Our electives will give you an opportunity to customize your degree and build expertise in areas including taxation, big data, finance, entrepreneurship, and international business. In addition, our new concentrations will let you hone your skills by focusing on a particular area: data intelligence, forensic accounting, corporate accounting and finance, or governmental and not-for-profit accounting.

For more than 25 years, our programs have been preparing students for the CPA and CMA exams. A Suffolk MSA degree will ensure you graduate automatically eligible and well-prepared to sit for the CPA exam. Our MSA courses are practical, industry-driven, and have received Level-1 status with the MA Board of Public Accountancy. Plus, you will have access to Wiley CPAexcel—a top-rated comprehensive CPA review software with free updates until you pass. We'll provide the tools you need to ensure your success with the CMA exam.

During your time at Suffolk, you will learn from industry experts who are a mix of practitioners and academic researchers. They will emphasize evolving regulatory, financial, and strategic challenges. Plus, you'll gain a competitive edge through hands-on experience with consulting projects and case studies.

Suffolk’s MSA is designed for those who have a background in accounting as well as those who don't. And whether you’re a working professional or a full-time student, our class schedule and online offerings are designed to meet your needs.

Commitment to Excellence 

In addition to the Sawyer Business School’s AACSB International accreditation, the accounting department holds a supplemental accreditation for its programs. Only 187 institutions around the globe maintain a supplemental AACSB accreditation for accounting, and the Sawyer Business School’s accounting programs are the only ones in Boston that do. This demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of educational excellence and continually improving.

MSA Concentrations

Data Intelligence

The accounting profession has a high demand for professionals with a solid understanding of data management and business intelligence as well as up-to-date knowledge of practical tools to solve business problems. Students enrolled in the data intelligence concentration will learn to design databases, retrieve data from business processes, visualize and analyze results, and communicate solutions. Students will have opportunities to work with Tableau, MS Excel including Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), SQL, SAP Lumira, SAS Enterprise Guide, and Data Warehouse.

Forensic Accounting

Forensic accountants are in strong demand in government agencies, accounting firms, insurance companies, banks, and law firms. Students enrolled in this concentration will gain an understanding of the motivations, opportunities, and rationalizations that facilitate fraudulent behavior. Students will learn how to detect, investigate, and prevent financial-related frauds. Students will also develop skills in gathering and documenting analytical data for successful prosecution, investigative interviewing techniques, and the ability to provide testimony for dispute resolution.

Corporate Accounting & Finance

Students seeking careers within a corporation require a solid background in both finance and accounting. Therefore, the need to develop both competencies for financial management positions, including the CFO role, is widely recognized. Students enrolled in the corporate accounting and finance concentration will learn how to interpret the world around them through numbers and will be prepared for careers that influence corporations’ internal operations. Students will have opportunities to develop an understanding of topics such as financial analysis and forecasting, capital structure, capital budgeting, and corporate valuation, which will help them determine where and how to invest corporate funds.

Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting

Working as an accountant in either the nonprofit or government space can be a lucrative and rewarding career. Students enrolled in the governmental and not-for-profit accounting concentration will gain knowledge in the unique accounting principles, financial reporting structures, budget controls, program planning, and management controls in not-for-profit organizations and governmental units. Career opportunities in this space are vast and exist in cities, counties, states, K-12 public and private school districts, public and private nonprofit colleges and universities, healthcare organizations, charitable or religious organizations, and federal agencies like the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Paying for Graduate School

Application Deadlines

Fall Semester: March 15 (priority), then rolling
Spring Semester: October 15 (priority), then rolling
Summer Semester: April 1 (priority), then rolling
Learn about the advantages of priority applications.

Application Materials

• Completed online application
• $50 application fee
• Official transcripts for all post-secondary education
• Resume
• Goal statement (essay)
• Letter of recommendation (Learn more)
• The GMAT/GRE is not required for the MSA but may be required for the MBA/MSA, MSBA/MSA, or MSA/MSF dual-degree programs
• Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE-Academic scores (international students only)

4+1 Program

If you’re earning an undergraduate business degree at a U.S. institution, you may qualify to earn your MSA, MST, MSF, or MSFSB in as few as nine months, or your MSA/MST, MSA/MSF, or MSBA/MSA in as few as 16 months.