Students attending college and graduate school who want to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam must have an advanced degree like those available from Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio. The Buckeye State is home to a large number of schools that offer graduate programs. Many of these programs offer test prep classes and other resources for those who want to take the CPA exam or another type of professional licensing test. Students also have the chance to work with the same software that accountants do, which helps prepare them for working with nonprofit organizations, corporations, and individuals.
First, see: Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs in Ohio (A-M)
Ohio Northern University
College of Business
Ada, Ohio is a small college town that is home to several colleges with graduate accounting degree programs including the one offered by Ohio Northern University. Also called ONU, its graduate program requires that students go through some interactive and hands-on learning experiences. They have the chance to work with real clients and develop the interpersonal skills needed to interact with their own clients, but they also work with accounting software and do experiences in the moot court. ONU offers flexible programs for adult learners that they can complete in just one year and traditional programs that take two years to finish.
Master of Science in Accounting (MSA)
As one of the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio that offers practical experiences for students, the ONU program also helps students become certified in different accounting fields. They learn the skills needed to pass the CPA exam and others like the Certified Fraud Examiner test. It boasts a 100 percent placement rate among graduates, which means that all of its graduates currently work in the accounting field. The ONU program features 30 credits of courses that include The Professional Accountant, Corporate Governance and Risk Management, Advanced Topics in Auditing, Accounting Information Systems and Internal Auditing.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
525 S. Main St.
Ada, OH 45810
(419) 772-2000
Ohio State University – Main Campus
Graduate and Professional Admissions
The Ohio State University is the largest public university system in Ohio. Though it has branches and regional campuses across the state, its main campus is in Columbus. This flagship campus ranks as one of the largest campuses in the nation and in the state. Also called OSU and Ohio State, the university has a rivalry with the University of Michigan that ranks as one of the biggest and oldest rivalries in the sport. The Public Accounting Report for 2016 listed the OSU accounting program as one of the top programs in the nation and as the fifth best public school program.
Master of Accounting – Master of Accounting
OSU gives students more options in its Master of Accounting program than any of the other Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio do. More than 70 percent of the courses that students take are electives. The university requires that students take a small number of classes that make up the accounting core and then lets them pick the other classes they take based on what they want to do with their degrees. OSU also welcomes students who have an undergrad degree in a field other than business or accounting to apply. It offers joint degree programs too for undergrad students.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
2108 Neil Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292-8511
Ohio University – Main Campus
College of Business
Ohio University is one of several schools that offer different Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio. The university has a strong reputation for its online programs, which allow students to earn advanced degrees while living a significant distance away from its main campus in Ada. Regional campuses offer degree programs and courses for students too. Its accounting graduate programs are open to students who do not have an undergrad degree in accounting or a related field. Those students will need to take some bridge courses that provide them with the knowledge needed in the program.
Master of Accountancy
The Master of Accountancy program that Ohio University offers is available as a standard graduate program or a bridge program. Its bridge program requires that students take 42 credits of classes. Students with an undergrad degree in business or accounting only need to take 30 credits of classes. Bridge courses go over the basics of accounting and related financial topics. All students will take the same required accounting classes that include Professional Ethics and Communication, Advanced Auditing and Assurance Systems and Data Analysis for Decision Making. Students also take a Contemporary Topics in Accounting capstone class in their final semesters.
Online Master of Accountancy
Ohio University offers one of the only online Master of Accountancy programs in the Buckeye State. This program starts at three different points during the school year, which allows students to apply and enroll in the spring, fall or summer. The university does not require that students take a graduate exam like the GRE to apply, and it accepts students who did not study business at the undergrad level. This online program features the same courses as the traditional program does. It gives working students the freedom to take as many classes as they can handle based on their commitments.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
525 S Main St.
Ada, OH 45810
(800) 622-3124
University of Akron – Main Campus
Graduate
The University of Akron is a large public university in the Ohio city of the same name. It offers two options for those who want to earn a graduate accounting degree. One of those programs is open to undergrads and those transferring from other colleges. Students will need to submit a score from the GMAT or a similar exam as part of the application process. The university also asks for a resume that shows any professional experience the student has and a transcript that shows the student has or will have an undergrad degree from an accredited school.
Accounting (MSA)
One of the Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio that the University of Akron offers is a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA). Prerequisites help students better understand the topics they will address and study later in the program. This program starts each fall, which gives students time to complete any prerequisites over the summer. It features an MSA core, a taxation core, and electives. Students can take electives in information systems or finance. Accounting graduate students take courses such as Enterprise Systems and Internal Control, Contemporary Accounting Issues, Assurance Services and Data Mining, Business Entity Taxation and Federal Taxation.
Accelerated BS/MS in Accountancy
Undergrads at the University of Akron can enroll in its accelerated program and earn both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Accountancy in just five years. It typically takes six years to finish both degrees. Students take courses like Business Entity Taxation, Advanced Financial Reporting and Analysis and Information Systems Security in their senior years. Those courses count towards both degrees. The university allows students to apply to the accelerated program at the beginning of their junior years. Only those who took some prerequisites and maintained a 3.0 GPA can start taking advanced classes.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
302 E Buchtel Ave.
Akron, OH 44325
(330) 972-7111
University of Cincinnati – Main Campus
Carl H. Linder College of Business
The University of Cincinnati is one of the top public colleges in Ohio. It has a main campus in Cincinnati but operates smaller campuses in other parts of the Buckeye State. The UC Carl H. Linder College of Business offers one of the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio for part-time students. Students can take classes that fit their career goals and their busy schedules. Full-time students can also enroll in this program and finish it in around nine months. The Public Accounting Report ranked the UC accounting program in the top 20 of all accounting programs in the country.
MS Accounting
UC has a 100 percent job placement rate among accounting graduates living in the United States. While some students pass the CPA exam or another test and find a new job, other students receive promotions from their current employers. Many of its graduates work for one of the top five accounting firms in the nation, all of whom have offices in and connections to the Cincinnati area. The 30 semester hour program features courses in the main accounting disciplines, including auditing, financial accounting, and managerial accounting. Students will also take courses on both individual and corporate taxation.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
2925 Campus Green Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0211
(513) 556-7020
University of Toledo
Accounting
The University of Toledo is home to one of the only Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio that has internship opportunities available for accounting graduate students. Students can work at Ernst & Young and other accounting firms to gain course credit. More than 80% of students enrolled in this program over the years completed an internship. The university can help students find internships at one of the Fortune 500 companies located in and around the city too. UT recommends students do these experiences to form professional networks before they graduate. Some students work full-time for the companies they did internships for later.
Accountancy Master Degree Program (MSA)
UT offers an MSA program designed for those who want to take licensing exams and those who want to continue their studies. Many of its graduates later attend law school or earn a doctoral degree. The program features some required courses but then lets students pick electives that apply to their future goals. Some of the required courses that students take include External Financial Reporting, Fraud and Forensic Accounting, Managerial Accounting and Taxation of Business Entities. Students can also take business classes at the graduate level to learn more about managing a large accounting department after they graduate.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
2801 W. Bancroft
Toledo, OH 43606
(800) 586-5336
Wright State University – Main Campus
Department of Accountancy
Located in Dayton, Ohio, Wright State University is a large public university named after the Wright brothers. It has a deep connection to the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, which is just a short drive from its main campus. In addition to its Dayton campus, Wright State also offers students the chance to take classes online and on smaller regional campuses. Often called Wright State or WSU, the university has graduates of its accounting program working for top companies like Speedway and Lexis Nexis. Students can also take part in a national accounting competition and compete for big prizes and awards.
Master of Accountancy
Wright State is home to one of the top undergrad and one of the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio. Though some of its graduate students received their undergrad degrees from the university, it also welcomes students from other colleges across the country to apply and enroll. The program features a CPA Exam Concepts class that goes over the questions asked on the exam and helps students prepare for the test. Students also take courses on research topics such as Financial Accounting Advanced Topics and Research, Tax Advanced Topics and Research and Advanced Attestation Topics and Research.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy.
Dayton, OH 45435 USA
(937) 775-1000
Xavier University
Williams College of Business
Xavier University has a large network of more than 18,000 former students who attend sessions on its campus each year. Those graduates help current students learn more about the job opportunities out there and help prepare them for applying later. Xavier designed its Master of Science in Accountancy program for full-time students to finish in one year but allows part-time students to take their time working on their degrees. Students can start in the summer, begin classes in the fall or wait until the spring semester to start. The program features classes that meet only in the early evening hours.
Master of Science in Accountancy
The Xavier University MSA program ranks among the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio for those who want to work for corporations and in the business industry. All MSA students must take three courses to learn more about the business field, including Fundamentals of Finance, Business Statistics, and Managerial Economics. They also take six required accounting courses like Nonprofit & Governmental Accounting, Commercial Law & Professional Ethics and Current Topics in Accounting Practice. Xavier also requires that students take courses on financial reporting and analysis that students must take before beginning its graduate accounting program.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
3800 Victory Parkway
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207
(513) 745-3000
Youngstown State University
Williamson College of Business Administration
The Lariccia School of Accounting and Finance is a division of the Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University. This department offers a Master of Accountancy program designed for those planning to take the CPA or the Certified Management Accountant exam. The school also offers a graduate certificate in Enterprise Resource Planning. Students can earn this certificate as part of their accounting students or enroll in the certificate program instead of earning a full degree. Youngstown State University allows full-time students to take 15 credits each semester and graduate in a single year. Evening classes are also available.
Master of Accountancy
Incoming students will need to submit transcripts to Youngstown State to show the university that they took all prerequisite courses as an undergrad. Some students may need to take some of these classes before beginning the full program. They take 30 credits of courses that include a capstone experience done during the second semester. The capstone offers students the chance to gain some practical experience. Youngstown State recommends that students enroll in either the CMA or CPA track and take courses relating to each of those professions and licensing exams. This is one of the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio for future CMA professionals.
Accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
One University Plaza
Youngstown, OH 44555
(330) 941-3000
Accounting programs prepare students for working in finance, doing taxes for their clients and helping companies with their financial issues. Graduates of the top Master’s in Accounting degree programs in Ohio have the option of taking a licensing exam and finding work in the state or moving to another state for work.
See our ranking of the Top 15 Online Masters in Taxation 2018.
