Master of Science in Accounting at SMU Cox

This STEM-designated and OPT-certified program with full-time and part-time formats offers a cutting-edge curriculum that prepares students for careers in public accounting, consulting, finance and more. Our dedicated faculty do more than simply prepare students for their CPA certification, they are committed to developing innovative, ethical leaders prepared to make a global impact.

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Program Update:

The SMU Cox Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) is a STEM-designated degree. A STEM designation indicates that an academic program emphasizes at least one of four key fields: science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

If you apply to the MSA program as an international student, a STEM designation allows for an extension to your F-1 visa Optional Practical Training (OPT) period up to 24 months after completing this degree.

There's a reason most Cox School Master of Science in Accounting students land jobs with top firms before they even graduate: this program has an edge.

In this STEM-designated and OPT-certified program, not only do you learn technical and soft skills with award-winning professors who are always there for you, but you'll also have the option to prepare for your CPA and target your goals with electives. With Dallas on your doorstep – i.e. enviable employment opportunities and valuable connections – and a dynamic career center, you'll be ready to run with your degree.

The MSA is a 31-credit-hour degree. The program begins in August and can be completed in as few as nine-months as a full-time student, or 18-months as a part-time student. International students must attend full-time.
All courses are taught on campus.
Candidates come from a variety of backgrounds including degrees in Accounting, Finance, and Economics. All degrees are welcome to apply.

The Cox MSA Class of 2025

68

Class Size

98%

Employment rate after program completion, May 2025 grads

3.6

Average GPA

56%

Women

90%+

Students Receiving Scholarships

2%

International Students

The MSA program prepared us so well that I passed all four parts of the CPA exam the summer before I began working full‐time.

"Each year, Professor Sommers improves the Cox MSA, updating the curriculum based on student feedback and his experience."

Stephanie Lau
Vice President of Talent, Embark

Explore SMU Cox Offerings for MS in Accounting Students

Student Cohorts

Don't mistake the power of your class cohort. Students find that their cohorts are integral to studying for both SMU Cox classes and their CPA exams taken during the program and after.

Duda Family Business Library

Use the Duda Family Business Library at SMU Cox to check out technology, use computers, or find textbooks put on reserve by professors. This center is crucial to our students' success.

Career Management Center

Our Career Management Center will connect you with employers seeking Accounting talent. Our alumni have landed at EY, KPMG, BDO, and more.

After Cox: Success Stories

Romée Blokland, MSA 2022

Audit Senior at EY

"Earning my MSA gave me the tools and knowledge to pass the CPA exam and to succeed in my job as an Auditor at EY. Additionally, the MSA helped me enhance my soft skills that set me up for success at the beginning of my professional career."

After completing her MSA, Blokland continues to rise at EY. She met her now husband in the MSA program, and credits her time at SMU Cox for the growth of her professional and personal skills, her network connections, and her solid foundation of this career trajectory.

Sabrina Janski, MSA 2017

Assurance associate at PwC

When Poets&Quants featured Sabrina Janski as one of its Best and Brightest of 2016, the then SMU Cox undergrad said, “I would love to begin working as a full-time associate for Pricewaterhouse Coopers” post-graduation. Done! First, she dived deeper by studying for her MSA at Cox and interning in PwC's downtown Dallas office during her spring term. A few months later, on graduating, the company offered her a job: full-time associate.

Eric Mercado, MSA 2016

Assurance associate at EY

Eric Mercado was one of five SMU Cox accounting students whose team won the Ernst & Young Beam Abroad Case Competition and were whisked off to London, where they visited the EY London office and shared a meal with the EY global leadership team. Connections matter. Today, Eric is working at EY in Dallas.