About

The Barney School’s Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation program provides you with the high-quality coursework necessary to meet the 150-hour CPA licensing requirement. Our program is uniquely designed for two tracks in Financial and Assurance Services, and Taxation:

To give you an in-depth understanding of accounting and taxation theories.
To introduce the application of analytical tools for planning, controlling, and decision-making purposes.

Learn online in seven-week courses from faculty who have a wealth of knowledge in the field. Our rolling admission process allows new students to choose one of six start dates throughout the year. Earn your MSAT full time in less than one year or part time at your own pace.

Who Should Apply

Working professionals who seek to develop or advance a career in professional accounting or taxation in industry, public accounting, government, or not-for-profit organizations.
Recent college graduates with undergraduate degrees in accounting who would like to pursue a fifth year of in-depth study in accounting and taxation.
Students with non-accounting or non-business undergraduate degrees who seek a career change in areas like forensics, fraud, and mergers and acquisitions.

AACSB Accreditation

The Barney School of Business has been a leader in advanced business education for more than 60 years. Our long-standing history and success in the area of business education have made us among the 5 percent of business schools in the world that are AACSB accredited.

World-Class Faculty

Our faculty are academic and industry leaders in their fields. They focus on bringing concepts and material that reflect the fast-changing business world in the areas of auditing, business law, corporate taxation, financial analysis, and managerial accounting.

Networking Opportunity

You will have the opportunity to expand your network with our strong business connections regionally, nationally, and globally. Our faculty also invite speakers from not only the Big Four accounting firms, but also other potential employers from financial service organizations to talk about cutting-edge business topics.

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The degree meets the needs of students with undergraduate degrees in accounting who are seeking a fifth year of study to meet CPA licensing requirements, as well as those with non-accounting or non-business undergraduate degrees. You can select from a tax or financial assurance track.

Disciplines

Barney School of Business

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Transcript Evaluations

All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) member such as WES, IEE, or SpanTran. If the transcript is written in English, a course-by-course evaluation is still required, as grading systems vary from country to country.

Master of Science in Computer Science, Master of Engineering, and Master of Science in Engineering programs will accept official international transcripts received directly from the institution (transcripts uploaded by the applicant is considered unofficial) but reserve the right to request an evaluation.

Submit English Proficiency Scores

Students who are not from majority native-English speaking countries are required to submit English proficiency test scores from TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, or Duolingo.

Submit Your Deposit

Once accepted, international students must submit their $300 deposit via the application portal prior to an I-20 being issued. The deposit is a prepayment of tuition and will be applied to the student's future tuition bill. If a student’s visa (F1 or J1) is denied, the student should email a copy of the denial letter to [email protected] to request a refund.

Once you are accepted to the University of Hartford, please visit the Accepted Student Resource page for information on next steps.

Request an I-20

After your tuition deposit is paid, the Office of Graduate Admission will email you with instructions on how to request an I-20.

Students will be required to submit a passport, and financial documents that indicate financial capability and responsibility for at least the first year of enrollment (tuition, fees, and living expenses). Supporting financial documents from a financial institution with current U.S. dollars exchange rates must be provided within 6 months of enrollment. If you are not personally funding your tuition, your sponsor must submit a sponsor certification and submit official financial documentation. If you have questions related to estimated expenses please email [email protected].

Once your I-20 is issued, the International Center ([email protected]) will send an email to your University of Hartford email address with instructions to retrieve your I-20.

Apply for a Student Visa

The University is a SEVP approved institution authorized to enroll F-1 and J-1 students and scholars. For a step-by-step guide to applying for your visa, review the International Center's guide.

Submit Your Immunization Records

The Immunization Record Form must be completed and uploaded to the Health Services Student Portal prior to move in. Forms may be downloaded from Health Services. For more information and access to the portal, visit: hartford.edu/health-forms.

English Requirements

PTEMin 58
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

Career

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job prospects for accountants and auditors will increase by 10% between 2016 and 2026, resulting in roughly 140,000 jobs. Accounting jobs should remain in high demand due to a continuing need for qualified experts to handle complex financial and tax-related matters for organizations and individual clients. In the meantime, demand for new tax practitioners regularly exceeds the number of students available for placement, particularly for the Big Four accounting firms.

Although candidates need a bachelor's degree for most accounting jobs, the BLS notes that many employers prefer to hire candidates with a master's degree in accounting or a related field. The master's degree can also help employees advance in their careers and earn significantly more than those with a bachelor's degree alone.

Potential career paths and average annual earnings for graduates of the MSAT include:

$73,276, Accounting Manager
$79,376, Sr. Tax Analyst
$100,860, Corporate Controller

We see a great number of our MSAT graduates working with accounting firms such as:

CohnResznick
Crowe
Deloitte
EY
Fiondella Milone & LaSaracina
Grant Thornton
KPMG
PWC
Whittlesey

Fee Information

Application Fee 50

How to Apply

International applicants are required to submit the following materials as part of their graduate application:

International applicants are required to submit the following materials as part of their graduate application:

Online application: All applicants must submit an online application and supplemental documents according to the program requirements.
Application fee: International applicants who incur the expense of having their non-U.S. academic degrees evaluated, have their $50 application fee waived; Common Application System (CAS) applicants are responsible for processing fees charged by CAS; International students applying to The Hartt School are still responsible for a $40 audition fee.