The Master of Accountancy (MAC) is designed to provide graduate students who have an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than accounting with a set of courses focused on the foundational areas within the accountancy discipline, enhancing students' understanding of the role of accounting in business and other organizations. The MAC degree is designed to prepare candidates for a professional accountancy career and qualify them to sit for the Certified Public Accountant examination in Illinois.
The MAC program is a part-time cohort program with students admitted only in the fall semester. This coursework for this program is 100% online. Guaranteed admission into the program is available for University Honors students who have successfully completed a non-accountancy undergraduate degree from NIU, subject to capacity.
Check departmental information for additional requirements.
Master of Accountancy Learning Competencies and Outcomes
The NIU Master of Accountancy program provides advanced study in accounting for graduate students who have an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than accounting.
Learning Competency 1: Apply accounting concepts to solve problems.
Learning Outcome 1: Demonstrate appropriate knowledge of technical accounting concepts.
Learning Outcome 2: Support conclusions using appropriate analysis and research.
Learning Competency 2: Demonstrate professional skills necessary for the accounting profession.
Learning Outcome 3: Communicate accounting and business information clearly and persuasively.
Learning Competency 3: Demonstrate data literacy skills necessary to interpret, transform, and analyze data for decision-making in complex accounting environments.
Learning Outcome 4: Assess data quality and transform data as needed to conduct appropriate analyses.
Learning Outcome 5: Apply data analysis tools and techniques to answer business questions.
Learning Outcome 6: Evaluate results and communicate data-driven recommendations.
Admission
Admission to the Master of Accountancy program is competitive.
Applicants may not have a baccalaureate degree in Accountancy and must submit the following materials:
A resume, and
A statement of purpose.
At the discretion of the respective program directors, candidates may be required to complete an interview either in person or electronically.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 33 semester hours of course work beyond the required pre-requisites and the baccalaureate degree. The total credits accepted in transfer from other institutions may not exceed 9 semester hours. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all graduate course work completed in the MAC program.
A two-course Principles of Accounting sequence and general business courses in finance, statistics, and economics will be included in a student’s program of study unless she or he has earned a C or better in corresponding undergraduate courses or a B or better in equivalent graduate courses. The general business course requirements may be met by completing courses at a university, community college, or select online providers.
Electives totaling six semester credit hours to be selected from the following course offerings or from among relevant graduate offerings within the College of Business with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies (6)
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