GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Master of Accounting
Build advanced expertise in auditing, taxation, and analytics. Meet your CPA credit hours. Do it all in one year.
A Year That Turns an Accounting Degree Into an Accounting Career
Accounting isn't just about the numbers anymore. Technology handles more of the routine work, which means employers need professionals who can interpret complex data, apply professional judgment, and communicate what the numbers actually mean for the business.
The One-Year Master of Accounting (M.Acc.) at Penn State Smeal College of Business bridges the gap between undergraduate accounting education and the evolving demands of professional practice. You'll go deeper in auditing, taxation, analytics, and professional practice, while graduating with the knowledge that will help you obtain CPA licensure.
Through coursework, professional development, and hands-on experiences, you'll learn to:
Analyze complex accounting, auditing, and taxation issues
Apply professional standards to real-world business situations
Interpret financial information and communicate insights to stakeholders
Use analytics and emerging technologies to support accounting and business decisions
Evaluate risk, compliance, and reporting challenges
Exercise the judgment expected of accounting professionals
Program Highlights
Duration: Complete in as little as 9 months
CPA Pathway: Curriculum tailored to satisfy CPA exam requirements
Designation: STEM-designated program
Experiential Learning: Required/supported accounting internship with top employers
Career Access: Exclusive recruiting events with Big Four and Fortune 500 firms
Specialized Electives: Courses in AI in Accounting, Data Analytics, and Forensic Accounting
Simple Admissions: No GMAT requirement to apply
Where a Master of Accounting Can Take You
M.Acc. graduates step directly into roles at public accounting firms, Fortune 500 companies, and advisory organizations across industries. Most start in audit, tax, or advisory. At Penn State Smeal, we have strong connections with the nation's Big Four accounting firms: KPMG, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
96%
Employed Within One Year of Graduation
$85,000
Average starting salary
#40
Graduate Accounting Program
U.S. News & World Report
Sample Roles & Career Pathways
Advisory Consultant
Help organizations evaluate risks, improve processes, address regulatory challenges, and make informed business decisions by applying accounting expertise, analytical thinking, and professional judgment.
Auditor
Evaluate financial records, assess internal controls, and help organizations maintain compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements.
Corporate Accountant / Financial Reporting Analyst
Support financial reporting, budgeting, compliance, and strategic decision-making by analyzing financial information and communicating insights to stakeholders.
Tax Associate
Help organizations navigate complex tax regulations, support compliance efforts, analyze tax implications, and identify planning opportunities that support business objectives.
Why Choose Penn State Smeal?
Join a Network That Lasts a Lifetime
Connect with more than 98,000 Smeal alumni and more than 800,000 Penn State graduates working across industries and around the world.
Dedicated Graduate Career Support
Access personalized career coaching, employer engagement, networking opportunities, and recruiting resources designed specifically for graduate business students.
Customize Your Graduate Path
Expand your expertise by combining eligible master's programs, certificates, and electives to build credentials that align with your career goals.
Is This Program Right for You?
This top-ranked One-Year Master of Accounting is designed for students who want to start their accounting careers with deeper expertise and greater professional confidence. If you're planning to sit for the CPA exam, work in public accounting, or take on complex accounting responsibilities from day one, this is the year that gets you there.This program may be a strong fit if you:
Plan to pursue CPA licensure
Want to deepen your accounting expertise before entering the profession
Enjoy analyzing financial information and solving business problems
Are interested in auditing, taxation, advisory, or corporate accounting
Want hands-on experience in a professional accounting environment before graduation
Request Information
Master of Accounting vs. M.B.A.: Finding Your Fit
Master of Accounting (M.Acc.)
Develop accounting expertise through graduate-level coursework in financial reporting, auditing, taxation, analytics, and accounting information systems. The M.Acc. prepares students for CPA licensure and careers in accounting, auditing, tax, assurance, advisory, and financial reporting.
Best For: Students pursuing CPA licensure and accounting careers.
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
Develop broad leadership and management skills across finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and organizational leadership. An M.B.A. prepares professionals to lead teams, manage organizations, and advance into management and executive roles.
Best For: Professionals pursuing careers in management, consulting, product management, operations, strategy, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership.
What Your M.Acc. Experience Looks Like
Fall Semester
Begin the program with graduate coursework in accounting, auditing, taxation, analytics, and professional development. Build relationships with classmates, faculty, and employers.
Spring Semester
Apply your knowledge through a required qualified internship, or, continue to pursue advanced coursework and graduate prepared for CPA licensure and the next step in your accounting career.
Summer Semester
If you have not yet completed a qualifying internship, you'll use this semester to fulfill your required professional accounting experience. You can also intern during the summer before your M.Acc. coursework begins.
Hear From Master of Accounting Students and Alumni
Smeal is an institution that has more to offer than just an education. It consists of a community that is willing to support you, grow with you, and make you into a better all-around person. By choosing the Smeal M.Acc., the possibilities seem endless, and I know that I am on the path to success.
Ariana Ibelli '22
External Audit Assurance Associate
This is a technical program that equips you to identify, analyze, and complete modern accounting issues. I choose to enroll to further enhance my accounting and business skills. Additionally, it prepared me and my classmates for the CPA exam with its advanced classes.
Michael Caldwell '21
Financial Analyst
The knowledgeable faculty made the coursework exciting and were incredibly influential in guiding our future goals. Being a part of this community and gaining the education I did has pushed me to continuously grow as a leader and mentor to those around me.
Hannah Kumar '22
CONNECTIONS THAT LAST
98,000+ Smeal Alumni Worldwide
Join a global network of more than 98,000 Smeal alumni working across industries and organizations around the world. As a student, you'll gain access to a community that provides mentorship, professional connections, career insights, and opportunities long after graduation.
Take the Next Step
Explore how a Penn State Smeal graduate degree can help you build specialized expertise, expand your professional network, and prepare for long-term career success. Connect with our admissions team to get started.
Learn From Accounting Experts
Jed Neilson
Associate Professor of Accounting
Financial reporting, valuation, and accounting analytics.
Duane "Andy" Gustafson
Associate Clinical Professor
Leadership communication, business presentations, and executive communication skills.
Anik Choudhury
Assistant Clinical Professor of Accounting
Auditing, accounting policy, financial reporting, and accounting analytics.
Scott Collins
Clinical Professor of Accounting and Director, One-Year Master of Accounting (MAcc) Program
Financial accounting, accounting analytics, and accounting information systems.