STEM-designated

The MS in Management-Professional Accounting program is a one-year, full-time curriculum that develops highly professional and employable specialists in accounting, with the option to focus on either Assurance Services (audit), or Advisory, or Taxation.

This program is designed for students who already have a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, and wish to gain additional skills and meet the 150-credit hour requirement to write the Certified Public Accounting (CPA) examination.

International students should apply for the Master of Science in Management – Accounting unless they have a bachelor’s degree in accounting from a U.S. university.

If you do not have a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, but would like to enter the accounting profession, you will want to consider the Master of Science in Management – Accounting

Program Type

Master’s

Program Format

On Campus

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Required Core Courses (18 credits)

BUS ADM 706 Income Tax Accounting II
BUS ADM 724 Business Consolidations & Governmental Accounting
BUS ADM 753 Advanced Business Law
BUS ADM 840 Current Issues in Financial Reporting*
BUS ADM 844 Advanced Audit and Assurance
BUS ADM 846 Advanced Analytics in Accounting

Electives (12 credits)
Choose four courses from the following:

BUS ADM 727 Information Systems Assurance & Advisory
BUS ADM 743 Information, Privacy, Security, & Continuity
BUS ADM 820 Tax Research, Practice, and Procedure
BUS ADM 821 Advanced Taxation
BUS ADM 823 Corporate Income Taxation
BUS ADM 828 Taxation of Partnerships, S Corporations, and LLCs
BUS ADM 841 Financial Statement Analysis
BUS MGMT 726 Study Abroad: EY Germany

MSPA – Assurance Path (30 credits)

Required Core Courses (18 credits)

BUS ADM 706 Income Tax Accounting II
BUS ADM 724 Business Combinations & Governmental Accounting
BUS ADM 753 Advanced Business Law
BUS ADM 840 Current Issues in Financial Reporting
BUS ADM 844 Advanced Audit and Assurance
BUS ADM 846 Advanced Analytics in Accounting

Required Electives for Path (6 credits)
BUS ADM 821 Advanced Taxation
BUS ADM 841 Financial Statement Analysis

Recommended Electives (6 credits)
Please choose two from the following:

BUS ADM 727 Information Systems Assurance & Advisory
BUS ADM 743 Information, Privacy, & Continuity
BUS MGMT 726 Study Abroad: EY Germany

This path prepares you for the BAR (Business Analysis and Reporting) discipline on the CPA exam.

MSPA – Advisory Path (30 credits)

Required Core Courses (18 credits)

BUS ADM 706 Income Tax Accounting II
BUS ADM 724 Business Combinations & Governmental Accounting
BUS ADM 753 Advanced Business Law
BUS ADM 840 Current Issues in Financial Reporting
BUS ADM 844 Advanced Audit and Assurance
BUS ADM 846 Advanced Analytics in Accounting

Required Electives for Path (6 credits)
BUS ADM 727 Information Systems Assurance & Advisory
BUS ADM 743 Information, Privacy, & Continuity

Recommended Electives (6 credits)
Please choose two from the following:

BUS ADM 821 Advanced Taxation
BUS ADM 841 Financial Statement Analysis
BUS MGMT 726 Study Abroad: EY Germany

This path prepares you for the ISC (Information Systems & Control) discipline on the CPA exam.

MSPA – Taxation Path (30 credits)

Required Core Courses (18 credits)
BUS ADM 706 Income Tax Accounting II
BUS ADM 724 Business Combinations & Governmental Accounting
BUS ADM 753 Advanced Business Law
BUS ADM 840 Current Issues in Financial Reporting
BUS ADM 844 Advanced Audit and Assurance
BUS ADM 846 Advanced Analytics in Accounting

Required Electives for Path (9 credits)*
BUS ADM 820 Tax Research, Practice, and Procedure
BUS ADM 823 Corporate Income Taxation
BUS ADM 828 Taxation of Partnerships, S Corporations, and LLCs

Recommended Elective (3 credits) – please choose one from the following:
BUS ADM 821 Advanced Taxation*
BUS ADM 841 Financial Statement Analysis
BUS MGMT 726 Study Abroad: EY Germany

This path prepares you for the TCP (Tax Compliance & Planning) discipline on the CPA exam.

*With the successful completion of these electives, plus BUS ADM 826 – Tax Planning for Individuals, you will be eligible for a Graduate Certificate in Taxation. Students wishing to obtain this Taxation certificate, along with their MS-PA degree, must declare their intent to the Program office and apply to the Graduate School through the Panthera Admission Application before completing 6 credits in the certificate sequence.

My Lubar has additional important information for potential and current graduate accounting students. It includes information on graduate program routes, internships, MSPA Orientation, teaching assistant and scholarship applications, as well as other useful information!

Additional degree requirements and course descriptions for the Master of Science in Professional Accounting can be found on the Graduate School website.

With a strong combination of professional and academic experience, the accounting, taxation, and business law faculty at the Lubar College are well known for their commitment to helping students succeed in their studies and preparing them for the accounting profession. The practice of accounting is ever-changing. To stay on top of new developments, Lubar accounting faculty are CPA-certified in the profession and closely connected with public and corporate accounting professionals. As PhD-qualified faculty, they also collaborate with other research scholars on current topics in financial accounting, managerial accounting, non-profit accounting, auditing, data analytics, individual and corporate taxation, business law, and corporate governance.

  • Professor, Accounting
  • Business Advisory Council Faculty Scholar
Blinka, James
  • Professor of Practice, Accounting
Colleeen Boland
  • Associate Professor, Accounting
  • Chair, Lubar College of Business Executive Committee
Veena Brown
  • Associate Professor, Accounting
  • Director of Accounting Programs
Rachel Gazaryan
  • Lecturer, Accounting
Aaron Mandell
  • Assistant Professor, Accounting
Sean McCarthy
  • Assistant Professor, Accounting
Daniel Neely
  • Interim Associate Dean, Academic Affairs
  • Professor, Accounting
Jonathan Saffold
  • Professor of Practice, Accounting
Laura Swenson
  • Assistant Professor, Accounting
Amy Tegeler
  • Assistant Professor, Accounting
  • V. Kanti Prasad Junior Faculty Scholar
  • Assistant Professor, Accounting

Message from the Director

Veena Brown

Thank you for your interest in the accounting area at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Lubar College of Business!

The Lubar College has been the primary source of accounting talent in southeast Wisconsin for over 60 years, providing outstanding degree programs, meaningful experiential opportunities for students, a strong faculty commitment to teaching, and close relationships with accounting firms and businesses in our region.

Recognized for rigor and relevance, our program is respected for our highly-qualified and well-prepared graduates who contribute as CPAs and accounting professionals in businesses throughout Wisconsin and beyond.

On behalf of the accounting faculty, I welcome you to learn more about us.

Veena L. Brown
Director of Accounting Programs
Associate Professor of Accounting

Mission

The Accounting Area of the Lubar College of Business provides high quality, practical education and engages in impactful research that advances knowledge. We prepare all accounting students for successful business careers through experience-based learning, technology, teaching innovations, employer and alumni involvement, ethics, and career guidance.

Vision

Our vision is to be the leader in accounting education. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that cultivates expertise, ethics, innovation, and an analytical mindset within accounting students. Through impactful research, strong business community connections, and a global perspective, we aim to inspire students to excel as professionals in an ever-evolving business world.

Accounting Advisory Council

Highly engaged with accounting firms and professionals throughout the region, we value the input and guidance of our Accounting Advisory Council, comprised of partners from each of the “big four” international CPA firms, partners from regional and local CPA firms, and certified public accountants who are leaders of major international companies in our region.

Full Array of Accounting Degree Programs

BBA in Accounting
Our BBA in Accounting can be completed in four years, including a full-time internship. Once graduated, students are allowed to take the CPA exam in Wisconsin. However, a total of 150 credits of college education are required to obtain a CPA license in Wisconsin.

MS in Professional Accounting
High-achieving accounting undergraduate students may continue their studies in the “fifth year,” full-time MS in Professional Accounting program. The curriculum is focused on preparing students for success on the CPA exam. Students have the option to specialize in assurance services or taxation. Many students in this program receive funding through scholarships or teaching assistantships.

MS in Accounting
This program is designed for students with non-accounting or non-business undergraduate degrees who wish to pursue a career in accounting. The program can be completed in a flexible part-time schedule, or in as quickly as one year if attending full time. Students prepare for and take the CPA exam while in the program.

Admission Requirements

We’re excited to have you join the Lubar College of Business and we hope the following information will be useful as you start the application process for graduate school.

We will carefully consider all elements in your application file as we determine if you will be a good fit for our graduate programs. However, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

  1. Completion of an Undergraduate Degree
    Applicants must hold a degree from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution in the United States or from a recognized institution in a foreign country. Many 3-year bachelor’s degrees are accepted as equivalent to the U.S. 4-year bachelor’s degree for purposes of admission.
  2. Cumulative GPA of 2.75
    A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, or an equivalent measure on a grading system that does not use a 4.0 scale. Those whose undergraduate GPA is below 2.75 must provide further documentation.
  3. English Proficiency for International Students 
    All UWM Graduate School applicants are required to demonstrate a suitable level of proficiency in the English language.
  4. Official GMAT & GRE scores.
  • A minimum GMAT score of 500 total (Quantitative score of 36, Verbal score of 17 for international students).
  • A minimum GRE score of 305 total (Quantitative score of 149, Verbal score of 142 for international students).
  • GMAT/GRE Waiver Policy

How to Apply

You will need to submit the following to complete the UWM Graduate School application:

  1. Transcripts from every institution of higher learning attended will be needed. Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded at the time of application but official transcripts will be required upon acceptance. Transcripts should be emailed directly to the UWM Graduate School.
  2. Submission of official GMAT or GRE scores must be sent directly from GMAC or ETS.
    – GMAT CODE: 1896
    – GRE CODE: Institution Code 1473, Dept. Code 4204
  3.  An updated resume.
  4. Statement of Purpose (1 to 2 pages on why you would like to earn your degree at the Lubar College of Business and your plans after graduation.)
  5. One or two Letter(s) of Recommendation are preferred but not required.
  6. In addition to the items listed above, international students must supply the following:
    –  All foreign institutional transcripts from any institution of higher learning attended.
    –  Applicants whose native language is not English, or who have not earned a degree in the United States, must submit TOEFL scores directly from ETS.
  7. Submit the $75.00 application fee.

Priority application deadlines are as follows but may be subject to change:

  • For any Fall semester: July 15th in the same calendar year
  • For any Spring semester: November 15th in the same calendar year
  • For any Summer semester: April 15th in the same calendar year.

Tuition Information

Please visit the following website for the most up-to-date tuition information based on the semester you will attend, and to review the Business Masters Fee schedule.

Contact
Graduate Student Services
Lubar Hall N251
414-251-5252
mba-ms@uwm.edu