Online Master of Science in Accounting
Online Master of Science in Accounting
Why Earn an Online Master of Science in Accounting at the Smith School?
Build Accounting Expertise That Opens Doors
Accounting plays a critical role in helping organizations maintain financial integrity, manage risk and make informed business decisions. As AI and automation transform the profession, employers need accounting professionals who can combine technical expertise with analytical thinking, ethical judgment and emerging technologies.
The Robert H. Smith School of Business Online Master of Science in Accounting prepares you to meet those demands while advancing your current accounting career or entering the accounting profession. Through a flexible online format, you'll gain the knowledge to evaluate financial information, strengthen business decisions and adapt as the profession evolves. Progress toward CPA eligibility while developing advanced accounting skills that help you stand out for specialized roles and career advancement.
Credits
30
Tuition
$25K, excluding fees
Duration
As few as 16 months
Format
Online
Focus Areas
CPA Foundations
Advanced Accounting and Analytics
Why Smith?
Build advanced accounting expertise or prepare to enter the profession from another field.
Develop practical skills in AI, accounting analytics and emerging technologies.
Learn from faculty with expertise in accounting research, accounting strategy and financial compliance.
Earn your degree online while continuing to gain professional experience.
Who Should Apply to the Online Master of Science in Accounting?
Two Pathways. More Career Possibilities.
The Online Master of Science in Accounting is designed for recent graduates and working professionals who want to enter accounting, advance their current accounting careers or build expertise in emerging accounting technologies. Students can choose the pathway aligned with their academic backgrounds and professional goals.
Ideal candidates include:
- Recent accounting graduates seeking advanced expertise.
- Early- and mid-career accounting professionals preparing for greater responsibility.
- Professionals interested in progressing toward CPA licensure.
- Graduates from finance, economics and other quantitative disciplines seeking accounting expertise.
- Graduates from criminology, psychology, behavioral sciences and other non-accounting backgrounds exploring accounting careers.
- Working professionals seeking flexible online graduate education.
Choose Your Path
- CPA Foundations
Designed for students without an accounting background who want to enter the profession. Build essential accounting knowledge, strengthen your analytical and technology skills and complete coursework that helps you progress toward meeting CPA educational requirements. - Advanced Accounting and Analytics
Designed for students with an accounting background who want to deepen their expertise. Develop advanced accounting, analytics and AI skills that can help you pursue specialized opportunities, improve business processes and take on greater professional responsibility.
Whether you're building on accounting experience or entering the profession from another field, Smith provides a pathway to strengthen your expertise and prepare for new career opportunities.
What Will You Learn in the Online Master of Science in Accounting?
Build the Accounting Skills Employers Need Next
The Online Master of Science in Accounting prepares you to analyze financial information, apply accounting principles and use emerging technologies to support business decisions. You'll develop technical knowledge alongside the analytical thinking and ethical judgment organizations rely on to maintain financial integrity and manage risk.
You'll learn how to:
- Analyze financial statements and accounting data to support business decisions.
- Apply accounting analytics and valuation techniques to financial challenges.
- Evaluate financial information to identify risks, irregularities and potential fraud.
- Use AI and automation to improve accounting processes and analytical efficiency.
- Apply auditing principles to assess financial accuracy and internal controls.
- Understand taxation and financial compliance requirements.
- Communicate financial findings clearly to support organizational decision-making.
Key Areas of Study
- Accounting Analytics and Valuation
- AI tools and Emerging Technologies
- Financial Statement and Data Systems Analysis
- Forensic Accounting
- Internal, External and Automated Auditing
- Individual Taxation
You'll graduate with the accounting knowledge, technical capabilities and analytical judgment to contribute to organizations navigating increasingly complex regulatory environments.
How Is AI Integrated Into the Online Master of Science in Accounting?
Use AI to Strengthen Accounting Decisions
The Online Master of Science in Accounting prepares you to work with AI tools and technologies while developing the human judgment, critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills that remain essential to the profession.
Through applied coursework, you'll explore how analytics and automation can improve accounting workflows, support financial analysis and strengthen decision-making.
Accounting Technologies You'll Explore
- Alteryx
- Automation Anywhere
- Generative AI
- Microsoft SQL
- MindBridge Analytics
- Power BI
- Tableau
Apply What You Learn
Build practical skills in accounting analytics, financial reporting, auditing and technology-enabled problem-solving. These capabilities can help you evaluate complex financial information, improve organizational processes and communicate findings with greater clarity.
Technology can accelerate accounting work. Your expertise and judgment help ensure that work is accurate, responsible and valuable.
What Can You Do With an Online Master of Science in Accounting?
Build a Career Grounded in Trust and Expertise
Accounting professionals help organizations maintain financial accountability, navigate regulations, investigate financial activity and make decisions that affect businesses and communities. The Online Master of Science in Accounting prepares graduates to pursue opportunities across accounting, financial services, consulting and related fields.
Potential Career Paths
- Assurance and Auditing
- Corporate Accounting
- Financial Consulting
- Forensic Accounting and Financial Investigations
- International Accounting
- Investment Banking
- Public Accounting
- Risk and IT Consulting
- Tax Accounting
- Technical and Scientific Consulting
Where Accounting Expertise Creates Value
Organizations across industries depend on accounting professionals to evaluate financial performance, manage risk, maintain compliance and support responsible financial decisions. Expertise in accounting, AI and analytics can help graduates pursue specialized responsibilities as financial technologies and business needs evolve.
Career Outcomes
The Online Master of Science in Accounting program is designed to help you move into spaces where trust, accuracy and adaptability drive long-term success.
95% of Smith’s Master of Science in Accounting graduates secured employment within six months of graduation. These graduates report a median starting salary of $84K.
Source: Office of Career Services, Class of 2025. These results reflect Smith's existing Master of Science in Accounting program and are not specific to the new online degree.
Organizations That Have Hired Smith Accounting Graduates
- Andersen Tax
- Aprio
- BDO
- CohnReznick
- Crowe
- Deloitte
- EY
- Grant Thornton
- Internal Revenue Service
- KPMG
- Maryland Attorney General
- Morgan Stanley
- PwC
- RSM
Graduate with specialized accounting knowledge and the ability to apply analytical thinking, technology and sound judgment to financial challenges across industries.
Who Will Teach You in the Online Master of Science in Accounting?
Learn From Experts Shaping Modern Accounting
At the Robert H. Smith School of Business, you'll learn from faculty whose expertise connects accounting research with the financial challenges organizations face. Their knowledge of accounting analytics, taxation, information security and financial compliance brings valuable perspectives to your online learning experience.
Lei Zhou is the academic director for the Online Master of Science in Accounting program.
| 
| 
|
Learn from Smith faculty whose research and professional expertise help you understand how accounting practices, technology and business expectations continue to evolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Accounting remains essential to helping organizations manage risk, maintain financial integrity and make informed decisions. Smith's Online Master of Science in Accounting prepares aspiring professionals to enter the field and progress toward CPA eligibility. It also helps experienced accountants build advanced AI and analytics skills to pursue career growth.
No. Smith's Online Master of Science in Accounting welcomes students from accounting and nonaccounting backgrounds. The CPA Foundations pathway is designed for students entering the profession, while Advanced Accounting and Analytics serves those who already have an accounting foundation.
Students learn how AI, analytics and automation can support financial analysis, auditing and accounting processes. The curriculum emphasizes using technology responsibly while strengthening the analytical thinking and professional judgment essential to accounting.
The Online Master of Science in Accounting is designed for working professionals who want to continue their careers while earning a graduate degree. The 30-credit program can be completed in 16 months through a flexible online format.
The Robert H. Smith School of Business combines faculty expertise, applied business education and a strong focus on emerging technologies. Online accounting students can choose a pathway aligned with their experience while developing the accounting knowledge, analytical skills and professional judgment needed in an evolving business environment.
Who can I contact with questions about the Online Master of Science in Accounting?
The Smith School's Graduate Admissions Office can answer questions about the curriculum, admissions requirements, program pathways and application process.
Graduate Admissions
Phone: 301-405-2559
Email: smithmasters@umd.edu
Questions? Contact the MBA & Business Master's Admissions Office at 301-405-2559 or SmithMasters@umd.edu.