Master of Science (M.S.) in Accounting Analytics

Program of Study

The Master of Science in Accounting Analytics (MSAA) program in the Manning School of Business at UMass Lowell provides an economically affordable opportunity to prepare students for success in a competitive environment and a respected profession, one whose members continue to be in high demand from public accounting firms, financial institutions, industry, government agencies, municipalities, schools, hospitals and charitable organizations. Coursework completed in the MSAA will also be helpful in preparation for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination.

The MSAA program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis and all courses are available online. For a full-time student, the 10-course, 30-credit program can typically be completed in one calendar year (e.g., four courses in the fall, four in the spring, and two in the summer). Part-time students will, on average, complete the program in about three years. We accept students with undergraduate accounting, business ,and non-business degrees. Students without an undergraduate accounting degree from an accredited U.S. institution will have to complete a series of prerequisite courses prior to beginning the MSAA program.


Admission Requirements

  • Grade Point Average (GPA) - Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.000 (overall); comparable accounting GPA.
  • Official Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores are no longer required.
  • Successful completion of all other University of Massachusetts Lowell Graduate Admissions requirements including:
    • two letters of recommendation,
    • Master of Science in Accounting Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimums.
  • Exceptions or modifications to the above will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • An internship or other relevant employment in the field is strongly encouraged, either before or during the program.
  • Students without an undergraduate accounting degree will need to complete the following courses prior to being considered for the Master of Science in Accounting (MSA): Intermediate Accounting I, Intermediate Accounting II, Cost Accounting, Federal Income Tax, and Auditing. These courses can be taken either at UMass Lowell (offered through our Accounting Certificate Program), or at any other Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) - accredited university. Additional coursework in business might also be necessary. Please contact the MSAA coordinator for more information.
  • For more information on admissions requirements, please see the UMass Lowell Graduate Admission website.

Concurrent Agreement (MBA/MSAA)

Students may double-count up to 9 credits between the MSAA and MBA (Master's in Business Administration) degrees as long as these credits fulfill the curriculum requirements for both programs.

Eligibility and application requirements:

  • Students must apply separately to each of the programs.
  • Admission to both programs requires meeting the minimum eligibility criteria established by each program.
  • Current MSAA students applying to the MBA program who do not have an undergraduate background in business may be required to complete up to 10 credits of 5000-level business foundation courses (excluding ACCT.5010 Financial Accounting).
  • Current MBA students applying to the MSAA program who do not have an undergraduate background in accounting may be required to complete up to 12 credits of accounting prerequisite courses, including Taxation, Intermediate Accounting I, Intermediate Accounting II, and Auditing.
  • To apply to the second program, students must be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their current (first) program.
  • Students must apply to the second program before their final semester in the first program and must be formally enrolled in the second program prior to graduation from the first.

Transfer Credit Timing and Procedure

  • Prospective shared courses / credits must be submitted by Academic Petition during the first semester of the second master’s degree pursuit. The registrar’s office will be developing a specific petition docusign form for concurrent degree programs.
  • Courses submitted by Academic Petition must be a grade of B or higher.
  • Academic Petition must be approved by both program departments before submission to the Registrar’s Office.

Curriculum

The Master of Science in Accounting Analytics requires 10 courses (30 credits). Students complete a core of 6 required courses (18 credits), one additional accounting course (3 credits), and then complete three courses (9 credits) from non-accounting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) electives.

The courses in the Manning School of Business are currently offered in an accelerated 8-week format. Student are allowed to register for a maximum of two courses (6 credits) per 8 week term. In order to petition to take more than two courses per 8-week term, the student needs to submit a graduate academic petition to the Manning School Graduate Office.

Students without an accounting undergraduate degree granted by an accredited US institution will be required to complete a series of up to eight accounting prerequisite courses prior to starting the MSAA courses. For details on program prerequisites, Please contact the MSAA Coordinator.

Master of Science in Accounting Analytics Degree Pathway

Academic and Graduation Requirements

  • Academic and graduation requirements will be similar to those of the Manning School of Business Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.
  • No more than six course credits of grades below a B may be counted toward the MSAA.
  • No graduate degree will be awarded to any student whose overall cumulative grade point average falls below 3.000.
  • Other policies, as contained in the UMass Lowell graduate catalog, will also apply as appropriate.
  • For a full-time student, the 10-course, 30-credit MSAA program can typically be completed in one calendar year (e.g., four courses in the fall, four in the spring, and two in the summer).
  • Part-time students will proceed at a slower and more varied pace (on average, about three years).
  • The Manning School of Business will accept up to six graduate credits from other AACSB institutions on a case-by-case basis.

For more information about the Master of Science in Accounting, contact:

Huimin (Amy) Chen
MSA/MSAA Coordinator
Phone: 978-934-2898
Email: huimin_chen@uml.edu

Updated 5/11/26

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