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ABOUT THE PROGRAM Some of our students have work experience, but most apply to
the program immediately after completing their undergraduate degrees
in order to earn the additional credits they need to be licensed
as a CPA. Most students with undergraduate accounting degrees
fall about 30 credits short of the 150 credit hours (at least
36 in ACCT) required to be a CPA in South Carolina (and most other
states). The MS ACCY program gives students an opportunity to
earn these credits and improve their marketability BEFORE entering
the full-time work force. Full-time students will take most of their classes in the day
time and will be encouraged to graduate within 1 calendar year.
Most of our full-time students find that working more than 10-20
hours a week in an off-campus job impairs their academic performance
in the MS ACCY program. Also, some of our students work full-time
and finish the degree at a slower pace than full-time students. Both. During the Fall and Spring semesters, most courses will
be offered during the day-time. Each Fall and Spring, we will
typically offer at least 1 graduate level course at or after 5:30pm.
During the May and Summer sessions, courses are offered during
both day and night sessions at the discretion of instructors.
Yes. The College of Charleston School of Business and Economics
and the Department of Accounting and Legal Studies are accredited
by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business. Past placement of MS ACCY students has been excellent. Over the
past several years, all of our students have been placed by the
time they graduate.
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GETTING INTO
THE PROGRAM Legal Environment of Business Principles of Accounting No. However, a student must have a Bachelor's degree and completed prerequisite
courses in business and accounting (see above) before applying to the MS ACCY Program. Students interested in the MS ACCY Program who have not completed the prerequisites should contact Dr. Michael Cipriano, Program Director, to discuss the steps necessary to fulfill the pre-requisite requirements. Yes. The College of Charleston offers a rigorous summer schedule whereby all the upper-level accounting courses required for the MS Accountancy program will be offered. If a prospective MS Accountancy student holding a non-accounting business degree begins classes in May and takes the courses full-time, he/she should be able to complete the accounting courses required before the Fall semester. During the time period in which students are taking prerequisites, they are considered non-degree seeking undergraduates. Upon completion of the prerequisites, the Graduate Committee will consider their application to the MS ACCY Program. What is involved in applying for the MS ACCY program?
Is an interview required for acceptance into the program? No. However, we encourage potential students to visit the university
and to talk with our students and faculty to learn more about
the program. For May/Summer admission, applications must be completed by April 1. For Fall admission, applications must be completed by July 1. For students interested in being considered for graduate assistantships, applications for both admission to the program and the graduate assistantships must be completed by March 1. Spring admissions are discussed as needed. Generally, our students earn combined scores on Math and Verbal
around the 50th percentile or better (above 520). The average
GMAT score for students admitted to the program is generally around
570. The GRE exam is not acceptable. GMAT Scores must be no more
than five years old. Generally, your overall and accounting GPAs should be at least
a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The average undergraduate GPA for students
admitted to the MS ACCY program is generally around 3.4. Meeting GPA and GMAT minimums does not guarantee admission as the Graduate Committee takes several non-quantitative criteria into account as it makes admission decisions. The minimum accepted TOEFL score is 100 on the new, internet-based version (250 on the CAT version & 600 on the paper exam).
ONCE YOU ARE
IN THE PROGRAM The course of study consists of 30 semester hours. For full-time students who have completed all prerequisites, the program can be completed in two full semesters of 12 hours each (Fall and Spring) and one summer. Full-time students typically take 6 credits in May/Summer sessions and 12 credits each during Fall and Spring sessions. Often, full-time students will either have summer internships and/or need to complete pre-requisites during the May/Summer preceding the Fall semester. These students typically take 4 classes each in Fall and Spring, and complete the program with 2 courses in the May Evening term (following Spring). The May Evening term ends in June so students taking May Evening courses will also have the opportunity to study and sit for the CPA Exam before beginning full-time employment (most traditional public accounting jobs begin in the Fall). Other full-time students may start the program by taking 2 courses in May Evening. These students also typically take 4 classes each in Fall and Spring, and graduate from the program at the end of the Spring semester. The earlier graduation date increases the time a student has to study and sit for the CPA Exam before beginning full-time employment. Part-time students will typically take 1 or 2 courses each Fall and Spring in addition to May and Summer courses. It is reasonable to expect to complete the program in 2 to 3 calendar years by taking courses at or after 4:00pm in the semesters when they are offered at night. What courses are required for the MS ACCY degree? We have two courses required for all students. ACCT 500 (Financial
Accounting Theory) and ACCT 513 (Financial Statement Analysis).
ACCT 500 will typically be offered in the Fall and is a pre-requisite
for ACCT 513. ACCT 513 will typically be offered in the Spring. Students will choose the AIS, FR/A or GEN Track upon admission to the MS program. The Financial Reporting/Auditing (FR/A) and Accounting Information Systems (AIS) tracks consist of four courses each that are structured to develop a specialized skill set. The Generalist (GEN) track allows a student to take courses in both tracks and from our stated list of electives. There are four (4) GEN track courses related to taxation. Each track is oriented toward where the accounting profession is going (as opposed to where it has been). Each student should pick the track that best suits his/her professional interests. The Accounting Information Systems (AIS) Track allows students to focus on both a) how information systems are constructed, maintained and protected from potential contaminants and b) how to generate business intelligence from large data sets using sophisticated analytical techniques and powerful computer languages. This track allows students to develop information technology skills as they prepare for careers in auditing (including Information Technology Auditing), high-level data analysis and business advisory services. Two AIS track courses will be offered each Fall (ACCT 551 and 555) and each Spring (ACCT 552 and 556). The Financial Reporting/Auditing (FR/A) Track allows students to consider the future of financial reporting and auditing through the four-course track sequence. Advances in information technology and globalization are creating significant changes in the skills required to conduct financial statement and internal control audits. This track allows students to develop these skills as they prepare for careers in financial reporting, external and internal auditing. Two FR/A track courses will be offered each Fall (ACCT 507 and 509) and each Spring (ACCT 510 and 531). The Generalist/Taxation (GEN) Track allows students to study various topics in accounting and business law, including taxation. A GEN track student can take courses in either of the other two tracks (AIS or FR/A) as part of his/her four-course track sequence. The taxation courses have been designed to build students’ research skills and knowledge of estate planning tax issues as well as the taxation of both pass-through entities and corporations. Two tax courses will be offered each Fall (ACCT 540 and 543) and each Spring (ACCT 542 and 545). Relative to most similar graduate programs, the number of accounting
and non-accounting electives (typically 4) that our students take
is high. This flexibility allows students to tailor their curriculum
to fit their interests and career needs.
PAYING FOR
THE PROGRAM The MS ACCY tuition and fees for 2007-2008 are $3,889 per semester
for an in-state student taking at least 12 credit hours. During
semesters in which an in-state student takes less than 12 credit
hours, tuition and fees are $324 per credit hour. Yes. However, these merit-based awards are quite competitive.
In order to be considered for most graduate assistantships, your application must be received by March 1. Finalists for these awards generally have GPAs and GMAT scores
that are well above the program averages. You should apply for a graduate assistantship with your application for admission to the MS ACCY Program at: http://www.cofc.edu/gradschool/current/pdf_forms/graduateassistantship.pdf. Yes. Currently graduate students may borrow from several student
loan programs. These programs are constantly changing. For specific
program requirements and application materials, contact the Office
of Student Financial Aid (http://www.cofc.edu/finaid) Yes. For additional information or to arrange a campus interview/visit, please contact: And, for general information about the application process:
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Contact Us | MS ACCY Program • The Graduate School of the College of Charleston • 66 George St. • Randolph Hall 310 • Charleston, SC • 29424 • (843) 953-7166 |