For students who wish to take their accounting knowledge to the next level, there are several respected accredited accounting degree programs in Pennsylvania. With its proximity to major financial centers like New York City, Boston, and the D.C. region, students have many opportunities for work within Pennsylvania, as well as in nearby states. Accounting is one of the best ways to enter the business world and to advance a career in business. Financial, accounting, and tax experts play a vital role in business today, and a degree from an accredited program in Pennsylvania is a smart choice for career advancement.

Cabrini College

Business Department

Cabrini College is in Philadelphia and is associated with the Catholic Church. It’s a private, liberal arts college and was founded by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the 1950s. Interestingly, the school sits on the site where condensed soup was invented by the Campbell Soup Company. The school was small when it was first founded and had just 37 students who were all female. The first graduating class was in 1961, and that was also around the time the school first attained official accreditation by the Middle States Association. In the 1970s, the college grew substantially and was made a coeducational facility in the 1980s.

Master of Accounting (MAcc)

The graduate level accounting program at Cabrini College is designed for students who just graduated from an undergraduate program in accounting, as well as professionals who want to increase their skills for job growth. Upon completion of the program, students will have the credits necessary to sit for the CPA exam. Students in the program will study in-depth on topics like forensic accounting and international accounting, as well as classes on communication skills and leadership abilities. Additionally students will learn the importance of ethical leadership and social responsibility. Classes required by the program include Advanced Financial Accounting and Reporting, Taxes and Business Planning, and Communication Skills for Leaders. Students will study the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and will also get to participate in an internship and research project. Students must also come to the program with an average grade of C or better in Auditing, Tax, and Intermediate Accounting.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Cabrini College
610 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087
Phone: (610) 902-8100
Email: paul.cowley@cabrini.edu
Website: http://www.cabrini.edu/Graduate/Master-of-Accounting/

Carnegie Mellon University

Tepper School of Business

A private school in Pittsburg, Carnegie Mellon University was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1900. After 12 years, the school began offering four-year degrees, and mergers over the next several decades led to the inclusion of technology and research degrees being added to the school’s offerings. The university’s main campus covers around 140 acres and is just a few miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The school has between 12,000 and 13,000 students attending with over half of the students at the university enrolled in postgraduate studies. The university is one of several created by wealthy industrialists of the 19th century post-Civil War economic boom.  In addition to Carnegie Mellon’s fantastic MBA, they have other options for the financially-minded, like the Master’s in Computational Finance program which was ranked number one of the “Top 10 Online Master’s in Finance Degree Programs” by our editors.

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Accounting Concentration

The MBA program has a long history at Carnegie Mellon University, and the Accounting concentration has been part of the school’s offerings since the creation of the business school in the 1940s. The school suggests that students will have the freedom to choose electives that suit their own interests. Topics included in the specialization include mergers and acquisitions, executive compensation, and intangible assets. Additionally, students will explore topics on analytical decision-making, as well as technology, strategy, and high ethical standards in modern business. Classes required by the MBA include Global Economics, Statistical Decision-Making, and Managerial Economics. Students may choose to pursue their degree in a full-time, part-time, or online format. The school suggests that MBA students learn to solve complex problems and understand dynamic situations that require creative approaches. The duration of the full-time program is 21 months, and students take classes in Pittsburgh. The duration of the part-time program is 32 months, and students take a combination of online and classroom courses.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Tepper School of Business
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: (412) 268-2268
Email: tepperweb@andrew.cmu.edu
Website: http://tepper.cmu.edu/prospective-students/masters/mba

Chatham University

Graduate Program

Chatham University has an undergraduate program for women and a coeducational graduate department. The school is located in Pittsburgh and was established in 1869. For 2015, the school is transitioning to a fully coeducational environment. The school was first known as the Pennsylvania Female College in the 1800s when it opened. Although the school had just a few small buildings when it was new, it eventually expanded and took over some of the large mansions in the area when the wealthy residents who lived in the neighborhood left the area. Today, there are around 2,300 students who attend Chatham University.

Master of Accounting (MAcc)

Accounting students who wish to increase their opportunities in the industry will benefit from the Master of Accounting program at Chatham University. The program will give students the classes they need to sit for the CPA and CMA examinations, and will also set students up to work in a variety of jobs in the public, private, or government sector. Companies today value students who have skills in accounting, and Chatham’s program is a flexible one that is available to students with undergraduate degrees in any area. Students most possess appropriate skills in oral and written communication, as well as an undergraduate degree to be accepted into the program. Additionally, students must understand various computer programs like spreadsheets, databases, and word processing. Students will take 18 credits in the accounting area and 12 credits in other accounting as well as 12 credits in classes the student feels will best accompany their degree.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Chatham University
North Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Phone: (412) 365-1100
Email: admissions@chatham.edu
Website: http://www.chatham.edu/academics/programs/graduate/macc/

Delaware Valley College

School of Graduate and Professional Studies

Established in 1896, Delaware Valley College has around 2,000 full-time students and is located in the town of New Britain. The small school has 25 majors students can choose, and the campus has so many plants and flowers that the entire area is considered an arboretum. The school has plans to become a university with expansion and a new campus in Jamison. The school’s official colors are green and gold, and the school has a ram for a mascot. Popular industries for graduates of Delaware Valley College include government, business, food industries, and the pharmaceutical industry. The school also offers students full-time and part-time class schedules.

Master of Business Administration, Accounting Specialization

Students complete between 33 and 34 credits in the MBA program at Delaware Valley College, depending on what specialization they choose. Classes all students will take include Managerial Accounting for Decision Makers and Advanced Computer Applications. To specialize in accounting, students will take 13 credits in areas like commercial law, accounting theory, and financial reporting. The program offers three valuable features including business knowledge, networking opportunities, and leadership skills. Students are taught how they may become informed citizens, and how they may participate in exciting jobs in global business, local and national government, and nonprofit companies. Goals of the program include students completing the required classes with satisfactory grades and mastering topics on economics and business. The school says that students who enroll in the program come from a diverse set of backgrounds and that a student’s history and prior education will influence their experience in the program and their educational goals.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Delaware Valley College
700 E. Butler Avenue
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: (215) 489-4840
Email: catherine.sinclair@delval.edu
Website: http://www.delval.edu/academics/graduate/master-of-business-administration/mba-core-curriculum

DeSales University

Graduate Studies

A private university in Lehigh County, DeSales University has been offering classes since 1965. Affiliated with the Catholic Church, the idea of a school was active in the early 1960s, and by the time students enrolled in 1965, the college was well on its way to becoming accredited by the Middle States Association. Over the years, the school would expand and add features like a nursing program and various graduate degrees. In recent years, the school has been ranked highly on lists of the best universities for graduate studies in the north. The school is also deemed a selective university regarding its admissions policies.

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Accounting Concentration

Students who decide to enroll in the Accounting concentration will take classes on-campus in Easton, Lansdale or at Immaculata University. Students will receive instruction on a variety of essential business skills including leadership, communications, and decision-making. Additionally, students will receive instruction on crticial thinking, self-awareness, and analysis. The university describes its program as one that balances cognitive and affective learning. Additionally, the program helps students learn matters of ethics and values as they impact business responsibilities. The accounting concentration in the MBA program features seven core classes, three classes in the concentration, an elective class, and a capstone class. Classes students will take in the core include Quantitative Methods for Business and Marketing Management. Classes in the concentration include Corporate Financial Reporting and Federal Income Taxation: Concepts and Applications. Students must achieve at least a “B” grade in the capstone class in order to graduate. The capstone class is the last course taken before graduation.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

DeSales University
2755 Station Avenue
Center Valley, PA 18034
Phone: (610) 282-1100
Email: gradadmissions@desales.edu
Website: http://www.desales.edu/mba

DeVry University

College of Business & Management

With over 60,000 students across the DeVry University network of colleges, the educational organization offers classes to students in many states around the country. In Pennsylvania, the school offers students the opportunity to study at four different campuses around the state, and students may also take some classes online. Founded in 1931, the school was originally known as the DeForest Training School, and the first campus was in Chicago, Illinois. It was in the 1970s when the founders of DeVry’s graduate school would start expanding their school to include campuses in different states, as well as further degree offerings in different areas.

Master of Accounting & Financial Management (MAFM)

Students in Pennsylvania may attend classes for their MAFM at one of four locations in the state including the Ft. Washington Campus, King of Prussia Center, the Pittsburgh Campus, and the Philadelphia (Center City) Center. DeVry’s MAFM program covers various topics on management, accounting, finance, and business to ensure students can work in a variety of areas after graduation. Some of the areas of business where students may work after graduation include external and operational auditing, taxation, managerial accounting, and financial analysis. The program integrates the Becker Professional Education approach to preparation for the CPA exam, and DeVry suggests that students are well prepared to pass the exam when they take classes in the MAFM program. The program is approved by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and the school encourages students to check with the state board of accountancy to understand the full requirements for sitting for the CPA exam.

MBA: Accounting Concentration

As with the MAFM degree, students may obtain their MBA at DeVry’s Keller Graduate School of Management at the Ft. Washington Campus, the Pittsburgh Campus, the King of Prussia Center, and the Philadelphia (Center City) Center. DeVry suggests that the program helps students become prepared to increase their status and responsibilities at work and to seek out careers in management and above in business. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and the accounting concentration helps students obtain the credentials needed to advance in the industry. The program features classes in budgeting, taxes, and auditing, as well as lessons on team-building, collaboration, and presentation skills. Students can choose to take classes online, in the classroom, or through a mixture of both. Students must take a total of 48 credits in the program with 12 of those credits in the accounting concentration and six credits of electives.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

DeVry University
Philadelphia (Center City) Center
1800 JFK Blvd.
Ste. 200
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 568-2911
Email: admissions@devry.edu
Website: http://www.devry.edu/universities/us-locations/pennsylvania/philadelphia-center.html

Drexel University

LeBow College of Business

A private university with three campuses, Drexel University was founded in 1891 by a philanthropist named Anthony J. Drexel. Today, the school offers around 70 full-time undergraduate programs, as well as more than 100 masters degrees. The school has around 25,500 students and has an active cooperative education program where students may spend up to 18-months of time at a paid position in their chosen field of study. The university works with a variety of government, non-profit, and public companies to provide co-op opportunities. The school was originally known as the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry and was a school designed to help students gain an education in the “practical arts and sciences.”

M.S. in Accounting

Students gain a variety of essential skills for the accounting profession while in Drexel’s graduate accounting program. When entering the program, students will learn a variety of technical and analytical lessons that will help students thrive in any accounting role. All students begin their classes at the Philadelphia campus and will proceed through the program as a cohort where they stay with their fellow students throughout the program. The degree takes two years to complete and is a focused experience designed for students who aren’t already graduates of an accounting program and wish to sit for the CPA exam. The full-time program requires students to complete 66 credits to graduate. For students who have an undergraduate degree with the appropriate credits, the M.S. in Accounting program should satisfy the requirements for sitting for the CPA exam. Students may also participate in a 10-week CPA Review Course that’s offered during the winter quarter of year two.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 895-2111
Email: ms@lebowl.drexel.edu
Website: http://www.lebow.drexel.edu/academics/programs/masters/ms-accounting

Duquesne University

Palumbo Donahue School of Business

A private school in Pittsburgh, Duquesne University is associated with the Catholic Church and was founded by a group from the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. The school first opened in 1878 and was known as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost. Since its humble beginnings in the 19th century, the school has grown significantly with between 10,000 and 11,000 students enrolled for classes. When it first opened its doors, the school had just 40 students and six faculty members. The school counts over 79,000 living alumni who include two cardinals and a bishop of Pittsburgh. The school’s sports teams play Division I in the NCAA.

Master of Accountancy (MACC)

The graduate degree program at Duquesne helps students move from basic accounting jobs to advanced areas of the accounting profession. The MAcc program requires that students complete 30 credits in a full-time schedule. When students complete their degree, they’ll have the required 150 hours needed to become a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Pennsylvania, as well as most of the other states in the country. In addition to opening doors to becoming a CPA, students will also receive instruction on how to operate in non-profit and governmental accounting jobs. Also, students will be able to enter forensic accounting jobs. The school offers students more than 100 years of teaching experience in the area of accounting, and faculty members who also have diverse experiences in the working world within accounting and auditing. The school also adheres to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), which is an initiative endorsed by the United Nations that promotes human rights and fair trade business practices.

Accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Duquesne University
600 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
Phone: (412) 396-6000
Email: admissions@duq.edu
Website: http://www.duq.edu/academics/schools/business/graduate/macc

A thriving career in accounting and business today is one of the best ways to enter into business with a valuable skill needed in many industries. For students who enjoy mathematics and have an interest in the essential workings of business today, an accounting degree is a diverse option that may lead to jobs in management and at the executive level, particularly if a student chooses to complete an MBA in accounting or a master’s degree in accounting. For students in the northeast, there are several accredited accounting degree programs in Pennsylvania that will offer a great opportunity for career advancement.