Program Snapshot
Academic term
10-week quarters
Entry point
Fall quarter (September)
Spring quarter (March)
Program length
9–10 months (without prerequisites)
Specialty tracks
> Analytics
> Assurance
> Business Valuation
> Create your own track
Highlights
- 94% of graduates have full-time jobs within 6 months
- With four different program track options and three electives, you can build a highly customized program.
- We’re third-oldest accounting program in the U.S.
- We’re one of only 186 accounting schools in the world to hold AACSB accreditation.
Companies That Hired Recent Graduates
tuition:Base tuition (2020-2021): $58,440† Typical scholarship range (% of tuition): 10-60%*
† Up to 16 additional credits of prerequisites may be required, at a cost of $1,426 per credit. Students may have elective requirements waived based on previous coursework or by passing waiver exams.
* Scholarships are based on academic record, testing and employment credentials, and are not guaranteed. Contact daniels@du.edu or 303.223.7503 for more information.
The Master of Accountancy program provides rigorous training in accounting fundamentals with specialties in business valuation, assurance, taxation or AIS and Data Analytics.
Whether your background is in business or liberal arts, customized degree plans ensure you have the knowledge, experience and accounting skills sought by top employers. Nearly 100 percent of our domestic MAcc graduates accept positions within three months of graduation; many at top accounting firms, such as PwC, Deloitte, EY, KPMG and Grant Thornton.
The GMAT/GRE is waived for Master of Accountancy applicants who meet one of these conditions:
- Hold a relevant graduate degree from a regionally-accredited school.
- Have passed all four parts of the CPA exam.
- Hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting (or business with a major in accounting) from an AACSB-accredited university and a GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate accounting coursework.
- Qualify for the Master’s Accelerated Admissions Process.
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver.
Join students who come to Daniels from across the U.S. and around the world for a rigorous business education.
Program Start Dates
Daniels operates on a quarter system, meaning that we have three main terms (Fall, Winter and Spring) that each span 10 weeks, as well as an optional summer term, which is nine weeks long. The MAcc program has two entry terms per year:
- Fall quarter begins in mid-September
- Spring quarter begins in mid-to-late March
Program Curriculum
The MAcc program ranges between a minimum of 10 classes and a maximum of 14 classes for those who need to complete prerequisite coursework. This includes:
- Four core accounting classes
- Six program electives
- Four potential prerequisite courses
Program Specializations
MAcc students may use their six elective courses to target a specific aspect of the accounting industry through assurance, valuation or accounting information systems and data analytics. Students may also specially design a concentration with guidance from School of Accountancy faculty advisors.
CPA Qualification
The majority of MAcc students pursue the program in order to meet CPA exam requirements, though this certainly is not the only option. Students wishing to pursue CPA designation in any state should be familiar with their previous accomplishments towards such requirements, as DU has not determined whether the MAcc program curriculum meets the educational requirements for CPA licensure or certification in any state. For more information on states’ requirements, please visit the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) exam website.
Part-time vs. Full-time Enrollment
At the graduate level, students enrolled in eight or more credits (usually two classes) are considered full-time. MAcc students may oscillate between full- and part-time status as it aligns with their schedules.
Program Timeframe
The MAcc program is not a lock-step program, which means students may complete the degree at their own pace. The length of time required to obtain the degree depends upon whether or not students will need to complete prerequisites within the program. Without Prerequisites: Students may complete the program’s 10 classes in as little as nine months or in as much as two-and-a-half years, depending upon individual pace. With Prerequisites: Students needing to complete all 14 classes may complete the program in as little as 1.25 years or as much as 3.5 years.
Class Times
Classes are usually offered on Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday in two-hour increments throughout the day. The School of Accountancy also schedules classes to accommodate working professionals who need to complete the program through evening coursework.
Degree Plan
The degree plan includes courses in core accounting skills, business ethics and values-based leadership and six credits of electives that allow you to dig deeper into specific areas of practice.
Students entering the MAcc program must demonstrate competency in introductory and intermediate financial accounting and introductory managerial accounting. There are 4 prerequisite courses totaling 16 credit hours. These prerequisite competencies can be demonstrated via (1) satisfactory grades in specified coursework, (2) passing appropriate waiver exams or (3) completing prerequisite courses at the University of Denver. See details below on general prerequisite policies and details on how to satisfy the requirements. Many students are admitted to the program before these requirements are met and take the additional courses as they complete the MAcc program.
- Competency in accounting courses can be demonstrated by earning a B- or better in equivalent courses as part of an AACSB accredited degree in accounting. Students with any other undergraduate degree must demonstrate competency by passing an on-campus exam.
- The intention of the waiver exams is that the student has already mastered the material and may need limited time to “brush up” on the topics. It is not the intention for students to sit for all of these exams in one week having never taken the courses.
- Students are only offered waiver exams during orientation week and at no other time. There are no retakes or delayed opportunities for waiver exams in subsequent quarters.
Select any combination of our graduate degree programs to customize your degree and put your career goals on the fast track. Explore the options with your graduate admissions counselor to pick the dual degree that’s best for you.
Get out of the classroom and into the field interacting with business leaders, solving actual business problems and using your business skills when the stakes are real. You’ll emerge sharp, field tested and ready to lead—adaptable to new situations and well-versed in both big-picture strategic thinking and cross-functional intricacies.
GAIN REAL–WORLD EXPERIENCE
- Global Opportunities (GO) Program: Students travel abroad to tackle a real-world project for a partner organization. Many projects focus on sustainable development issues; how to balance profit and growth with social, cultural and environmental implications. Fulfills the Enterprise Solutions requirement.
- Voices of Experience: Dynamic presentations and discussions from executive business leaders on the challenges and opportunities in today’s business world.
- Executive and Alumni Mentoring: Gain insight from an executive and/or alumni mentor in your field of interest.
COMPETE AGAINST THE BEST
- Race & Case: Daniels’ signature event that combines an ethics case competition with a ski race.
- Inclusive Excellence Business Case Competition: Daniels is proud to host one of the country’s few business case competitions focused on diversity. Students tackle a current issue around inclusive excellence, which is a strategic imperative for a participating company.
- Cable Apprentice Challenge: This unique combination of education and networking with the best and the brightest in the business is a challenge to develop research and analysis tactics to help Comcast Colorado.
- Association for Corporate Growth Case Competition: A regional business school case competition. The ACG Cup is a case-study competition designed to give students from leading MBA programs invaluable insights into mergers and acquisitions, investment banking, financial advisory and private equity.
- Aspen Institute’s Business & Society International MBA Case Competition: More than 1,000 students from 25 business schools tackle a new case study, authored by the Yale School of Management, requiring innovative thinking at the intersection of corporate profitability and positive social and environmental impacts. You will step into a real-life, time-sensitive scenario demanding integrative decision making—not unlike the challenges that you and your teammates will face as the next generation of business leadership.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT RESOURCES
At Daniels, we are dedicated to creating an environment of inclusive excellence for all of our students.
- Our International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) department works closely with our graduate students to help make the most of their OPT and CPT time.
- We offer flexibility in our Master of Accountancy program that can enable you to maximize your stay in the U.S.
- Recruiters’ choice
We’re a preferred hiring school for international, national and local accounting firms. - Customized curriculum
Our flexible degree plan allows you to maximize or minimize your time at DU. If you have a non-business bachelor’s degree, preparatory coursework is worked into your curriculum to provide you with the fundamentals needed to succeed. - State-of-the-art technology
Our courses on sophisticated enterprise software and databases ensure you have the technological literacy demanded by today’s marketplace. - Engaged faculty
With a faculty/student ratio of 1:15, professors become mentors. - Alumni
The School of Accountancy Alumni Engagement Council offers a mentorship program and frequent networking events.
To learn more about the Accountancy program, you can attend an admissions event or contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at:
daniels@du.edu | +1 303.871.3416
2101 S. University Blvd, Suite 255 | Denver, CO 80210