
American University · Kogod School of Business
MS in Accounting
Overview
A 30 to 37.5 credit MS in Accounting offered in person and online, with focus areas in financial reporting and assurance, forensic accounting or taxation and an accounting analytics specialization.
- Official program name
- MS in Accounting
- Awarded degree
- Master of Science in Accounting · major: AccountingSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Degree level
- Master's
- Subject focus
- Dedicated degreeThe degree title itself is in accounting, accountancy, taxation or another accounting subject (for example a Master of Accountancy).Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Entry route
- Open to both accounting and non-accounting graduatesThe program admits applicants from any field; prerequisite or foundation courses may apply, as published.Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- School
- Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Location
- Washington, DCFor the online option this is where the school is located — not a residency requirement, and not a guarantee that you may enroll from your state.Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Subjects
- Accounting — core of the degreeTaxation — formal concentration / track (“Taxation focus area”)Forensic Accounting — formal concentration / track (“Forensic Accounting focus area”)Accounting Analytics — formal concentration / track (“Specialization in Accounting Analytics”)
- Tracks / concentrations
- Financial reporting and assurance, forensic accounting, or taxationSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Required credits
- 30-37.5 credit hours depending on academic backgroundSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Duration
- 1-3 years; full-time students with an accounting background can finish in as little as 1 year (as little as 1 year for full-time students with an accounting background)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
Why this program is listed
Dedicated MS in Accounting offered in person and online.
Degree title names accounting; core courses in tax planning, audit services and corporate financial reporting.
Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026We list associate, bachelor's, master's and research-doctorate programs in accounting, accountancy and taxation at institutionally accredited US schools — degrees in the subject and formal accounting majors or concentrations, never certificates or degrees with a single accounting course. Eligibility rules
Format and attendance
- Formats offered
- On campus · OnlineSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Online delivery
- Fully onlineAll coursework is online and the institution states no required campus attendance for the online option.All coursework is online and the institution states no required campus attendance for the online option.Source: accountingonline.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Campus visits (online option)
- Campus visits: not verified
- Class schedule (online option)
- Mixed (live + self-paced)Source: accountingonline.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Internship
- Internship requirement: not verified
- Study intensity
- Full-time, Part-timeSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
Attendance requirements as published
Live online sessions Required
Online program includes live instruction each week per course.
Source: accountingonline.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
Curriculum
Curriculum details: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
CPA-related information
- Not specified. Says the online program can satisfy the 150-hour CPA licensure requirement and students can be eligible to sit for the CPA examSource: accountingonline.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Not specified. Describes graduate accounting and tax courses as designed to get students ready for CPA licensureSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
A school describing a program as supporting CPA preparation does not establish eligibility for every applicant in every state, and this directory does not label any program “CPA eligible”. Check your own state board's current rules before you enrol. Accounting degrees and CPA requirements
Other professional recognition
- Other professional recognition. Partnership with ACCA: online program graduates eligible for up to 6 exemptions of the ACCA's 14 exams.Source: accountingonline.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
This directory does not publish pass rates, placement rates or salaries for any program. Occupational statistics for accountants are in the guides, labelled as statistics for the occupation, not outcomes of a school.
Admissions
Technical preparation
- Work experience
- Not requiredFull-time work experience is not requiredSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Requirement
- RequiredOnline page: students without a bachelor's from an AACSB-accredited business program take business foundation courses; may be waivedSource: accountingonline.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Prior degree
- RequiredBachelor's degree from an accredited institution; a related field is not requiredSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Statement / essay
- RequiredPersonal statement essay of no more than 750 wordsSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Recommendation letters
- Required1 letters — One letter of recommendationSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
- Résumé / CV
- RequiredCurrent resumeSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
Tests
Entrance and English-language test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.
We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.
Start dates and deadlines
- Upcoming
Priority deadline
January 15, 2027 · for Fall 2027
Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026 - Upcoming
Application deadline
March 15, 2027 · for Fall 2027
Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
Tuition and fees
| Category | Amount | Basis and year |
|---|---|---|
| All students — MS in Accounting (program tuition and fees page) | $2,163 | per credit · 2026-2027Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026 |
| All students — Online MS in Accounting (online program page)From the school's online tuition table | $1,812 | per creditSource: accountingonline.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026 |
Other published fees
- Support Services fee, full-time per semester
- $450 per semesterSource: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
Scholarships and funding
Kogod merit-based scholarships Institutional scholarship
All applicants are automatically considered
Eligibility: All applicants, including international students
Source: kogod.american.edu · verified October 30, 2026
Accreditation
Institutional accreditation
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026
Business-school accreditation
- AACSB — accreditedUnit: Kogod School of BusinessListed as: AACSB business accreditationConfirmed in the accreditor's own directory.Source: aacsb.edu · verified October 26, 2026
Supplemental accounting accreditation
No separate accounting accreditation is on record. AACSB business accreditation does not mean the accounting program holds AACSB accounting accreditation.
State authorization (online students)
Not verified — check the school's state authorization page before applying from outside Washington, DC.
International applicants
Not verified for the online option.
Sources and verification
- accountingonline.american.edu/online-master-of-science-in-accounting — Official program page, verified October 30, 2026
- kogod.american.edu/programs-admissions/masters/accounting — Official admissions page, verified October 30, 2026
- kogod.american.edu/programs-admissions/masters/accounting/admissions — Official admissions page, verified October 30, 2026
- kogod.american.edu/programs-admissions/masters/accounting/tuition-fees — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 30, 2026
- DAPIP — MSCHE institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
- AACSB accredited institutions (accreditor directory) — Accreditor directory, verified October 26, 2026
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