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FAQS | MS Accounting

We provide a CPA Exam-ready curriculum that provides a solid foundation for students looking to begin careers in public accounting and for students whose goals are leadership positions in corporations or non-profit/government entities. Our program is designed for students whose undergraduate major is accounting, particularly at Purdue University, but we welcome interested students from other U.S. and international universities and colleges.
Please visit the Tuition and Financial Aid page
  • 30 credit hours in total.
Current Purdue University undergraduate Accounting students seeking to pursue an MS in Accounting should review the MS Accounting Pathway requirements.  Those candidates who are not current Purdue MS Accounting undergraduates should review the Traditional Applicant Requirements.
Recommendations should come from faculty members who can comment meaningfully on your ability to pursue graduate-level study in accounting or from someone who has supervised you in an internship or other professional situation may be appropriate. Recommendations from friends, family members, acquaintances, and other sources unable to evaluate professional or academic qualifications for our full-time programs are not acceptable.
No work experience is required to apply.

Krannert does not have a minimum GMAT score that MS Accounting applicants must meet, and the test is not required for this program. Any scores submitted will be considered, so check with your program specialist before submitting.

The Admission Committee takes a holistic review of a candidate’s application when rendering an admissions decision. In order to gauge your competitiveness, please refer to our class profiles.

The MSA program requires Advanced Auditing & Audit Analytics (3 credit hours), Communications for Accountants (2 credit hours) and Business Law for Accountants (2 credit hours), and 23 credit hours of electives.
Professor Troy Janes will assist each student with scheduling and course planning. In addition, students will have career advising support and will have opportunities for mentoring and research with other Accounting faculty in Krannert.
  • The Krannert Professional Development Center (KPDC) provides assistance to students in helping themselves secure rewarding full‐time placement opportunities. KPDC maintains private, comfortable interview suites; computers with Intranet and Internet access; resume production equipment; telephones for free job search calls; and a current library of online and directory resources. Career counseling and resume preparation services are also available to our students.
  • What types of career paths will a Master of Science (Accounting) prepare me to pursue?
    Our curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in public, corporate or non-profit/government accounting. Customization allows students to choose courses that support careers in assurance or tax and CPA exam preparation. It also allows them to choose courses that support corporate or non-profit/government careers and CPA/CMA exam preparation. Our MS Accounting program offers a degree that supports your career plans throughout your working lifetime and facilitates any career path changes that you may wish to pursue in the future.
This program does not require a GMAT or GRE. However, any scores submitted will be considered so ask your program specialist before submitting a score.
Not all applicants are requested to interview, as interviews are by invitation only per the Admissions Committee.
If requested to interview, you will be invited by an Admissions representative through email which will include details regarding the interview process. The majority of interviews will be conducted virtually, with video capability.
The Graduate School accepts all valid forms of English language assessment testing, including all types of TOEFL and IELTS.  Please refer here for test requirements.

Please note:  English language assessment test scores are valid for a period of three years.  If the test is expired, you will be required to retake an exam.  The test must be valid at the time your application is under review by the Purdue University Graduate School.

You will need to use institution code 1631; however, no department code is necessary.  Please refer to www.toefl.org  for information on how to report your official scores.
Waivers for the English Proficiency test are available for applicants who received a baccalaureate degree or graduate or professional degree, within the last 36 months at the time of recommendation for admission, from a school where English is the primary language of instruction in a country/location where English is the native language. If you are admitted under this waiver and are still finishing your degree, you must satisfactorily complete your degree and submit a final official transcript showing that this degree has been awarded BEFORE the Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) can produce your US immigration document (I-20 or DS-2019) or before you can enroll in courses at Purdue University.  For detailed information and eligibility, please review the country/location where English is the native language. A list of exempt official English-speaking countries/locations, in addition to the U.S. can be found on the Graduate School Admissions website.
Only if you have obtained a baccalaureate degree or graduate or professional degree within the past 36 months from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, in a country where English is the native language.  In order to meet this requirement, receipt of the degree must fall within the 36 month period when your documents are under review by the Krannert School of Management and the Purdue University Graduate School.  Test scores expire on the first day of the month in which they were taken.
We recommend the completion of the Master of Commerce degree, but will consider applicants who have completed the equivalent of one full year of university work in a degree-seeking program beyond the Bachelor of Commerce degree. This requires a total of sixteen years of education in a university setting.  Correspondence courses and/or ‘certificate programs’ offered by organizations or non-university groups do not meet this requirement.  A ‘post-graduate’ diploma’ does not meet this requirement.
The Krannert School of Management will waive the application fee for domestic applicants of its MS Accounting program who are permanent legal residents of the United States and/or those applicants who have successfully completed a Purdue University or Purdue Global baccalaureate degree. By removing the barriers of the application fee for qualified domestic students it is our goal to make the transformative experience available at the Krannert School of Management more affordable and accessible.
Yes, the MS Accounting program offers both Spring and Fall enrollments.
No.  The Krannert Master’s programs do not accept transfer credits at any time.
While a baccalaureate degree in Accounting is strongly preferred, we will consider students who have completed a minor or concentration in Accounting from an accredited U.S. institution.  Students without an Accounting degree, minor, or concentration may be admitted to the program upon completion of the following courses or their equivalents:  Introductory Financial Accounting, Introductory Managerial Accounting, Intermediate Financial Accounting I and II, and Auditing.
No.  Proof of financial support is only required of international students who receive a favorable admissions decision. Please do not include proof of financial support with your application. Upon an offer of admission, students will work with the Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) to demonstrate eligibility for a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019).
Please visit the Tuition and Financial Aid page. Contact MSA Academic Director Troy Janes for more.
We strive to have an admissions decision within 60 days from the submission of your application. However, you may check the status of your submitted application at any time by visiting the Graduate School's online application system.
It is requested that applicants submit one application per year. Applicants can select up to two programs to apply to per year. If reapplying, a new application must be completed in its entirety. To assess your competitiveness, please refer to our individual program pages.  For further details regarding the reapplication process, please contact krannertmasters@purdue.edu.