursework: 

a.  at least 15 hours must be LCOBA courses, with at least a 3.0 GPA for those LCOBA credits; and

b.  a grade of “C” or better must be earned in each of those LCOBA courses.

3.  an overall GPA in undergraduate course work of at least 3.0.

Once accepted, a specific course of study will be developed with the student's advisor.

Students interested in continuing their graduate education may apply for admission to the graduate program in LCOBA in their senior year or upon completion of their undergraduate degree. Full admission to the Graduate School requires completion of the bachelor's degree. Students in the Accelerated Undergraduate-to-Graduate Track will not be required to take admission tests but must meet all other graduate admission requirements. See the Graduate School website for admission requirements. Students who have completed 9 hours of graduate level course work to complete their bachelor's degree will be required to complete the remaining requirements of the graduate degree they choose to pursue.

Educational Outcomes

Goal 1: Graduates will have core accounting knowledge.

  • Objective: Graduates will demonstrate the theory and application of financial accounting.

Goal 2: Graduates will be effective communicators.

  • Objective: Graduates will effectively communicate in written form.

Goal 3: Graduates will be critical thinkers.

  • Objective: Graduates will use relevant information to solve accounting problems

Goal 4: Graduates will be proficient with appropriate technology.

  • Objective: Graduates will use appropriate technology for data analysis and reporting.

Examples of Outcome Assessments

These outcomes will be assessed by:

  1. course-embedded assessment questions
  2. case studies to evaluate critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  3. required written reports
  4. application-based testing of spreadsheets, accounting databases research skills, and other accounting software.

Admission Deadlines

  • Fall Deadline: July 15
  • Spring Deadline: November 15
  • Summer Deadline: April 15

Go to the Graduate School website and click on Our Programs, then click on the MAcc Program for information on:

  • Specific MAcc Program Admission Requirements
  • MAcc Program Retention, Dismissal, and Readmission Policies
  • MAcc Program Graduation Requirements

To Apply online, click here. 

MAcc Prerequisites 

Applicants must have completed the following prerequisite courses or their equivalents before being admitted to the MAcc program:

Required Course VSU Course Number
For the Undergraduate Accounting Major
Intermediate Accounting I ACCT 3201
Intermediate Accounting II ACCT 3202
Cost Accounting ACCT 3400
Accounting Information Systems ACCT 4410
Individual Income Tax ACCT 4500
Auditing ACCT 4800
For the undergraduate non-accounting major or those from a non-AACSB program
Financial Fundamentals MACC 7010
Summer Accounting Institute MACC 7020

MAcc Dismissal Policy

Policy provides for automatic dismissal if a student accumulates more than three (3) deficiency points based on the following scale:

Grade Deficiency Points
A 0
B 0
C 1
D 2
WF or F 3
U 2

A student may appeal the dismissal decision within 30 business days of grades being posted on the VSU Banner system. The form for appeals is available on the VSU Graduate School website. Graduate students who wish to appeal a dismissal must first discuss the issue with their professor. Further appeals are then directed, in order, to their professor’s department head, the director of the MAcc program, the dean of the Langdale College, the dean of the Graduate School, the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost.

MAcc Course Requirements

The MAcc graduate curriculum consists of the following courses:

Required Courses24
MACC 7100Advanced Financial Reporting3
MACC 7120Financial Statement Analysis3
MACC 7220Consolidations and Partnership Accounting3
MACC 7390Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting3
MACC 7410Advanced Accounting Information Systems3
MACC 7510Corporate and Partnership Taxation3
MACC 7700Advanced Managerial Accounting/Data Analytics3
MACC 7800Advanced Auditing3
Electives6
Any MACC 7xxx or MBA 7xxx courses (MBA 7030 may not be taken for credit in the MAcc program); SOCI 7000 may also be used as an elective.
Total Hours Required for the Degree30-39