The Master of Science in Accounting and Information Technology (MSAIT)program prepares students for successful careers in management of accounting information systems and IT auditing, governance, controls, and compliance. The program offers an applied learning approach that blends accounting and information technology knowledge, skills, and abilities. The program is jointly delivered by the Department of Accounting and the Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods.
Students who are preparing to become auditors (internal and IT systems), business information systems consultants, and information security specialists will benefit significantly from this degree. The combination of accounting and information systems will make the students very marketable. Students will understand how to design, develop, modify, use, secure, and audit information systems; how to select and implement systems; how to leverage business applications (digital business, data warehousing and data mining), project management, and information security for the betterment of the organization. Consulting, CPA firms, financial institutions, government agencies and internal audit departments in business and healthcare institutions are the type of organizations that would typically recruit these skill sets.
Requirements for the MSAIT Degree
Applicants to the MSAIT degree program who hold an undergraduate degree in accounting from an AACSB accredited university will normally require 36 semester hours of graduate course credit to complete the program. Applicants with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines or from a non-AACSB accredited university could be required to complete up to 9 semester hours of additional leveling coursework. The leveling coursework includes ACC 5303 (can be satisfied with undergraduate financial and managerial accounting), ACC 3313 (Intermediate Accounting I), and ACC 3314 (Intermediate Accounting II).
The program is comprised of accounting core courses (9 hours), information technology core courses (6 hours), prescribed accounting electives (6 hours), prescribed information technology electives (6 hours) and 9 hours of other graduate business electives. A student may design the program to have the 30 advanced hours and other requirements to be a CPA candidate in Texas.
The 9 hours of required accounting core courses include:
ACC 5355 IT Auditing
ACC 5371 Accounting Information Systems
ACC 5375 Business Information Consulting
The 6 hours of required information technology core courses include:
CIS 5355 Database Management Systems
CIS 5368 Information Security
These 15 hours are supplemented with 21 hours of electives from accounting, information technology and other business courses.
Note that to be eligible to take the CPA exam in Texas, the candidate must have 21 hours of related business courses taken either as part of undergraduate degree or taken at another university. Contact the Accounting Department for a list of suggested business courses.
MISSION
The overall objective of the Master of Accounting and Information Technology (MSAIT) program is to prepare students for successful careers in management of accounting information systems and IT auditing, governance, controls, and compliance. The program offers an applied learning approach that blends accounting and information technology knowledge, skills, and abilities.
LEARNING GOALS
Upon completion of the MSAIT program, a student will be able to:
1. apply accounting and information technology knowledge in new and unfamiliar circumstances;
2. apply analytical and critical thinking skills to evaluate information, solve problems and make sound decisions in accounting and information technology;
3. use information technology skills in decision-making at a level expected of a master’s student for practice and research in accounting an information technology used in a business consulting capacity;
4. conceptualize a complex issue in to a coherent, persuasive written or oral statement;
5. understand the importance of group dynamics in achieving organizational goals and use the skills needed for effective teamwork;
6. apply ethical reasoning for resolution of ethical dilemmas in accounting and information technology.
These goals are assessed each year by at least two direct methods that can include exam-embedded questions, projects, case studies, term papers, and projects created for external clients.
Join the Conversation