Follow5 Courses in Most Master’s of Accounting Programs
- Ethics in Accounting
- Accounting Research Methodology
- Advanced Business Accounting
- International Accounting
- Capstone Project or Thesis
As long as we are operating under a complex currency economy, there will always be a high demand for educated professional accountants. Earning a master’s degree in accounting will open a plethora of doors to successful careers in the field. In order to determine if this is an ideal career path for you, explore these five common courses in a typical master’s of accounting program.
Related resource: The Top 15 Best Affordable Online Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs
1. Ethics in Accounting
In preparation for handing the real-life money of real-life clients, graduate students need to take courses in the ethical practices of accounting. People become highly emotional when it comes to managing their money, and these courses help students prepare to face the infinite number of situations that arise in accounting and taxation interactions. They will learn how to handle these situations with dignity and professionalism, and which third parties to involve when necessary.
2. Accounting Research Methodology
At the graduate level of courses, accounting students dive deeper into the research behind the field. Research courses teach students the process behind gathering and analyzing data about spending and saving trends among various groups of people, the rules and regulations of the Internal Revenue Service, and many other topics. Explore the Journal of Accounting Research to find out some of the current topics of interest among leading accounting scholars.
3. Advanced Business Accounting
Whether or not master’s of accounting students have already earned undergraduate degrees in accounting, there is always more learn in terms of business accounting. Graduate-level courses will take students deeper into topics such as the relationship between technology and business accounting, financial contracts, and the complexities of financial planning and taxation at the business level. Students who wish to pursue careers in corporate accounting and achieve leadership status in large accounting firms should take many business accounting elective courses.
4. International Accounting
Students pursuing a master’s level education in accounting must understand the field at a global as well as domestic level. They will, therefore, take courses in international accounting. These courses will help students compare and contrast the economies of the United States with other nations. They will focus mainly on nations with which the United States engages in import and export of goods and services. These courses will also prepare students to service multinational organizations and individual clients who earn a living in multiple currencies.
5. Capstone Project or Thesis
Every master’s of accounting program will culminate in either a capstone project or a thesis. Some programs require one or the other, while others allow students to choose. A capstone project will involve the application of program curriculum to a real accounting problem or situation. Many students work with an actual agency or organization on this project. A thesis will involve conducting a literature review or research project on a topic of interest or research problem in the field. Students take courses alongside working on their project in order to receive guidance from a professor and their peers.
Whether you want to work at a boutique tax agency, a corporate financial institution, or the Internal Revenue Service, your career journey will begin by earning a master’s of accounting. These five core courses are going to serve as the foundation of your academic experience. They will set the stage for your final capstone project or thesis, which will open the gates to your dream career.
