Master of Science in Accounting SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Offered Online Only

The Master of Science in Accounting degree program is a 33 credit hour program consisting of 11 courses that allow students to pursue their professional interests. This program accommodates both full-time and part-time students being available in a full online format.

The Master of Science in Accounting program is registered to satisfy the 150 hour licensure requirement for New York State and developed in response to two demands. The first was the increasing number of accountants who held undergraduate degrees in accounting and wanted to continue developing in a wide range of professional accounting careers. These careers included public, corporate, not-for-profit and government accounting. Additionally, in view of the 150 credit hour education requirement established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) starting in the year 2000, the program was developed to qualify students to sit for professional accounting examinations that lead to credentials such as the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) designations.

The program is primarily intended for students who have the equivalent of an undergraduate degree in accounting. Students who may not have a background in accounting but desire an opportunity to broaden their capabilities and specialize in this area are afforded the option to do so with this program. These students would be required to include additional undergraduate prerequisite coursework in their plan of study and would do so under the guidance of the program coordinator.

SUNY Poly also offers an Advanced Certificate in Forensic Accounting and Valuation.

Accounting Core Courses

ACC 585 Financial Statement Analysis and Reporting (3)

Investigates business objectives through financial analysis, cash budgeting, and ratio analysis. Additional topics may include capital budgeting, utility analysis, basic portfolio concepts, the capital asset pricing model, and the study of efficient markets. Long-term financing strategies of the corporation, including the theory of valuation for corporate securities, capital structure theory, dividend policy, and analysis of overall cost of capital to the corporation. Prerequisite: ACC 201 or ACC 520 or equivalent.

ACC 611 Advanced Income Tax Research (3)

Focus on the study of federal tax legislation and IRS regulation of corporations, partnerships, estates and trusts. Special attention is given to capital gains and losses, normal tax and surtax, income and deductions for domestic, international, and multinational corporations. Tax research will be conducted through the analysis of IRS rulings on court cases. Prerequisite: ACC 310 or equivalent.

ACC 630 Fund Accounting (3)

Accounting principles and procedures as applied to not-for-profit entities are covered. In addition, the accounting standards and reporting requirements that relate to not-for-profit entities will be reviewed and analyzed. Prerequisite: ACC 475 or equivalent.

ACC 650 Advanced Auditing Theory (3)

Advanced review of auditing standards and techniques, computerized auditing systems, SEC regulations, legal liability, and professional ethical standards. Prerequisite: ACC 450 or equivalent.

ACC 685 Advanced Financial Accounting Theory (3)

An examination and analysis of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The course reviews Financial Accounting Standards (FAS) in detail and includes a critical review of the research that is at the theoretical foundations of GAAP. In addition, the process by which the Financial Accounting Standards Board promulgates new FAS will also be analyzed. Prerequisite: ACC 475 or equivalent.

Business Core Courses

FIN 525 Financial Management Problems (3)

Provides the student with in-depth experience with the subject of Business and Corporation Finance for their future development as practicing executives. Students solve cases and problems faced by financial managers in the real world, that focus on major financial decisions and such current issues as corporate governance, securities issuance, globalization, privatization, financial analysis and planning, capital budgeting, capital structure, cost of capital, valuation, dividend policy, short/long term financing, financial markets, firm performance, and corporate restructuring.

FIN 685 Seminar in Accounting and Finance (3)

An integrating experience to apply the varied skills and knowledge accumulated through the required course work to make the student competitive in capital markets. Special emphasis will be upon mastery of body of accounting and financial knowledge including significant current development on the economic and financial scene. Students acquire greater understanding of global capital markets, demonstrate the ability to use the tools and techniques of accounting and investment analysis in the valuation of assets, and provide a synthesis of all previous related course work.

BUS 505 Multinational Economics of Technology (3)

Managerial economics is the application of economic theory and methodology to decision-making problems encountered by public and private institutions in a multinational setting and within the framework of technology innovation. Emphasis is on the identification and selection of alternative means of obtaining given objectives as efficiently as possible. It is a special branch of economics bridging the gap between abstract theory and managerial practice. Areas of study will include managerial economics, economic theory, statistical and econometric applications, demand, supply, markets, costs, profits, government and business.

MGS 511 Quantitative Business Analysis (3)

This survey course addresses the study of the scientific method as applied to management decisions. The forepart of this course addresses the development of basic statistics up to hypothesis testing. Topic coverage also includes (1) bivariate regression analysis, (2) multiple regression analysis, (3) PERT and CPM, (4) linear programming (graphic-method only), (5) decision making under uncertainty (including maxi-max, mini-max, and maxi-min techniques) and (6) the basic elements of forecasting (including the classical time series model).

MIS 515 Management Information Systems (3)

Strategic uses of information that affect customers, markets, and products are becoming common today. Information is used to manage organizations, carry out strategy, control operations, and assist in decision-making. As a result, information is a resource with value equal to that of traditional assets such as inventory, capital, and human skills. In this course students will learn to manage and use information systems and technology. The MIS course provides concepts, methods, and techniques to identify an organization’s information needs and to employ systems to meet these needs. The course introduces business students to topics such as information systems, database management, information technology, expert systems, and decision support systems.