Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota allow those with an interest in finances and accounting to get the advanced degrees necessary to work in the field. With only an undergrad degree, your career prospects are severely limited. You cannot even sit for the CPA exam or any other licensing examination until you have a graduate degree. The CPA exam is open to those who completed at least five years of college. Going to one of these graduate schools will also help you pick up some tips and tricks on passing the exam.
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Graduate Studies
Minnesota State University is one of the largest school systems in the state and has a number of regional branches operating within that system. One of those branches is located in Moorhead and goes by the name of MSU Moorhead. Some refer to this as the Tri-State region because the city is so close to both North Dakota and South Dakota. Students from those states actually qualify for a reduced tuition rate. This university offers an accounting program called one of the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota designed to help prepare students to sit for both the CPA and CFA examinations.
Master of Science in Accounting and Finance
The Master of Science in Accounting and Finance degree program available through Minnesota State University Moorhead focuses more on finance than other programs do and can help prepare you for working as a financial analyst or an accountant. Of the 31 credits of classes that you take, 16 of those credits will come from required courses that include quantitative methods, financial statement analysis, investments and corporate finance. You’ll also take 15 credits of restricted electives, which are electives that you chose from a select group of courses such as bank management I and II, international financial management, financial decision making, futures and options and tax accounting.
Accreditation
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International
Contact
1104 7th Avenue South
Moorhead, MN 56563
(800) 593-7246
Minnesota State University Mankato
College of Business
Another branch in the Minnesota State University school system is the campus located in Mankato. Often called MSU Mankato, it offers a standard accounting degree program and helps students prepare for the CPA exam. The university has its own CPA Boot Camp that you can enroll in prior to taking the exam and during your final session of study. You’ll learn tips on what you can do the night before the exam and tips that others used when taking that test. Professors working in the program will offer additional assistance after you graduate too.
Master of Accounting
The Master of Accounting degree program available from MSU Mankato is open to both students who have an undergrad accounting degree and those who have a degree in another subject area. As one of the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota for non-accounting degree holders, this program requires that those students take a few prerequisites that help them keep up with their peers. All students will need to take 18 credits of required classes and 12 credits of electives to complete 30 credits. Fundamentals of federal income tax and financial statement analysis are just two of those required classes.
Accreditation
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
(800) 722-0544
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Business and Technology
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota uses a cohort system for both its accounting degree programs. Whether you sign up for the traditional program or the online program, you’ll have the chance to meet with and talk to the other students in that program. Those students are your cohorts and the same people you will take classes with as you work on your degree. You can finish your degree in right around one year of full-time study. The university also accepts part-time students into both of its programs and gives those students more time to work on their degrees.
Master of Science in Accountancy
One of the two Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota that Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers is an Master of Science in Accountancy that awards you a Master of Science in the subject when you graduate. It is available as a more traditional program with courses that meet on the campus regularly as well as a completely online program. You can sign up for the blended program and take both online classes and some on the campus. The university requires that you take 24 credits of core accounting classes, three hours of electives and a capstone that is worth three credits.
Master of Science in Accountancy Online
If you’re one of the students who feels you can’t take time away from work or any of your other commitments to go back to school for an accounting degree, you can enroll in this online program. It lets you earn your degree without ever visiting the campus, and you can earn your degree while living outside of Minnesota. The program features an emphasis on management topics and allows you to develop practical skills that will help you in your current job as well as in the future. You’ll need to take a few electives and a capstone course, but you’ll also take 24 credits of required classes.
Accreditation
- International Accreditation Council for Business Education
Contact
700 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987
(507) 452-4430
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Curtis L. Carlson School of Management
The University of Minnesota is another major university system within the state that operates multiple campuses in both larger and smaller cities. Its flagship campus is the Twin Cities one, which is in Minneapolis and close to St. Paul. The official name for this campus is the University of Twin Cities Minnesota, but most refer to it as U of M or just Minnesota. Its Curtis L. Carlson School of Management ranks as one of the top business schools in the state, Midwest and the nation because of its undergrad programs and its options for graduate students.
Master of Accountancy
One of the top choices for students looking into Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota is this graduate program from U of M. Those who have an undergrad degree in accounting need to take just 30 credits, but the program is also open for students with degrees in other fields. When you factor in the prerequisites those students take, you may need to complete up to 48 credits. All students take the same three core classes that are worth 12 credits. You can then select the 18 credits of necessary electives from courses like project management and internal auditing.
Accreditation
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Contact
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 625-5000
University of St. Thomas
Opus College of Business
The University of St. Thomas made changes to its curriculum in 2017 that led to the university bringing in new accounting courses that are worth just 1.5 credits each. These courses let you study subjects your other classes only gloss over and count towards the electives needed to graduate. You can now take a course on forensic accounting to look at how research can help prove criminals committed financial crimes. The university also has a location in the heart of Minneapolis, which puts it close to some of the region’s top accounting firms that need interns and employees.
Master of Science in Accountancy
This Master of Science degree program is one of the more unique Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota because it doesn’t just feature the same classes that address one topic at a time. All the courses that you take work together and build off the knowledge you already have. The idea is that you’ll learn through collaborative methods and both develop new skills while enhancing your current skill set. This program features seven courses that all students take. You’ll take courses on tax strategy and reporting, financial statement analysis, international accounting, business valuation and risk management and financial reporting: contemporary and emerging issues.
Accreditation
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International
Contact
1000 LaSalle Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(651) 962-4200
See also: Top 35 Master of Accounting Online Degree Programs
Walden University
Online Masters Degrees
Walden University understands the needs of nontraditional students and actually caters to those students. Anyone who has other commitments that take time away from school qualify as a nontraditional student. You might be a working executive who spends long hours in the office, have years of experience but want to go back to school or took time away from work to raise a family. Walden has its headquarters in Minneapolis and operates 80 college campuses in the United States and in dozens of other countries. Many of its current students enroll in one of its numerous online programs.
Master of Science in Accounting
When looking at Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota, don’t count out this Walden University program, which has accreditation from a top organization. Once you take and pass your first four accounting classes, the university will award you a certificate that can help you find a new job or move up at your current job. Walden has its own Finance and Accountancy Resource Center that helps you stay up to date on current news in the field and get help with your career too. This program is available with a CPA emphasis for those planning to take this exam after finishing their studies.
Accreditation
- Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Contact
100 S Washington Ave. #900
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(866) 492-5336
Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Minnesota give you the option of studying in the Twin Cities area or in one of the more smaller cities in the state.
See also: Top 35 Master of Accounting Online Degree Programs
