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Accountants who are looking for accredited accounting graduate programs in West Virginia have some great options available that will readily help them advance their career in this field. Both of the state’s AACSB-accredited accounting programs are designed to give accountants the extra credit hours they need to be eligible for the state’s Certified Public Accountant program, and both schools offer students a wealth of courses that cover everything from advanced tax accounting to managerial accounting considerations and much more.
Marshall University
College of Business
Commonly ranked as a “best value” public institution in the state of West Virginia, Marshall University is home to nearly 14,000 students and one of the school’s only AACSB-accredited business schools. The Department of Accounting, within the College of Business, oversees the Master of Accountancy program and continually revises its curriculum to reflect industry trends, technological developments, and any new requirements that students might have to meet in order to sit for the CPA exam after graduation. The school uses an admissions formula that multiplies the applicant’s undergraduate GPA by 200 and adds their full GMAT score, with admitted applicants required to score higher than 1,100.
M.S. in Accountancy
Marshall University’s accounting program is unique, because it actually teaches more about the nature of the accounting profession than about traditional accounting practices. The school focuses on professional ethics and development within the industry, the relationship between governments and businesses, and the theory and ethics of auditing accounting documents. More traditional accounting coursework is included, even if in a very minor capacity, and includes managerial accounting, advanced tax and cost accounting, and controllership. Students without a bachelor’s degree in accounting will take intermediate accounting, federal tax accounting, and several other foundations courses in order to “catch up” with their peers who majored in the field previously.
Accreditations: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
Marshall University
College of Business
1 John Marshall Dr.
Huntington, WV 25755
Phone: (800) 642-3463
Email: spradlin2@marshall.edu
Program Website
West Virginia University
College of Business and Economics
Founded in 1867, West Virginia University has long been the flagship public institution in the state of West Virginia. The school serves more than 29,000 students and has one of the country’s most highly ranked business schools. Its accounting program is designed to create professional graduates who are eligible for the CPA examination, with the right combination of ethical instruction and practical, advanced accounting skills. The Accounting Department hosts regular job fairs and networking events throughout the year, offers an honor society to distinguished students and graduates, and arranges for off-campus internships and practical experiences for all students who with to participate in such a placement.
Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA)
As is the case with many graduate-level accounting programs, the MPA degree at West Virginia University is designed primarily to satisfy the requirements for taking and passing the CPA exam. The state allows students to take the exam after completing 128 credits, with full licensure offered only after 150 credits. The program gives students more than 150 credits required, and does so in a format that teaches both theory and accounting practice.
All students will be required to take WVU’s graduate accounting core, consisting of business decision-making, financial accounting theory, business consulting, personal financial advising, and fraud detection. These core components of the program sit alongside elective credits and non-core components, which include non-profit and government accounting, advanced tax policy, forensic accounting and IT systems auditing, business consulting, and assurance services. A total of 33 credits is required to complete the program, giving students three extra hours beyond the CPA requirement in West Virginia.
Accreditations: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Contact
West Virginia University
College of Business and Economics
1601 University Ave.
PO Box 6025
Morgantown, WV 26506
Phone: (304) 293-4959
Email: bewebmaster@mail.wvu.edu
Program Website
Two Strong, Accredited Accounting Programs for West Virginia Students
The accounting profession is expected to enjoy moderate growth through the end of the decade, and accountants with both a graduate education and CPA certification will be most likely to take advantage of this strong growth. With the courses and benchmarks set by the AACSB-accredited accounting graduate programs in West Virginia, accountants will be equipped with the skills they need to handle advanced accounting for corporate, tax, and personal clients for years to come.
