Program Overview

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Business: Accounting and Business Analysis: Accounting, Assurance, and Advisory, MS

The Master of Science in Business: Accounting and Business Analysis (MSABA) program with a named option in Accounting, Assurance, and Advisory is designed for students interested in pursuing careers in public accounting firms' audit, assurance, and advisory practices, as well as various roles in corporate finance and accounting functions.

Admissions

• Graduate Admissions Requirements:
  • Fall Deadline: See program webpage.
  • Spring Deadline: This program does not admit in the spring.
  • Summer Deadline: This program does not admit in the summer.
  • GRE (Graduate Record Examinations): May be required in certain cases; consult program.
  • English Proficiency Test: All applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Pearson Test of English (PTE), or the Intensive English as a Second Language (IELTS). A minimum iBT TOEFL score of 100 or equivalent, computer-based PTE score of 73 or equivalent, or IELTS score of 7.5 or equivalent, obtained within two years of the intended start term, is required. This requirement is waived for international applicants who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree and/or masters degree (minimum of eight semesters total) with instruction in English or who will complete such a degree prior to matriculation into the program.
  • Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT): GMAT may be required in certain cases; consult program.
  • Letters of Recommendation Required: 0 (Submission of up to two letters of recommendation is optional).

Program Requirements

The Master of Science in Business: Accounting and Business Analysis (MSABA) program is open to any student who has earned a four-year undergraduate degree, or the equivalent, in accounting, from an accredited institution. The following are required for admission to the MSABA program:

1. Undergraduate degree in accounting or equivalent. Completion of an undergraduate degree is required prior to starting the program.
2. Resume
3. Response to essay question(s)
4. Completed application and payment of application fee
5. Official transcripts
   • All undergraduate and masters degree transcripts will be evaluated.
   • Schools outside the US may be verified by World Education Services (WES) at the individual class level.
6. Interview (by invitation only)
7. The GMAT and GRE are optional for candidates who earned an accredited US undergraduate degree.
8. TOEFL, PTE, or IELTS test scores, only for applicants whose native language is not English

Equivalent to an Undergraduate Degree in Accounting

Completion of the following courses is considered equivalent to an undergraduate degree in accounting:

1. Introductory Financial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT I S 100 or ACCT I S 300)
2. Introductory Managerial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT I S 211 or ACCT I S 300)
3. Intermediate Financial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT I S 301 and ACCT I S 302)
4. Advanced Managerial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT I S 310)
5. Accounting Information Systems (equivalent to ACCT I S 340)
6. Taxation (equivalent of ACCT I S 329, ACCT I S 620, or ACCT I S 621)
7. Foundations of Auditing (equivalent to ACCT I S 630)
8. Business Law (equivalent to GEN BUS 301)

Funding

Department-sponsored funding is available on a competitive basis to all Master of Science in Business: Accounting and Business Analysis students. In addition, teaching assistantships may be available.

Mode of Instruction

• Mode of Instruction: Face to Face
• Definitions:
  • Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
  • Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UWMadison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
  • Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
  • Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
  • Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

Curricular Requirements

• Minimum Credit Requirement: 30 credits
• Minimum Residence Credit Requirement: 24 credits
• Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement: 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework.
• Overall Graduate GPA Requirement: 3.00 GPA required.
• Other Grade Requirement: Grades of Incomplete are considered to be unsatisfactory if they are not removed during the first four weeks of the following semester. Students may be required to retake a course in which they receive a grade lower than a C.
• Assessments and Examinations: No required assessments or examinations beyond course requirements.
• Language Requirements: No language graduation requirement.

Required Courses

The Master of Science in Business: Accounting and Business Analysis requires all students to complete 3 foundational courses, 4 named option courses, and complete 1 of 5 offered specializations. Program approval is required for exceptions.

• Core Courses:
  • ACCT I S 406: Accounting and Analysis for Reporting Entities (3 credits)
  • ACCT I S 640: Foundation in Accounting Analytics (3 credits)
  • ACCT I S 740: Information Risk, Control, & Forensics (3 credits)
• Named Option Courses:
  • ACCT I S 603: Financial Statement Analysis (3 credits)
  • ACCT I S 730: Advanced Auditing: Analysis, Policy, and Judgment (3 credits)
  • ACCT I S 770: Accounting Theory: Reporting Incentives and Consequences (3 credits)
  • ACCT I S 771: Analysis of Performance Measurement & Control (3 credits)
• Specialization Courses: Students must complete 1 of the 5 specializations detailed below.
  • Risk Management Specialization
    • R M I 300: Principles of Risk Management
    • or R M I 700: Principles of Risk Management
    • R M I 660: Risk Analytics and Behavioral Science
    • R M I 670: Cyber Risk & Regulations
  • Emerging Technologies Specialization
    • GEN BUS 760: Data Technology for Business Analytics
    • MARKETNG/OTM 727: Information Technology in Supply Chains
    • R M I 670: Cyber Risk & Regulations
  • Sustainability Specialization
    • M H R 310: Challenges & Solutions in Business Sustainability
    • or M H R 710: Challenges & Solutions in Business Sustainability
    • M H R 617: Diversity in Organizations
    • R M I 650: Sustainability, Environmental and Social Risk Management
  • Wealth Management Specialization
    • FINANCE/ECON 320: Investment Theory
    • FINANCE 601: Strategic Planning for Estates and Business Transitions
    • FINANCE 602: Wealth Management & Financial Planning
  • M&A Deal Advisory Specialization
    • ACCT I S 772: Analysis of Taxes & Business Decisions
    • FINANCE 635: Business Valuation
    • FINANCE 650: Mergers and Acquisitions
• Total Credits: 30

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

• Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions: With program approval, up to 6 credits of coursework at the graduate level of required or elective courses from an AACSB-accredited school, and in which a grade of B or better was earned, may transfer toward the degree. Coursework earned seven or more years prior to admission is not allowed to satisfy requirements.
• Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison: Up to 6 credits from courses numbered 300 or above of required or elective courses from the undergraduate work completed at UWMadison or other institutions in which a B or better was earned may transfer towards fulfillment of the minimum degree credit requirement.
• Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers): Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
• Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UWMadison: With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 9 credits of coursework numbered 700 or above taken as a UWMadison University Special student. Coursework earned seven or more years prior to the masters degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

Probation

Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.

Advisor/Committee

Every graduate student is required to have an advisor. To ensure that students are making satisfactory progress toward a degree, the Graduate School expects them to meet with their advisor on a regular basis.

Credits Per Term Allowed

15 credits.

Time Limits

Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

Any student who feels that they have been mistreated by a faculty or staff member has the right to lodge a complaint. Complaints may concern course grades, classroom treatment, program admission, or other issues. To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint and to protect both the student's rights and the person at whom the complaint is addressed, the grievance procedures are used in the School of Business.

The person against whom the complaint is directed must be an employee of the School of Business. Any student or potential student may use these procedures unless other campus rules or contracts cover the complaint:

1. If the student feels comfortable/safe doing so, the student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. If the complaint is directed against a teaching assistant (TA) and the student is not satisfied after discussion of the grievance with the TA, the next step would be to talk to the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student may continue to step 2.
2. If the complaint involves an academic department, the student should contact the chair of the department. The chair will attempt to resolve the problem informally. If this cannot be done to the student's satisfaction, the student may submit the grievance to the chair in writing. This must be done within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
3. On receipt of a written complaint, the chair will refer the matter to a departmental committee, which will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed. This response shall be shared with the person filing the grievance. The chair will provide a written decision within 30 days to the student on the action taken by the committee.
4. If either party is not satisfied with the decision, they have five working days from receipt of the decision to contact the dean's office, indicating the intention to appeal. If the complaint does not involve an academic department in the school, the student must contact the dean's office within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
5. In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the appropriate associate dean. If this cannot be done, the complaint can be filed in writing with the Office of the Dean. This must be done within 10 working days of the time the appealing party was notified that informal resolution was unsuccessful.
6. On receipt of such a written complaint, the Chief Engagement, Culture, and Organizational Effectiveness Officer will convene a subcommittee of relevant stakeholders pending the nature of the issue. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and may hold a hearing at which both parties will be asked to speak separately. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Business who will render a decision. Unless a longer time is negotiated, this written decision shall be made within 20 working days from when the grievance was filed with the Office of the Dean.

Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Business, Office of the Dean.

State law contains additional provisions regarding discrimination and harassment. Wisconsin Statutes 36.12 reads, in part: "No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions or center because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status." In addition, the UW System prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression. Students have the right to file discrimination and harassment complaints with the Office of Compliance.

The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate Schools Academic Policies and Procedures.