Admission Requirements

• A completed online application and $50 application fee
• A bachelor’s degree from a four-year accredited college or university; if the degree has not yet been awarded at the time of application, the successful applicant must be nearing completion of the bachelor’s degree 
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work
• Two letters of recommendation, one each from academic and professional references
• A resumé which demonstrates the applicant’s potential for leadership and academic achievements as evidenced by activities during their professional career or undergraduate business studies 
• A personal statement – prepare a brief, but careful statement regarding the reasons you want to pursue graduate work in this field, your specific interest and experiences in this field, and your career goals

Applicants for whom English is a second language will be required to submit an official copy of results from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System), unless they have at least two years of experience in an American college or university. Students taking the TOEFL must receive a total score of 213 from a computer-based test, 550 from a paper-based test or 79-80 on the internet-based test. Students taking the IELTS must receive a total score of 6/6.5.

Advanced Standing

The MSA requires students to complete courses in three different categories (Foundation, Function and Elective). Students may be admitted with “Advanced Standing” if your prior course work covers some or all of the Foundation courses. Eligibility will be determined upon application. Please contact Dr. Patricia Bancroft (pbancroft@bridgew.edu) for advice on your individual situation.

Applicants for whom English is a second language will be required to submit an official copy of results from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System), unless they have at least two years of experience in an American college or university. Students taking the TOEFL must receive a total score of 213 from a computer-based test, 550 from a paper-based test or 79-80 on the internet-based test. Students taking the IELTS must receive a total score of 6/6.5.

Program of Study

The MSA requires students to complete courses in three different categories. Depending on the student’s undergraduate courses, the requirements for the degree range from 30 to 54 credit hours. 

• Foundation Courses – These eight, three-credit undergraduate and graduate-level courses cover the basic content of accounting, economics, business law, management, marketing and statistics. These courses may be awarded advanced standing for students who have satisfactorily completed comparable undergraduate courses previously. The Graduate Program Coordinator will determine eligibility for exemption.
• Functional Courses – These nine, three-credit courses provide an advanced perspective on the various areas of accounting.
• Electives – These two, three-credit courses allow a student to either study a particular topic in depth, or to gain breadth across the accounting field.