Situated in the southern region of the United States as the 31st most extensive and 25th most populous state, there are five top-notch accounting graduate programs in Louisiana that can help open advanced career opportunities for accountants.
Well-known for its distinct blend of French, Spanish, and Native American cultures to create a diverse community on the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana is home to some of the best universities in the nation with extensive academic learning options. If you have a passion for business and strong analytical skills in accounting, the following are the accredited graduate schools that offer master’s programs in accounting within Louisiana.
Louisiana State University
E.J. Ourso College of Business
As one of only 25 universities nationwide to hold both land-grant and sea-grant status, Louisiana State University is the state’s flagship public institution situated on the Mississippi River in the heart of the capital city at Baton Rouge. Home to a community of more than 33,000 students and faculty participating in cutting-edge research, LSU is currently ranked as the 135th best college and 68th top public school in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. As one of the top business schools recognized for the 61st best graduate business programs in the United States, the E.J. Ourso College of Business is committed to promoting entrepreneurship, stimulating economic development, and setting the standard for internal audit programs.
Master of Science in Accounting (MSA)
Designed to provide graduate students with a greater understanding of accounting and business than is possible at the undergraduate level, the Master of Science in Accounting degree is a fifth-year professional program focused on developing superior technical accounting knowledge, solid analytical skills, and strong written and oral communication skills. With the goal of preparing students for careers as professional accountants in public practice, industry, government, financial institutions, and/or non-profit organizations, the accounting major requires a minimum of 30 hours of non-thesis coursework. Providing the students to specialize their studies in Internal Audit, Financial Reporting, Assurance Services, or Taxation, the program fulfills all educational requirements needed for taking the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination in the state of Louisiana.
Accreditations
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
Business Education Complex Room 2800
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
(225) 578-6219
msaccounting@lsu.edu
http://business.lsu.edu/accounting/MS-Accounting/Pages/MS-Accounting.aspx
Louisiana Tech University
School of Accounting and Information Systems
With an emphasis on interdisciplinary research that has led to being classified by the prestigious Carnegie Foundation as the only doctoral public institution with high research activity in the state, Louisiana Tech University is located on a vast 1,774-acre rural campus in the heart of Ruston. According to the U.S. News and World Report, LTU is currently ranked as the 190th best college and 108th top public school in the nation. As one of the oldest and most respected graduate schools devoted to preparing competent accountants, the School of Accounting and Information Systems has the only AACSB-accredited accounting program in the state that offers degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA)
Ideal for students who are seeking graduate-level education in accounting for a rewarding career in public accounting, industry, or government, the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program equips graduates with the knowledge and technological skills needed for continuing professional development. With courses integrating a broad range of decision-making and problem-solving that improves management skills, the curriculum consists of 30 credit hours for degree completion within just one year. Focused on developing understanding in a functional business core that strengthens students’ comprehension of accounting in the business world, the program offers coursework in business law, information systems, economic principles, finance, statistics, advanced accounting theory, auditing, taxation, and specialized electives.
Accreditations
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
502 West Texas Avenue
P.O. Box 10318
Ruston, LA 71272
(318) 257-2822
jlumpkin@latech.edu
http://www.business.latech.edu/graduate/mpa.htm
Tulane University
A.B. Freeman School of Business
Situated in historic downtown New Orleans within four miles from the popular tourist spot of the French Quarter, Tulane University is among the nation’s most respected private institutions with top-ranked programs, cutting-edge research, and educational partnerships that span the globe. Home to more than 8,500 students on its 110-acre urban campus, Tulane is currently ranked as the 52nd best college, 14th top up-and-coming school, and 2nd best university for veterans in the entire nation by the U.S. News and World Report. Also nationally acclaimed as the 67th best among business grad schools, the A.B. Freeman School of Business is a founding member of the AACSB that is dedicated to offering innovative curricula combining classroom instruction with distinctive experiential learning opportunities.
Master of Accounting (MACCT)
Admitting students with undergraduate business degrees or the equivalent from accredited higher learning institutions, the Master of Accounting (MACCT) program enables students to custom design a curriculum to ensure breadth in business and appropriate specialization in accounting for achieving all individualized professional career goals. Designed for completion in just one year for a total of 30 credit hours, the tailor-made program can include coursework in auditing, financial accounting, business law, tax planning, managerial accounting, performance management, financial statement analysis, information systems, energy accounting, independent study, or a public accounting internship. Upon completion of the program with good academic standing, graduates are well-prepared for advanced careers in accounting, consulting, or advanced graduate studies as well as taking the CPA examination.
Accreditations
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
7 McAlister Drive Suite 410
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 865-5410
abfadmit@tulane.edu
http://www.freeman.tulane.edu/programs/macct/
University of New Orleans
College of Business Administration
Laying on the banks of Lake Pontchartrain on an urban 195-acre campus just 20 minutes from the heart of the French Quarter in the Big Easy, the University of New Orleans is a major comprehensive public research institution. Home to more than 8,000 students in a culturally rich community in the international city, UNO ranks as the 18th most popular national university and among the least financially burdensome schools in the country by the U.S. News and World Report. As one of the four AACSB accredited graduate schools in the state, the College of Business Administration is dedicated to offering renowned business master’s programs, community-involved faculty, and acclaimed research institutes to prepare students to succeed in the competitive business world and demanding job market.
Master of Science in Accounting (MSA)
Intended to further prepare graduate students for careers in public, industrial, and non-profit accounting through advanced studies, the Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program is comprised of 30 credit hours on the foundations of financial and managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, information systems, accounting theories, and strategic business planning. Often serving as an exemplary foundation for entrance into doctoral or other professional programs, the degree fulfills the academic requirements for taking the CPA examination for those with an undergraduate degree in accounting. Providing students with the opportunity to concentrate their studies in Accounting Information Systems, Finance, or Auditing, the program also supplies valuable real-world experience by requiring all students earning accredited accounting degrees work at least 150 clock hours in a professional accounting firm.
Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) – Taxation Option
Ideal for graduate students who are seeking advanced study concentrated in areas of partnership, corporation, and shareholder taxation, the Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree with a specialization in Taxation is a one-year intensive tax program that prepares graduates for a career in federal, state, or local taxation. Designed to provide students with an understanding of diverse aspects of multi-state and federal taxation to facilitate in the transition to professional tax practice, the program requires the completion of at least 30 credit hours with a 150-hour internship completed during the winter quarter of the academic year. With a clear enhancement of oral and written communication skills, the accredited accounting degree program produces well-prepared graduates with an expertise in taxation to fulfill the professional shortage in America’s current economy and accounting profession.
Accreditations
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
2000 Lakeshore Drive
New Orleans, LA 70148
(504) 280-7032
bj.ballanco@uno.edu
http://www.uno.edu/coba/Accounting/Graduate/accountingms.aspx
As the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster than average growth in the profession due to an increased focus on accounting in response to stricter financial regulations, it is an excellent time for aspiring accountants to search for master’s degree best accounting schools to increase employment opportunities. If you call the “Bayou State” home, there are luckily five accredited accounting graduate programs in Louisiana to get on the right path towards a fascinating career assessing financial operations to ensure organizations run efficiently.
You might also be interested in: Five Great Accounting Conferences in 2014