Earning an advanced degree is a significant time and financial investment, and many business professionals research the difference between an Accounting MBA and Master’s in Accounting degree (MAcc) to identify the one that best matches their skills, personal preferences and professional aspirations. There are many reasons why a person chooses to pursue graduate business education. Some students want to develop management skills, and others need to hone knowledge in distinct specialty areas. These are the primary considerations that are used when students choose between Accounting MBA and MAcc degree programs. Here are the key differences and similarities between both programs.
Curriculum Focus
Most Accounting MBA programs allow students to explore essential business topics like finance, economics and human resource management in addition to accounting principles and theories. Ideally, students gain a proper context in which to view accounting topics through this type of curriculum. For example, an Accounting MBA program may include courses on strategic management which help students to see how accounting data can be used to verify if a company is on track to meet its strategic goals. Students can also identify ways that accounting data can help senior managers plan for future growth. MAcc programs focus primarily on the development of technical accounting knowledge. While most programs offer limited electives in areas such as finance and economics, MAcc students are usually immersed in the finer points of financial accounting, auditing, tax preparation and managerial accounting. Both programs provide enough accounting courses for students who already have undergraduate accounting degrees to meet the academic requirements for certified public accounting licensure.
Admissions Requirements
A business professional who has an undergraduate degree in finance, business administration, economics or even a technical discipline like engineering can apply for admission into most Accounting MBA programs. These people are usually trying to expand their skill sets to transition into accounting related jobs. However, admissions officers for typical MAcc programs often require that students have undergraduate degrees in accounting because of the MAcc’s heavy focus on developing hard accounting skills at an advanced level. Admissions criteria for both the Accounting MBA and the MAcc programs require that students provide competitive scores on either the Graduate Management Admission Test or the Graduate Record Examinations. Students must also have sufficient undergraduate grade point averages to enter these programs at reputable schools.
Career Paths
Depending on the career level of the Accounting MBA or MAcc graduate, different jobs can become available based upon the degree type chosen. For example, a mid-level accountant who has a fresh MAcc degree may be offered a promotion into a senior level analyst position that allows them to fully utilize their technical accounting knowledge and skills. The same mid-level accountant who has a recent Accounting MBA may be offered a promotion into an accounting manager or corporate controller role that will give them opportunities to use their management skills in a senior accounting position, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.
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Conclusion
Students tend to choose between the Accounting MBA and MAcc programs based upon their skill levels and interests according academic surveys taken. Graduate business and accounting degrees are designed to equip promising professionals with the skills that they need to move into leadership positions, and the key difference between an Accounting MBA and Master’s in Accounting degree helps employers to appropriately match graduates to specific senior level positions.