Accountancy Master's

Fundamentals for Non-Accounting Majors (M.Acc.)

Designed for career changers, our online program focuses on accounting fundamentals - with no GMAT, bridge or prerequisite courses required.

Our Master of Accountancy: Fundamentals track (M.Acc.) can be taken part-time and is intended for individuals who have no background or undergraduate degree in accounting. You'll be equipped with essential, in-demand skills, to expand your opportunities.

Program type:: Master's Degree
Format:: On Campus or Online
Est. time to complete:: 20 months
Credit hours:: 30

Why earn a Master of Accountancy degree?

Graduate Application Deadlines

Fall:: Aug. 1
Spring:: Dec. 1

If you're an international student, refer to the international application process for deadlines.

In recent years, there has been a significant drop in the number of individuals pursuing accounting degrees, taking the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam, and entering the accounting profession. As a result of this decline, the demand for accountants and auditors has grown considerably Join one of the few fields that spans all industries and is valuable to every business by completing our part-time Master of Accountancy fundamentals program.

Our Master's of Accountancy key program features include:

No GMAT required
100% online with 2 starts per year
Designed for career changers
Graduate in as few as 20 months
Continue working while you earn your degree
All undergraduate majors welcome
Teaches skills needed to prepare you for the CPA exam or other certification.

Don't have an undergraduate degree in Accounting?

If you have no previous accounting coursework or experience but would like to transition into the field, then our M.Acc. fundamentals-focused program is meant for you. If you already have an undergraduate degree in accounting, then please explore our M.Acc. Professional Track.

Areas of Study

Study topics range from business law for accountants to accounting systems. Our online Master of Accountancy program prepares you, regardless of your background, for a successful career in accounting.

Our accounting graduate program will:

Develop a strong foundation in accounting and relevant skills for today’s business environment.
Offer opportunities for engagement with classmates and faculty
Support virtual engagement with Herr School of accountancy events and student organizations.

Online Accountancy Master's

Offered by UND's Nistler College of Business & Public Administration and accredited by AACSB International and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Accreditation by AACSB International puts the UND in the top 5% of business schools in the world.
Ranked #7 as a best online business degree program by Best Value Schools.
Students gain valuable classroom experiences as well as prestigious internship placements at top firms around the country through experiential learning opportunities.
The Herr School of Accountancy awards approximately $100,000 annually, in addition to Nistler College and other scholarships, to its students.
UND accountancy students consistently perform well on all four parts of the CPA exam, with two M.Acc. graduates receiving the Elijah Watt Sells Award during 2022-2023.
The M.Acc. degree does not specifically lead to licensure, but the degree and/or specific courses taken will count toward licensing requirements in most states.

What can I do with an accountancy master's?

131k

Projected annual job openings for accountants and auditors through 2032

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

15%

More earnings than their peers for CPAs in non-management positions

Investopedia

You'll graduate well-prepared for a job and to pass the CPA exam. Perhaps most importantly, you have advocates who will be there for you at any time in your career.

After completing our program, you'll join a prestigious accounting alumni group that includes:

Several university professors and a university president
Multiple national partners of Big 4 CPA firms
CEO of a top 25 CPA firm
Vice President of one of the largest privately held companies in the US
Founder of a major publicly traded company

Master of Accountancy Careers

Research shows that M.Acc. graduates are more likely to be placed in many accounting positions and are more likely to be promoted within public accounting than bachelor of accounting graduates.

This program prepares you for a variety of business roles including:

Accountant
Accounting managers
Auditor
Budget analysts
Business owners
Chief executive officers
Chief financial officers
Comptrollers
Financial Analyst
Forensic accountants
Partners in public accounting firms
Tax preparer
Tax consultant

Career Networking

Networking is a key element of the accounting industry, and here at UND, we have built strong relationships with top accounting firms and recruiters across the country, and we put those relationships to work for our students.

Each year, we host a significant number of online and in-person internship and career placement and networking activities specifically for our accountancy students, such as

Accountancy Field Trips to Minneapolis (featuring top firms like PwC, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, United Healthcare Group, and the Minnesota Twins)
EY “Office Hours”
Recruiting events with public accounting firms and corporations
Fall Nistler College Career Fair
Spring UND Career Fair
UND Accountancy Hall of Fame