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Graduate Accounting Program

Trinity's Master of Science in Accounting seeks to prepare students for a lifetime of learning and professional development. The program is the capstone to a process that begins with Trinity accounting students during their junior year, continues through senior year internships, and culminates with a master's education that enhances a lifelong accounting career.

Trinity University offers a five-year accounting program consisting of a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and a Master of Science in Accounting. Although state laws require students to go beyond a traditional undergraduate degree program for CPA candidacy, the Trinity accounting program does more than simply set a foundation for graduate study.

The liberal arts background of Trinity's undergraduate students has always been deemed desirable by potential employers (including the Big Four) that recruit Trinity's accounting majors each year. Because of the shift of additional accounting courses to the graduate year, Trinity students also have some flexibility in their undergraduate program to add another area of study, while continuing to develop their technical, theoretical, and interpersonal skills during their graduate year.

Although the majority of students entering the M.S. in accounting program are Trinity undergraduates, the program also welcomes applications from students at other universities. Students who meet the requirements and are accepted into the program engage in a curriculum that stresses the development of communication and analytical skills and incorporates projects and technologies that are relevant to today's business world.

Close interaction between students and professors is emphasized in all courses. Students also get to know each other as they work in small groups on various projects. The majority of Trinity M.S. in accounting graduates accept employment with the Big Four upon completion of their program, while others choose to accept employment offers from other national, regional, and local CPA firms.

Interested in applying?

Students may begin the M.S. in accounting program in August or January. Please contact professor Julie Persellin, director of the accounting program, at (210) 999-7230 or at jpersell [at] trinity.edu for further information.

All applicants who complete their application requirements by February 1 will automatically be considered for scholarships and graduate assistantships. Selections are based on academic merit. Federally-funded loan programs are available to all U.S. students according to federal guidelines. Information can be obtained by calling the Trinity University Financial Aid Office at 210-999-8315.

Curriculum

Students are scheduled for five courses during each of the two semesters of graduate study.

Courses include:

  1. ACCT-5341 Accounting Theory
  2. ACCT-5342 Accounting Information Systems
  3. ACCT-5343 Seminar in Advanced Federal Tax
  4. ACCT-5344 Advanced Auditing: Professional Standards and Practices
  5. ACCT-5345 Advanced Managerial Accounting
  6. ACCT-5346 Advanced Financial and Nonprofit Accounting
  7. ACCT-5349 Seminar in Ethics and Professional Responsibility
  8. ACCT-5390 Special Topics in Accounting (2)
  9. MGMT-5372 Conflict Management

Requirements

To be considered for regular admission, an applicant must submit all required documentation and present evidence of the following:

  • Senior standing as an undergraduate student, or a baccalaureate degree.
  • Completion of six undergraduate Accounting courses (ACCT 1301, 1302, 3341, 3342, 3343, 4344) or their equivalent with acceptable grades. Students who do not have an undergraduate business degree will need three additional business courses to meet CPA requirements in Texas.
  • A grade point average of 3.00 or better on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and an average of 3.00 or better in upper division Accounting coursework.
  • Acceptable scores not more than five years old on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).
  • Two letters of recommendation regarding the applicant's character, motivation, and intellectual ability.

In evaluating an application for graduate study, the department chair or program director will consider the applicant’s commitment to and suitability for the profession. Applicants who meet the requirements for regular admission may nonetheless be denied admission if significant academic, ethical, or dispositional concerns are identified as part of the admission process.

Students who do not meet the requirements for regular admission may be considered for acceptance on a provisional basis.