Online MBA in Accounting

Master of Business Administration - Accounting

Colorado Technical University’s Master of Business Administration degree with an accounting concentration expands upon the MBA core to explore functional areas of accounting, including financial reporting, management control and auditing, and taxation. You will have the opportunity to develop relevant, real-world experience by researching and analyzing a financial issue that impacts your own company or organization. You’ll have the opportunity to examine tax considerations for compensation, mergers and acquisitions; financial statements; information gathering for annual reports; evaluating a firm’s financial performance; and auditing procedures.

Program Credits

5 Weeks

Course Length

Online

Location

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Program Overview

Effective July 2, 2019, this program is no longer available for future enrollments at the Aurora and Colorado Springs campuses.

The Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting (MBA-ACCT) is a 48-credit-hour program that is offered online. The program includes 32 credit hours devoted to the business administration core and 16 credit hours for the accounting concentration.

This program is designed to provide students with strong theoretical foundations and professional skills in the main functional areas of accounting, including financial reporting, management control and auditing, and taxation. It builds on foundational business and accounting knowledge and educates students on how to use this financial information to communicate the financial position and assist management and others in the decision-making process.

This program may help prepare students for the CPA exam, although it is not designed to prepare for the CPA, CMA, or any other certification exam. Students interested in taking the CPA exam, should refer to the State Board of Accountancy established by their state for eligibility requirements to sit for the exam.

This program does not lead to additional licensure or certification. As such, CTU has made no determination regarding prerequisites for licensure or certification in any state or jurisdiction.

The mission of the College of Business and Management is to offer professional market-driven business degrees that build business competencies transferrable to all industries. The College of Business and Management accomplishes this mission by offering curriculum that aligns to industry standards, remains relevant, and builds practical skills applicable to the competitive global business environment.

For the eighth consecutive year, CTU’s online Master of Business Administration degree programs are ranked among the Best Online MBA Programs by U.S. News and World Report.*

* CTU programs are ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Online Programs.

This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

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Courses

Courses: Core		Credits
ACCT615 This course focuses on constructing and evaluating financial models to enhance profitability in the manufacturing environment. Students will evaluate the cost structures, pricing, and the role the balanced score card plays in purchasing and manufacturing decisions.	Advanced Cost Accounting	4
ECON616 During this course the student will study the practical aspects of both micro- and macroeconomics and how they are applied to the managerial environment. The students investigate the role of economic principles in management analysis and decision making: the study of demand, cost, and supply concepts from a business viewpoint; and the application of national income measures to strategic planning and the future.	Applied Managerial Economics	4
FINC616 This course gives students a chance to explore capital markets and understand the role of banking in the financial system. Students will be exposed to the various ways to attain financing and how to assess the risk associated with capital market financing. The course covers a wide range of debt instruments and the functions of various financial institutions, such as banks, credit unions, and other entities. By combining theory with practical applications, students will have the opportunity to develop the analytical skills needed to navigate and take advantage of financial markets effectively.	Capital Markets and Banking	4
HRMT620 Human capital management (HCM) is the process of aligning an organization’s most valuable asset, their people, with its strategic goals. This course provides a framework for students to integrate human capital management as part of the overall business strategy. By understanding, evaluating, and integrating human capital management practices, businesses apply these approaches both domestically and globally.	Strategic Human Capital Management	4
INTD600 This course analyzes the concepts of leadership and management for ethical behavior and legal compliance. It also evaluates ethical decision-making processes and cultural competence. A variety of complex ethical issues confronting industry leaders and professionals are explored. Additionally, a code of conduct at work, methods to implement a code of conduct, and issues related to managing conflicts of interest are reviewed.	Leadership and Ethical Decision-Making	4
MGMT601 This course emphasizes the application of descriptive and inferential business statistics to decisions made in a managerial role. Presented with a scenario, students focus on analyzing published research, databases, and statistics to recommend management strategies based upon business metrics.	Business Analytics for Management Decisions	4
MGMT691 This course is focused on advanced management strategies that can maximize opportunities in a changing dynamic environment. Strategic management is linked to successful global projects and is a key part of a sustainable competitive market profile. Course material includes strategies to understand growth and how to implement strategic plans to achieve and sustain a competitive profile in the emerging global marketplace. The balanced scorecard is presented as an approach to understanding an organization’s strategic objectives and performance measures.	Strategic Management in Dynamic Environments	4
MKTG632 This course emphasizes the analysis of marketing concepts, tools, and decision-making processes. It explores how managers use marketing plans, programs, and strategies from an international and culturally competent perspective. Within the marketing strategy framework, it also examines data analytics, digital marketing, brand awareness, promotion, and pricing strategies. As part of the course, a marketing plan will be designed that includes the mission, vision, audience, and promotional strategy of a brand.	Applied Managerial Marketing	4
	Total Credit Hours:	32

Courses: Concentration		Credits
ACCT619 This course presents federal tax research strategies focusing on both primary and secondary sources. Students have the opportunity to utilize various research tools to make tax recommendations. The ethical considerations of tax decisions are explored as well as methods for navigating tax situations with the Internal Revenue Service.	Taxation Research and Business Decisions	4
ACCT635 The primary objective of this course is for students to evaluate the role of forensic accounting in economic decision-making, financial reporting, and fraud investigations. Students have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of forensic accounting examination and apply essential forensic accounting industry concepts.	Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination	4
ACCT645 This course covers advanced auditing procedures and standards, as well as management control systems. Audit objectives, cycles, review, documentation, theory, and professional code of practice are covered. Other topics include risk assessment techniques, management control systems, and organization for control.	Advanced Auditing	4
ACCT650 The MBA Accounting Capstone uses the functional skills students have developed in previous core and concentration courses in this program - including accounting, business management and business strategy - to complete an in-depth project. The course requires the student to perform comprehensive research, analysis, and study on either a desired area of interest or a major business problem or issue that impacts the student’s own company or organization. The student will utilize research methodologies to prepare a formal research report.	MBA Accounting Capstone	4
	Total Credit Hours:	16

Total Credit Hours: 48

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Learning Outcomes

MBA Program Learning Outcomes

Evaluate ethical dilemmas to make informed business decisions.
Develop business communication skills to support organizational interaction.
Interpret data using multiple modalities to solve business problems.
Examine current strategies and methods applicable in major business disciplines.
Review global perspectives used in a diverse business environment.

MBA-ACCT Concentration Learning Outcomes

Develop effective accounting skills to aid in the construction of financial statements, to participate in the budgeting process, and to assist strategic decision-makers to make effective and ethical decisions

Faculty

Catherine McBride, DBA

Executive Program Director

Dr. Catherine McBride has been at CTU since January 2021, serving as an Executive Program Director for the College of Business and Management. Catherine has been in higher education for 22 years, with 18 years of online education experience across a variety of institutions in varying capacities but always serving non-traditional learners.

Dr. David Gliddon

Executive Program Director

Dr. Gliddon is an Executive Program Director in the College of Business and Management. In previous roles at CTU, he was a Program Chair and Lead Faculty. He has taught over 20 courses in the undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral programs. He has provided service to the university on a number of committees and special projects.

For more faculty profiles please visit our Leadership and Faculty page.
For more information visit the College of Business and Management.

Admission Requirements

MBA Foundation Requirements

The Masters of Business Administration (MBA) is built upon the expectation that students will enter the program with a solid business background to succeed in some of the core MBA courses. Therefore the MBA requires students to have prior foundational knowledge in all core business disciplines to be successful. Students entering in the MBA program without an undergraduate degree in business will be required to successfully complete two MBA foundation courses (MGMT502 and MGMT503) covering the following areas of business: accounting; economics; finance; marketing; statistics; management; business law; ethics; business policy; business strategy; information technology; operations management; and global leadership.

If the student can show evidence of a GMAT score of 500 or above the foundation requirements may be waived. Students continuing from any of CTU’s non-business bachelor programs must complete the MBA Foundation Requirements. The foundation courses are also available to students with an undergraduate business degree who wish to refresh their knowledge in these subject areas. MBA foundation courses must be completed prior to respective MBA required courses that hold MGMT502 or MGMT503 as a prerequisite. Students must successfully complete and pass MGMT502 and MGMT503 prior to the end of the first quarter. Students who do not meet the MBA foundation requirements will be withdrawn, canceled or transferred from the MBA program. Students must be able to exhibit proficiency by successfully completing the foundation course with a minimum 70% passing score. If after 5 attempts (applies to each course separately) students do not pass the foundation course, students are encouraged to work with the Student Advising department if they have questions regarding these foundation courses, timeframes for completion, or for alternative programs of study as needed.

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FAQs

What is a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting degree?

CTU’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Accounting Degree Program is designed to provide knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant for pursuing potential opportunities in the workforce. This business degree program emphasizes functional areas of accounting, including financial reporting, management control and auditing, and taxation. Students will work to develop strong theoretical foundations and professional skills in the main functional areas of accounting, including financial reporting, management control and auditing, and taxation. You’ll examine tax considerations for compensation, mergers, and acquisitions; financial statements; information gathering for annual reports; evaluating a firm’s financial performance; and auditing procedures.

What will I study in this MBA degree program?

As you work to complete your MBA, you will be immersed in courses where you will study these topics and much more: taxation of different types of business entities and the involved individuals; financial statements and accounting reporting standards; and auditing procedures and standards.

When and where can I begin my classes?

Courses for the Master of Business Administration in Accounting start online approximately every five weeks. Completion of the CTU admissions process will depend on how quickly you complete the steps in the CTU online application process. You may complete the application process over the phone with an advisor or you may go online. Once you’ve completed the online application, you may hear from an advisor within the following 24 hours to discuss the next steps toward starting your degree program. Master’s programs may have additional entrance requirements that take additional processing time.

How many credits are required to graduate from a master’s degree program?

The Master of Business Administration in Accounting degree program consists of 48 credits. You may be eligible for transfer credit, which is evaluated on an individual basis. Not all credits are eligible to transfer.

Why should I pursue an MBA degree at CTU?

As you study topics in business and accounting that are always being evaluated and updated to reflect industry-relevant trends, you will experience a curriculum through classroom learning and hands-on experience that aligns to industry standards and helps you work to develop skills that are applicable to the competitive global business environment.

Is this Master of Business Administration degree program accredited?

The Master of Business Administration in Accounting degree program at CTU is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Are there any requirements for pursuing an MBA at CTU?

Students entering in the MBA program without an undergraduate degree in business will be required to successfully complete two MBA foundation courses (MGMT502 and MGMT503). The foundation requirements may be waived if the student can show evidence of a GMAT score of 500 or above. Students continuing from any of CTU’s non-business bachelor programs must complete the MBA Foundation Requirements. MBA foundation courses must be completed prior to respective MBA required courses that hold MGMT502 or MGMT503 as a prerequisite. Students must successfully complete and pass MGMT502 and MGMT503 prior to the end of the first quarter.