Beginning in fall 2027, the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business will offer a flexible Online Master of Science in Accounting (OMSA) program designed to help early- to mid-career working professionals and recent graduates develop advanced accounting expertise, pursue CPA licensure, or transition into the accounting field.
The new degree builds on Smith's graduate accounting program, ranked No. 1 in the Baltimore-Washington region and No. 35 nationally by U.S. News & World Report in 2026. Its 30-credit, three-semester (16-month) online format is designed to equip students with skills in AI, accounting analytics and automation without requiring them to pause their careers.
The program offers two specialized pathways tailored to applicants' backgrounds:
- CPA Foundations Track: Designed for students from non-accounting backgrounds, including finance, economics, criminology, psychology and the behavioral sciences, to complete courses required for the Maryland CPA exam and build a structured path into accounting.
- Advanced Accounting and Analytics Track: Designed for students with an accounting foundation who seek deeper expertise in AI tools, data analytics and strategic IT consulting.
“Our new online MS in Accounting pairs the rigorous, top-ranked foundation of Smith’s full-time graduate accounting program with a cutting-edge curriculum in AI, automation and analytics," says Smith MS in Accounting Academic Director Lei Zhou. "Designed for maximum flexibility for working professionals, this program empowers students to master future-ready skills and advance seamlessly toward CPA licensure and leadership in modern accounting."
Throughout the program, students will engage in applied coursework and hands-on projects supervised by faculty experts, including Zhou, a cybersecurity and accounting analytics expert, and Samuel Handwerger, a senior lecturer, CPA, and founder of TerpTax and Justice for Fraud Victims, who brings decades of high-level tax planning and forensic accounting experience to the classroom.
The curriculum incorporates industry-standard tools and technologies, including GenAI, Alteryx, Automation Anywhere, Microsoft SQL, MindBridge Analytics, Tableau and Power BI.
Graduates will master core competencies in financial statement analysis, forensic accounting, automated auditing, valuation, and individual taxation, preparing them for high-demand roles in public accounting, corporate finance, financial consulting, risk management and forensic investigation.
Alumni of Smith’s master’s programs in accounting are regularly recruited by leading regional and international employers, including the Big Four firms (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC), Andersen Tax, BDO, CohnReznick, Crowe, Grant Thornton, Morgan Stanley, RSM, Withum, the IRS and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
Prospective applicants and UMD undergraduates can learn more about admissions deadlines and pathway options by contacting the Smith School’s MBA and Business Master's Admissions Office.
Media Contact
Greg Muraski
Media Relations Manager
301-405-5283
301-892-0973 Mobile
gmuraski@umd.edu
About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in business education and cutting-edge research. The school’s world-class faculty facilitate experiential learning opportunities rooted in the real world. Smith students learn to think like entrepreneurs, prepared to drive positive impact. The school offers undergraduate, online and on-campus business master's, full-time, part-time, online and executive MBA, plus PhD and DBA degree programs, and non-degree and executive education programs. Where Smith leads, the future follows.