Masters of Accounting vs. BSM Finance, please help

Graduate School Business School - MBA
1

<p>I am a student at Tulane University, in the AB Freeman School of Business. I'm currently undecided on my major/program, and I was hoping you guys could help with a dilemma I have.</p>

<p>I'd like to get into financial analysis or management consulting after graduating, but from what I've heard, those jobs are pretty much reserved for target schools and those with connections high up. With this in mind, I understand that accounting jobs are a lot easier to come by, especially if you have a masters of accounting. Tulane has a 5 year program that allows you to choose a BSM major while receiving a masters of accounting, and sets you up for a semester long internship that essentially guarantees you a job upon graduation. Last I checked, the job placement rate was 100% for this program. In this regard, I'm sort of pitting job safety against my interests- I don't particularly want to be an accountant, but these days a strong job offer isn't easy to come by.</p>

<p>So, my question is- if I were to simply graduate with a BSM in Finance, and maybe Management (consulting track) as a double-major, and were unable to find a job in finance/consulting, how long would it take for me to get a Master's of Accounting, considering I'd already have taken many prerequisites, including Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, and Managerial Accounting? And would getting a Master's of Accounting separately from Tulane (assuming I do well on the GMAT and attend a good program) still put me in a good position for job placement?</p>

<p>Any input on my situation would be very helpful. I honestly don't understand any of this all that well, I'm only a sophomore. I do know that corporate financial analysis jobs are easier to get than IB jobs with Goldman Sachs, etc., but I really don't know how competitive those are- I just assume they're hard to come by given the starting salary.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>To become a CPA you need to check out your state’s individual requirements.</p>

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<p>My son is going through this now. He will graduate in May with a BA PolSci degree (LAC). He can take all prereqs and the “extra” year to sit for the CPA exam in two years with summers. With your business undergrad you could potentially get this done in one year and a summer.</p>

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<p>I understand the requirements to become a CPA. I am only asking about the Masters of Accounting. From my understanding it’s generally a 1-2 year program; would it be less if I have already taken several intermediate level accounting courses?</p>

5

<p>Tulane’s is a one-year program, and requires 30 credit hours, with Financial, Managerial, and Intermediate I and II as prerequisites to those 30 hours. So for that program, it would not be less.</p>

<p>30 hours, one year, and those 12 hours of undergrad work as a prereq looks pretty common, from the handful of schools I looked at. A two-year program might have no prereqs, so be one you could get through faster with some undergrad background. But most accounting master’s programs are intended to get you the extra 30 hours to get to 150.</p>