Texas Tech University
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Master of Science in Accounting

Ranked the No. 42 best MSA program in the nation in 2020, the AACSB-accredited Master's in Accounting (MSA) program at Rawls College provides graduates with the foundation necessary to excel in the competitive world of accounting. Designed for individuals who hold a bachelor's degree, our 36 credit hour program will prepare you for a successful accounting career in a variety of fields.

Current Rawls College Students

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Accelerated BBA to MSA Program

Texas Tech undergraduate accounting students can apply to our accelerated bachelor's-to-master's program and begin graduate coursework while completing their bachelor's degree.
Explore the Accelerated Program

Program Highlights

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CPA Success

Our program not only prepares you to sit for the CPA exam, but to also achieve scores above the national average.

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Competitive Career Outcomes

More than 95 percent of our graduates are employed full-time within six months of graduation. Many go on to work for top accounting firms or competitive industry partners such as EY, Deloitte, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Grant Thornton, ConocoPhillips, Lockheed Martin and more.

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Opportunities to Specialize

Complement your degree by concentrating in audit or taxation. Either concentration will prepare you for a successful career in accounting.

Career-Defining Curriculum

A balanced blend of research and real-world applications, our comprehensive curriculum will help you master principles in auditing, taxation, cost accounting, and financial accounting. Upon graduation, you will have the competitive knowledge and skills sought-after by top firms as they identify future leaders, partners and executives.

Core classes include foundational building blocks for today's accounting professionals:

  • Advanced Accounting
  • Advanced Income Taxation Accounting
  • Ethics in Accounting
  • Advanced Business Law

Customized Learning Experience

In addition to developing a common body of knowledge in accounting, students must choose one of two areas of concentration.

Audit

In the audit concentration, students take courses geared toward becoming a professional in the audit and assurance industry.

Core classes include:

  • Data Analytics for Accountants
  • Accounting Research and Communication
  • Introduction to Data Analytics
  • Auditing Theory and Practice
  • Analysis of Financial Accounting Information

Taxation

The taxation concentration prepares students for a career as a tax professional or tax consultant in a wide variety of organizations.

Core classes include:

  • Data and Analytics for Tax Accountants
  • International Taxation
  • Federal Income Tax Law for Partnerships
  • Estate and Gift Taxation
  • Income Tax Research and Planning

Faculty

Our accounting faculty members are dedicated teachers and highly regarded researchers who are advancing scholarship in the accounting discipline. Their areas of expertise include environmental accounting, oil and gas accounting, behavioral research in financial accounting and auditing, tax, accounting information systems and more.

Meet our faculty

Supporting Your Success

Rawls Career Management Center

Whether you are looking to switch careers or advance on your current path, the Rawls Career Management Center (CMC) is dedicated to supporting your success. The staff in the CMC can help you explore professions and industries, learn strategic career advancement techniques, and connect you with top MBA employers.

Techsan Connection

The Techsan Connection is a free, online platform for Texas Tech alumni. Through the platform, alumni can apply to jobs, reconnect with fellow classmates, network with industry professionals and volunteer to mentor current students.

Admissions

The admission process is the first step toward earning your degree. We will work closely with you to ensure your application process is personal, simple and successful.

Application Requirements

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree. A complete application consists of the following items, to be received by the noted deadlines:

Applicants must submit unofficial transcripts from any degree-awarding college or university.

Applicants must submit a detailed current resume, indicating work experience-including start and end dates (month and year) for each position held. Provide accomplishments and skills acquired through jobs, campus involvement and volunteer service.

Applicants are required to submit two formal letters of recommendation from individuals who know you in an academic capacity.

Applicants must submit a minimum of one page, addressing one or more of the following:

  • Describe your short and long-term goals and how this degree will help you achieve them.
  • Describe a personal leadership experience or achievement.
  • Describe a problem-solving activity in which you were involved as a member of a team and how you contributed to a solution.
  • Describe a major challenge or past failure and how you overcame it.

Is there anything else the admissions committee needs to know when considering your application?

We don't have a set minimum or maximum requirement for test scores. We review students holistically taking the application in its entirety into consideration.

All international applicants must provide proof of English proficiency before their applications can be considered for admission. Only your most recent measure of English proficiency is considered for admission purposes. This test is waived only for graduates of U.S. universities or universities in English proficiency-exempt countries. Applicants who have completed at least two consecutive years at a college or university in the U.S. or in an English proficiency-exempt country, are also exempt from the English proficiency requirement.

Application Deadlines

The following deadlines apply to non-Texas Tech students and Texas Tech alumni. If you are a current accounting undergraduate student at Rawls College interested in pursuing your MSA, view application requirements and deadlines for the accelerated bachelor's-to-master's program.

Domestic:
Summer I Entry: May 1

International:
Fall Entry: January 15

International students are encouraged to apply at least six months in advance when possible.

Begin Your Application

When completing your application for the MSA program, be sure to select On-Campus when asked how you will take the majority of your classes, and select Master's for your program level. When asked which program you are applying to, select either Accounting - Audit (MSA) or Accounting - Tax (MSA) based on your desired concentration.

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