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Stillman School of Business

Master of Science in Professional Accounting

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Advance your accounting skills in North Jersey's only program with both business and accounting accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. 

Seton Hall’s Master of Science in Professional Accounting (M.S.P.A.) is intended to help students meet the 150-credit hour requirement, which will enable accounting majors to qualify to sit for the CPA exam in New Jersey, New York and most other states. The program, offered on campus, is also well-suited for accountants who are looking to update their skills and increase their knowledge of the profession.

Developed with top-level specialists as a practical graduate accounting education, this program can be completed in approximately one year of evening-only classes.

Accreditation & Awards

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AACSB accounting logo
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"Students who succeed here are usually looking for a little bit more. They know when they come to Seton Hall, they're going to learn to be expert accounting professionals."

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Admissions Requirements

Admission into the Stillman School of Business is selective. For consideration, applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. The School welcomes applicants from business and non-business undergraduate majors.

Although all requests will be considered based on individual merit and each candidate will be evaluated holistically, an undergraduate overall GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) is generally required.

Deadlines

  • Fall Priority

    May 31

  • Spring Priority

    October 31

  • Summer Priority

    March 31

Applications are processed on a rolling basis. To be considered for competitive merit scholarships or Graduate Assistantship positions, applicants are encouraged to apply by the priority deadline for each semester.

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International Students Welcome!

Seton Hall welcomes applications from international students for admission into full-time graduate degree programs.

Curriculum Overview

Completion of the M.S. in Professional Accounting program requires a minimum of 30 credits of approved coursework, composed of 15 credit hours of required courses and 15 credit hours of graduate elective courses. 

You can choose from a diverse list of accounting and tax electives, including:

  • Enterprise-Wide Accounting Information System
  • Auditing
  • Financial Instruments
  • International Accounting

You'll also take three general business classes-one that covers uniform commercial code, another on international business, and a third on any subject you choose.

As part of the graduation requirements for the M.S. in Professional Accounting, students are required to successfully participate in an assessment panel and complete a post-assessment test, preferably in their last semester before graduation.

  • 1%

    Number of programs globally recognized for earning both business and accounting AACSB accreditation

  • 30

    Average Credits for Degree

  • 12-20

    Months to Complete the Program (full-time vs. part-time)

Career Opportunities

Graduates of Seton Hall’s M.S.P.A. program gain up-to-date skills and comprehensive knowledge, distinguishing them in their field and opening doors to opportunities in prestigious organizations across various industries, including financial services, government agencies, healthcare, manufacturing, non-profit organizations, and public accounting firms.

Accounting professionals have a wide range of career paths and industries to choose from, providing our graduates with high employment rates and job security. They are prepared for steadily growing and financially rewarding positions such as:

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Financial Analyst
  • Forensic Accountant
  • Internal Auditor
  • Management Accountant
  • Tax Advisor


After graduation, our graduates secure positions at some of the largest and most prestigious organizations, including Ernst & Young, KPMG, Deloitte, Prudential, New York Life, and the NBA. Many of the biggest firms and most well-known agencies actively recruit from our program at on-campus events, including our annual "Meet the Firms Night."

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$146,450

Annual mean wage of Financial and Investment Analysts in NY metro area (BLS, 2023)

9%

Overall projected employment growth of financial analysts through 2033 (BLS)

1:1

Academic & Career Advising

Our alumni work at the best businesses around the world.

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The KPMG Logo
The Prudential logo
The Ernst and Young EY logo
The NBA logo
A photo of SHU alum Abigail Giordano

"I have especially benefitted from the opportunity to network with many recruiters from many different accounting firms and professionals in the accounting field."

Our Faculty and Students

Free Tax Return Prep Provides Services Valued at $1M+

Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, Stillman students offered free tax preparation services as part of their Tax Lab course, securing $960,000 in refunds and saving $300,000 in fees.

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Scholarships & Financial Aid

Seton Hall University is committed to providing students with the most current information on how to finance your graduate degree. A graduate degree is within your reach – a variety of options can help you finance your degree including scholarships, federal aid, graduate assistantships, and more.

  • 50%

    Amount Scholarships Can Reduce Cost of Degree

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the prerequisite requirements?

Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree in accounting (or equivalent), as well as the following courses (or equivalent):

  • 3 credits of taxation of business entities (or essential of taxation)
  • 3 credits of auditing
  • 3 credits of advanced accounting
  • 3 credits of cost accounting
  • 3 credits of statistics
  • 3 credits of database management


Prerequisites not satisfied before admission can be satisfied with specific accounting/tax or graduate business electives taken as part of the degree program.

The Stillman School of Business offers pathways for you to be considered for admission to the program without taking the GMAT or GRE. Learn more.

Will this program help me sit for the CPA exam?

Yes. This program fulfills the educational requirements that undergraduate business graduates need to sit for the CPA exam in New York and New Jersey. To sit for the CPA Exam in New Jersey, applicants must have completed at least 24 credit hours in accounting and taxation and at least 24 credit hours in non-accounting, business courses.

These requirements can be satisfied by any combination of undergraduate and graduate credits. Applicants from other states should become familiar with their state’s individual CPA Exam requirements at www.nasba.org.

See all Graduate Admissions FAQs 

Additional Resources

Graduate Certificate in Accounting

M.S. in Accounting

M.S. in Professional Accounting and Analytics

M.B.A. in Accounting

Request More Information

Office of Graduate Affairs

(973) 275-2892

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About Seton Hall

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One of the country's leading Catholic Universities, Seton Hall University has been developing students in mind, heart and spirit since 1856.

Home to over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 undergraduate programs and over 130 graduate programs, Seton Hall's academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Seton Hall's 58-acre campus in the quaint town of South Orange, New Jersey, is only 14 miles from New York City — offering students a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. The University’s nationally recognized School of Law is located in nearby Newark, New Jersey. The Interpro­fessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus in the owns of Clifton and Nutley, New Jersey, houses the University’s College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences.

  • 1856

    Founded by James Roosevelt Bayley

  • 14

    Miles from New York City

  • 90+

    Career-Building Graduate Programs

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