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Master of Science in Accounting & Finance

Program Coordinator: Gokce (Greg) Serdar
Paseka School of Business
Center for Business, (218) 477-4650
serdar@mnstate.edu

The Master of Science in Accounting and Finance program is designed to provide a unique blend of two disciplines and practice. Students completing the program will be well-prepared to pursue careers in investment management or accounting and to obtain professional designations like Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Professional certifications are becoming increasingly important in today's competitive business environment. This program helps prepare students to obtain one or more of these professional certifications. One goal of the program is to improve the marketing of both accounting and finance graduates.

The Paseka School of Business is accredited by AACSB International. Fewer than 5 percent of the world’s business schools have achieved this distinction, which involves a process of rigorous internal review and evaluation. AACSB accreditation signifies that the Paseka School of Business has a high quality teaching environment, a commitment to continuous improvement, and curricula responsive to the needs of business.

Master of Science in Accounting and Finance

Description
Master of Science in Accounting and Finance - 31 credits

Admission Requirements

Information on admission requirements can be found on the Graduate Studies webpage.

Student Learning Outcomes

MSAF Program Learning Goals and Objectives

Solving financial problems – Graduates will demonstrate the ability to apply financial concepts to solve financial problems.

  • Graduates will be able to evaluate alternative financial strategies and select an appropriate course of action.

Accounting research – Graduates will demonstrate the ability to conduct accounting research effectively.

  • Graduates will be able to identify and access relevant rules and standards.
  • Graduates will be able to resolve conflict or ambiguity in accounting standards.
  • Graduates will be able to extrapolate from available rules and guidance to solve problems not addressed by existing standards or rules.

Financial statements analysis - Graduates will demonstrate the ability to use financial statement information effectively.

  • Graduates will be able to assess quality of reporting by a corporation.
  • Graduates will be able to identify and apply necessary adjustments to reported financial information to enhance comparability and financial analysis.
  • Graduates will be able to integrate financial statements information into financial recommendations.

Communication - Graduates will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively.

  • Graduates will be able to write effectively in their field.
  • Graduates will be able to deliver an effective oral presentation in their field.

Program Delivery Mode
Land plus: face-to-face where some online courses may be available or required

Core Requirements ( 16 credits )

BUS 602 Quantitative Methods (3)
BUS 640 Financial Statement Analysis (3)
BUS 642 Corporate Finance (3)
BUS 644 Advanced Financial Statement Analysis (3)
BUS 648 Investments (3)
BUS 696 Project/Action Research (Plan B) (1)

Program Requirements

31 credits for degree completion; 15 core credits, 15 elective credits, 1 portfolio credit
A student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the program. If a student GPA falls below 3.0 then the student will be placed on probation and allowed to take only 6 credits the following semester. If after taking 6 credits during probation, the student’s GPA is still below 3.0 then the student will be expelled and not allowed to reapply. Completion of oral examination which serves as a review of the student’s portfolio.

Restricted Electives ( 15 credits )

Students select 5 courses from the following list:

ACCT 507 Commercial Transactions, Property, and Special Topics (3)
ACCT 532 Advanced Accounting II (3)
ACCT 541 Tax Accounting I (3)
ACCT 543 Tax Accounting II (3)
ACCT 561 Audit II (3)
FINC 525 Bank Management I (3)
FINC 526 Bank Management II (3)
FINC 545 International Financial Management (3)
FINC 546 Financial Decision Making (3)
FINC 550 Entrepreneurial Finance (3)
FINC 560 Portfolio Analysis and Management (3)
FINC 562 Financial Analysis and Valuation (3)
FINC 563 Futures and Options (3)

Note: Students enrolling in 400 level cross-listed courses to meet undergraduate degree requirements will not be allowed to use them for graduate credit.