Graduate Schools Accredited in Accounting in Georgia

Nicknamed the “Peach State” and the “Empire State of the South,” Georgia is situated in the southeastern United States as the 24th most extensive and 8th most populous state in the nation. From coast to coast, Georgia is famous for its peaches, peanuts, pecans, cotton, plantations, the Braves, the Hawks, the Falcons, the Thrashers, and the world’s busiest airport at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International. Although Georgia was the last of the original 13 colonies to be established in 1732, the state is certainly not lagging behind now with some of the best universities and graduate accounting programs in the country. The following are the Master’s level programs in accounting that have been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in the state of Georgia.

Georgia Southern University

College of Business Administration

Located in the city of Statesboro about 170 miles north of sunny Jacksonville, Florida, Georgia Southern University is a comprehensive public academic institution within the University System of Georgia. Designated as a Doctoral/Research University by the prestigious Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, GSU is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia with more than 20,550 students in 117 different degree programs. GSU has been nationally recognized as one of the nation’s top eco-friendly campuses by the U.S. Green Building Council and one of America’s Best Colleges by Forbes magazine. The College of Business Administration has also been distinguished as one of the Best 294 Business Schools in the nation by the Princeton Review and having the 34th best online graduate business programs by the U.S. News and World Report.

Master of Accounting (MAcc)

The Master of Accounting (MAcc) program is designed for students who wish to continue their specialized studies in the discipline to seek an advanced career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). The 30-credit program has a curriculum that is strongly based on the subject matter included on the CPA examination, including Accounting Information Systems, Auditing, Micro- and Macroeconomics, Corporate Finance, Legal Issues in Business, Management, Computer Applications, Marketing, Statistics, Business Valuation, Income Tax, and Managerial Accounting. Although the program is offered in both an on-campus or online format, all MAcc students are required to complete two courses each Fall and Spring term as well as one course each Summer for two consecutive years with a grade of “C” or better.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)

Contact Information

1332 Southern Drive
P.O. Box 8141
Statesboro, GA 30458
(912) 478-2228
coba@georgiasouthern.edu
http://coba.georgiasouthern.edu/soa/graduate/

Georgia State University

J. Mack Robinson College of Business

As one of the Southeast’s major public research institutions, Georgia State University is located in the heart of Atlanta where it provides more than 32,000 students with unsurpassed connections to the city’s thriving business, non-profit, and cultural communities. Currently ranked as the 14th best up-and-coming school in the nation by the 2014 U.S. News and World Report survey, Georgia State is among the top 100 public universities in the United States for graduating students from diverse backgrounds. The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is recognized as the 19th best graduate business school in the nation and 63rd best in the nation by Financial Times magazine. The college’s School of Accountancy is also ranked as the 15th best school for producing qualified CPAs by the CPA Personnel Report.

Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA)

Offered exclusively at Georgia State University’s Buckhead Center, the top-ranked Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program is highly distinguished for its outstanding faculty, quality accounting education, and commitment to cutting-edge research. Within the rigorous curriculum, students gain expertise in Strategic Communications, Federal Taxation, Management Accounting Systems, Financial Accounting, Assurance Services, Business Analysis, and Internal Auditing. Students can complete the required 30 credit hours of upper-level accounting coursework to graduate with an MPA degree within just three semesters full-time or five semesters part-time. Upon successful completion, graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Public Accountant certification examination.

Master of Science in Information Systems Audit and Control (MISAC)

Through collaboration between the School of Accountancy and Computer Information Systems Department, GSU offers a unique Master of Science in Information Systems Audit and Control (MISAC) graduate degree program. The program is designed for students who want to build a strong career in the application of auditing, assurance of information, information systems, and communication technology (ICT) in accounting. Graduates are well-prepared for a wide range of executive management roles in IT Assurance, Information Security, IT Governance, IT Risk Management, IT Auditing, and other areas that make use of ICT accounting systems.

Master of Taxation (MTAX)

The Robinson’s Master of Taxation program is the second largest accredited program of its kind in the entire United States and the only MTAX degree offered in the state of Georgia. Within the rigorous curriculum, students are required to complete 10 intensive courses in Advanced Federal Income Taxation, Tax Research, Tax Procedures, Taxation of Partnerships, Corporate Tax, International Taxation, Estate Taxation, and Current Legal Issues in Taxation. Students may select either a one-year or two-year cohort program beginning in the Fall or Spring term. The School of Accountancy covers the costs of all textbooks, parking fees at the Buckhead Center, and iPads with tax codes and regulations pre-loaded.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)

Contact Information

35 Broad Street, 5th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30302
(404) 413-7200
rcbgradadmissions@gsu.edu
http://accountancy.robinson.gsu.edu/academic-programs/

Kennesaw State University

Coles College of Business

Located just northwest of Atlanta in Cobb County near the historic Kennesaw Mountain on a beautiful 328-acre campus, Kennesaw State University is the third largest university in Georgia with more than 24,600 undergraduate and graduate students annually. The U.S. News and World Report has ranked KSU as the 69th best college, 30th top public school, and 4th best up-and-coming school in the South region. The KSU Coles College of Business has also been recognized as one of the “Go-To Business Schools” by CEO Magazine and ranked as the 29th best graduate business program in the South by Businessweek. The School of Accountancy is home to the largest accounting program in the state and regarded as one of the best programs within the Southeast for preparing students for successful careers in accounting.

Master of Accounting (MAcc)

Designed to create thoughtful leaders in public, management, corporate, and governmental accounting, the Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree program consists of an accelerated, one-year format in which students elect one of two specializations in Financial Reporting and Auditing or Taxation. Along with a rigorous curriculum and unique career coaching, the program offers a MAcc Travel Experience to expand student understanding of the field with visits to the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Center for Audit Quality, and the well-known accounting firm Deloitte & Touche. Graduates from the program are well-prepared to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and/or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) professional certification examinations in Georgia.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)

Contact Information

Burruss Building 211
1000 Chastain Rd.
Kennesaw, GA 30122
(770) 423-6084
skunicki@kennesaw.edu
http://coles.kennesaw.edu/graduate/MAcc/

University of Georgia

Terry College of Business

Making history as the first public state-supported university in America in 1785, the University of Georgia has since grown into one of the top public institutions with a vibrant campus at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Athens and more than 26,250 students annually. UGA is currently ranked as the 60th best college and 20th top public school in the nation by the 2014 edition of the U.S. News and World Report. Kiplinger Magazine also has named the university as the 15th Best Value for Public Colleges in America. As the first business school in the South with a legacy spanning more than a century, the Terry College of Business is distinguished as the 52nd best graduate business school in the United States.

Master of Accountancy (MAcc)

Ranked in the top 12 in the nation for educating some of the best financial experts in the accounting industry, the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) program is designed to equip students with all of the hard accounting skills necessary for success as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or in a senior financial position in leadership. Within the 30-credit program, students are given the freedom to select a specialization in Auditing, Taxation, or Audit Systems depending on their future career goals. MAcc graduates from the Terry College of Business have an extremely high job placement rate of 99 percent, with nearly 93 percent accepting offers in the public accounting field, and an average annual starting salary of $50,916.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)

Contact Information

301 Brooks Hall
310 Herty Drive
Athens, GA 30602
(706) 542-3600
lclark@uga.edu
http://www.terry.uga.edu/macc

University of West Georgia

Richards College of Business

Standing proudly on a vast 645-acre campus in Carrollton, the University of West Georgia is a public institution committed to offering academic excellence and a vibrant campus life with more than 11,600 students currently enrolled. The U.S. News and World Report survey ranks UWG as the 89th best college and 45th top public school in the South. For the past six years, the university has been consistently distinguished as one of the top Best Southeastern Colleges by the Princeton Review. The Richards College of Business has also been recognized as having the 51st best online graduate business programs in the South.

Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc)

Designed to enable students to secure entry-level professional accounting positions in local, regional, and national organizations or continue their education at the doctoral level, the Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc) program involves 30 credit hours of graduate level accounting studies. The curriculum is strongly based on developing a strong student understanding of tax laws, securities regulations, auditing standards, accounting practices, risk management, and financial evaluation of business processes. All students are required to complete a practical accounting internship before graduation within a commercial accounting firm or organization.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)

Contact Information

1601 Maple St.
Carrolton, GA 30118
(678) 839-5000
hudombon@westga.edu
http://www.westga.edu/accfin/index_14320.php