Few people in the business world understand numbers and can put that knowledge to work like accountants. Accounting professionals hold crucial roles in the success of any business, and developing that expertise doesn't happen overnight. UAB's Master of Accounting degree delivers an education that readies you for career success.
Our MAc program allows you to tailor your degree and pursue specific career goals depending on whether you plan to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or you’re interested in other areas of accounting. Interested in pursuing your CPA license? Our program formally incorporates CPA preparation with faculty/advisor mentoring and a portfolio of courses that help you throughout the entire process of passing the CPA exam and becoming a CPA. Don’t plan to become a CPA right now? We also offer a slate of accounting classes paired with information systems courses in business analytics, cybersecurity management, or IT management, which will earn you a graduate certificate in addition to a MAc. You can still pursue a CPA license later.
UAB's MAc program allows you to earn your degree at your own pace with on-campus classes that meet once a week (primarily in the evening), completely online classes, or a combination of both. Start building your future accounting career today.
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Accelerated Bachelor to Master (ABM) Program
Earn a bachelor's degree and a Master of Accounting (MAc) degree in an accelerated time period with a reduced cost. Once admitted, students can take up to 12 shared credit hours of approved graduate courses that help complete both degrees. Students in ABM programs study, work, and learn with similar high caliber students — much like they would in an Honors program — and are prepared for a challenging career when they graduate.
Has it been a long time since you earned your accounting degree? Do you have a non-accounting background? You can gain the knowledge needed to successfully transition into the MAc program through the undergraduate bridge certificate in accounting.
The graduate accounting curriculum includes courses that provide greater depth than provided in the undergraduate program. Students can tailor their degree by selecting electives in auditing, information systems, and legal studies.
The graduate accounting curriculum has two focuses:
[00:00] (unidentified female speaker with European accent) The Professor’s idea has been phenomenal. The professor’s research outside of the classroom and their experience within the field. They bring that into the classroom and that just enables us to learn so much more and get so much more out of the classroom. They are so concerned with your well-being and your career. And they’ve helped me network with people outside the classroom, and they’ve created so many opportunities for us to meet with the firms within the city.
[00:26} I finished my degrees here at UAB. And before I even graduated, I really excited the job Ernst & Young because of all of the opportunities that I’ve been able to meet with them and they’ve got to know me. I think one of the big reasons why they feel confident in accepting students before they graduate is because they know the students they get from UAB. They are very well prepared and they are more than capable of going into the industry.
Student Voices
Hear from a Master of Accounting graduate about how the UAB MAc program prepared her to begin a career at Ernst & Young before she even graduated.
Why choose accounting at the Collat School of Business?
Top Rankings
U.S. News & World Report ranks the UAB MAc #21 overall and #13 in student engagement (student satisfaction and instructor responsiveness) in its 2023 list of Best Online Programs, non-MBA.
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AACSB Accredited
Our Accounting program is separately accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which means we maintain the highest quality standards in business education worldwide.
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Engagement & Development
Ample career building opportunities exist for students to gain hands-on experience and form a valuable network engaging with the Birmingham community.
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Career Opportunities
Accounting can lead to a wide variety of positions ranging from controllers, tax specialists, auditors, and analysts to CFOs working with companies that are big or small, public or private. Every business needs a skilled accountant, from nonprofits to international corporations.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for the next decade is at a steady rate of 7%, and the median annual wage is around $77,000 for accountants and auditors.
Pursuing a MAc degree equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue upper-management or executive positions.
Note: Students planning to apply courses taken in this program toward meeting the requirements of CPA licensure are encouraged to contact the program for further information.
