Earn an Online Masters of Science in Accounting Analytics in 12 to 17 months
Designed to embrace the digital transformation facing accounting professionals today, the Master of Science in Accounting Analytics at St. Edward’s University is built to prepare accounting professionals to sit for the CPA exam* and propel them into executive-level roles in accounting and finance. For further information, please contact an Enrollment Counselor at (512) 326-7501.

The M.S. in Accounting Analytics provides graduates with high demand skills and higher earning potential when compared to traditional graduate accounting programs and accountants without a master’s degree. The program includes two specialization tracks, Audit and Financial Reporting, and the curriculum is based on the AICPA CPA Exam Blueprint and meets Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) qualifications.*
* Licensure requirements vary by state and students should consult with their state’s licensing boards.
The program is designed for full-time working professionals and can be completed in as little as 12 months for students with an accounting undergraduate degree and 17 months for students with undergraduate degrees in an area of business other than accounting.
- Accounting undergraduate
- 30 Credit Hours
- 12-17 months
- Business majors (other than accounting)
- 39 Credit Hours
- 17-22 months

Message from the Program Director
Thank you for your interest in the Master of Science in Accounting Analytics program. If you are looking to complete your 150 hours to sit for the CPA exam, are seeking a career in accounting, or are a working professional that wants to advance your career, then this degree should be a perfect fit for you. The program is designed to prepare accounting and business professionals to sit for the Texas CPA exam with an emphasis on the skills accounting employers are seeking. What sets St. Edward’s graduates apart is our Holy Cross mission of educating not only the mind, but also the heart.
St. Edward’s University is a Holy Cross university with a dedicated staff supporting you in the program. Our small class size ensures your ability to get individual attention from our dedicated instructors. Through online activities and breakout rooms you will have the opportunity to form a network with your classmates that will last a lifetime. Our classes are a mix of 7-week and 14-week classes. Our graduates have found positions at the Big Four accounting firms, small and mid-size accounting firms, as well as in industry. St. Edward’s is an AACSB accredited business school and a US News and World Report recognized best university.
I encourage you to take a close look at our program. I believe you will find it to be an exciting program that will further your career, preparing you to take the CPA exam. If you would like to discuss the program further, do not hesitate to contact me at kathl@stedwards.edu.
- Dr. Katherine Lopez

Check Out This Helpful Q&A with Program Director Katherine Lopez
The Master of Science in Accounting Analytics (MSAA) online graduate program prepares students for a changing field shaped by new technology. Program director and long-time faculty member, Katherine Lopez, explains how St. Edward’s gives graduates an edge in the evolving accounting and business market.
Learning Goals & Outcomes
Learning Goals:
The M.S. in Accounting Analytics prepares students to take on virtual accounting environments and unstructured accounting big data, solving business problems by constructing meaning out of vast amounts of data. Students will learn to:
- Identify and evaluate issues that require the application of professional judgment by conducting professional research
- Evaluate financial data and apply relevant professional standards to resolve financial reporting issues of U.S. business entities
- Apply knowledge of tax laws for planning and compliance purposes
- Use accounting data to identify anomalies and trends to better understand a company, identify areas of potential risk, and determine where further investigation may be needed
- Evaluate an accounting ethical dilemma by correctly identifying the key stakeholders and appropriately applying an ethical framework to assist them deciding what action should be taken
Outcomes:
After graduation, our students are prepared for jobs with the Big Four, medium- and small-sized public accounting firms, and internal accounting departments.
Degree Plan
The MSAA program ranges from 30 to 39 required semester credit hours, depending on the student's undergraduate coursework.
- Students with an undergraduate accounting degree should be able to complete the MSAA in 30-hours.
- A 30-hour program can be completed in 12 to 17 months
- Students with an undergraduate degree in an area of business outside of accounting will typically need to take 39-hours to complete the program.
- A 39-hour program and be completed in 17-22 months.
The MSAA program consists of 30 semester hours of core courses and elective courses.
*Students in this program without an undergraduate degree in Accounting will be required to complete the following additional undergraduate-level Accounting coursework in order to satisfy prerequisite requirements: Intermediate Accounting I and II, Federal Taxation of Individuals, and Auditing. The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy also requires 24 hours of business courses other than in Accounting in order to sit for the CPA exam (see their website at www.tsbpa.state.tx.us/ for additional information).
Core Courses:
ACCT 6303 Business Law, Contracts and Equity for Accountants
ACCT 6305 Advanced Federal Taxation
ACCT 6309 Accounting Theory and Practice
ACCT 6310 Advanced Accounting Problems
ACCT 6312* Accounting Ethics
ACCT 6323 Cases in Cost Accounting
ACCT 6324 Accounting Analytics
ACCT 6326 Audit Analytics and Technology
*Students who have completed Accounting Ethics in their undergraduate curriculum may substitute this course with a three-hour elective from the MSAA, MBA or MSBA program
Elective Courses:
In addition to the eight core courses, students choose two three-hour elective courses from the MSAA, MBA or MSBA programs to broaden and deepen their knowledge from a variety of advanced electives.
Detailed Course Description:
ACCT 6303 Business Law, Contracts and Equity for Accountants
A detailed legal analysis of the Uniform Commercial Code, including sales, commercial paper, bank deposits and collections, electronic transfer funds, letters of credit, secured transactions, and creditors’ remedies. This course may also include discussions of the Bankruptcy Act, the legal analysis of the Uniform Partnership Act, and the Business Corporations Act.
ACCT 6305 Advanced Federal Taxation
Introduction to advanced topics: taxation of corporations and stockholders’ transactions in stocks; income taxation of partnerships and fiduciaries; gift and estate taxation; and tax research techniques. Prerequisite: ACCT 5334 or introductory tax course.
ACCT 6309 Accounting Theory and Practice
Covers accounting theory and the conceptual framework for generally accepted accounting principles and procedures. Includes professional pronouncements and reporting regulations as well as issues involved in the preparation of financial statements. Prerequisite: ACCT 5331 and 5332 or equivalents.
ACCT 6310 Advanced Accounting Problems
The application of GAAP related to the proper accounting for consolidations, mergers and acquisitions, and the preparation of consolidated financial statements. Accounting for partnerships, reorganizations, estates and foreign currency translations and transactions is covered. Prerequisites: ACCT 5331 and ACCT 5332 or equivalents.
ACCT 6312 Accounting Ethics
A study of ethical issues in the accounting profession, including analysis of core values and ethical reasoning applied to ethical dilemmas as well as the professional standards of integrity, objectivity and independence. Approved by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy to qualify candidates to sit for the Certified Public Accountant exam in Texas. Prerequisite or concurrent registration: ACCT 5343 or equivalent.
ACCT/FINC 6316 Financial Statement Analysis
Financial statements provide a basis for a wide range of business analysis. The primary goal of this course is for students to learn how to improve business decision-making by taking a set of financial statements and systematically analyzing the data. This course consists of three parts:
- Accessing the historical performance of the firm using ratio analysis and cash flow analysis
- Forecasting the firm’s future performance
- Estimating the equity value of the firm
This course is designed to help students develop the necessary analytical skills required for careers in corporate management, investment banking, credit analysis, security analysis, or consulting. Prerequisites: ACCT 2301 and ACCT 2303 or equivalent for ACCT 6316; FINC 6317 or equivalent for FINC 6316.
ACCT 6318 Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting
A study of occupational fraud and abuse, as well as fraud prevention, detection, and forensic accounting techniques. Topics include: perpetrator behavior and demographics, asset misappropriation, fraudulent financial statements, corruption, fraud investigations and corporate governance policies.
ACCT/FINC 6320 Valuation
This course builds on the financial theories, intuitions, and tools developed in Financial Management courses. It introduces valuation concepts related to the valuation of projects and business enterprises and to the claims on the cash flows that they generate. Topics covered include forecasting cash flows, discount rate estimation, the interaction between capital structure and value, as well as cost, market, income, and option‐based valuation methods. Students are introduced to the relevant theories and tools, and are taught how to apply these theories and tools in realistic settings. Prerequisite: FINC 6301 Financial Management or FINC 6317 Finance for Managers.
ACCT/FINC 6322 Corporate Governance
This course is designed to increase individual skills and knowledge of good governance practices such that graduates would be seriously considered for appointment to the board of directors of a small not for profit organization. The course aims to increase understanding of the legal, economic, managerial and psychological issues directors confront as well as provide a better appreciation for their normal duties. Using this knowledge, students will be asked also to consider how directors should deal with a range of complex crises: the gradual decline of a company, hostile takeovers, proxy battles, changes in corporate strategy, or the faltering performance of a CEO. While many issues in corporate governance remain controversial, a critical aspect of this course is to acquaint participants with the broad range of governance options, their implementation, best practices, and their consequences. Prerequisite: ACCT 2301 and ACCT 2303 or equivalent for ACCT 6322. FINC 6301 Financial Management or FINC 6317 Finance for Managers for FINC 6322.
ACCT 6323 Cases in Cost Accounting
This course examines accounting techniques utilized by managers to plan, implement and control organization resources to improve performance and comply with the organization’s strategies. Cost accounting is used by managers to gather cost, analyze cost, and prepare cost reports for decision making in the organization. The topics to cover in this course include cost analysis and estimation, cost management systems, and management control systems. The case based teaching method will be used in this course to provide an analytical approach to evaluate cost problems encountered by the organization.
ACCT 6324 Accounting Analytics
This course explores the impact of data analytics on financial accounting and auditing. As technology advances, traditional methods of financial accounting and auditing are also changing. The accounting profession today is faced with the challenge of embracing the power of data analysis in all aspects of accounting practice. Developing the skills necessary for an understanding of how data can be collected and analyzed in financial accounting and auditing settings is critical to the continued advancement and value
of the accounting profession. Students will learn seven skills in this course:
- Develop an analytics mindset
- Understand the process of data scrubbing and preparation
- Recognize data quality
- Perform basic analysis in descriptive analytics
- Learn data analysis through data manipulation
- Problem solve through statistical data analysis
- Report results through data visualization
ACCT 6326 Audit Analytics and Technology
This course explores appropriate analytics used in the audit profession, the theory behind advanced audit techniques, and hands on learning of audit analytic tools and other technologies used the audit field. Prerequisite: ACCT 5343 or equivalent.
Austin Connections
The Bill Munday School of Business delivers an impactful education that connects students with the marketplace and prepares them for today’s dynamic business environment. MSB curriculum and programs all reflect five pillars of the Austin business scene: entrepreneurial thinking, social enterprise, innovation management, global collaboration, and business analytics. All full-time faculty are CPAs with professional experience working in accounting, and all adjunct professors are currently employed in the field.
Meet the Faculty

Dr. Mathew Behrend
Associate Professor

John Heal
Adjunct Professor

Donna Knapp
Adjunct Professor

Dr. Katherine Lopez
Associate Professor

Joseph Nketia
Assistant Professor

Steve Rosner
Adjunct Professor
Tuition & Financing
At $37,260* the online Master of Science in Accounting Analytics is a smart investment. Tuition does not include books, comprehensive fees or other course materials. Once accepted to the program, students are required to submit a $500 non-refundable tuition deposit. Deposits are applied towards the total tuition costs and secure your place in the upcoming class.
*Tuition is subject to change at the discretion of the St. Edward’s University Board of Trustees.
Financial Aid
The St. Edward’s University Financial Aid office provides information about financial aid opportunities available to graduate students.
Please visit our Financial Aid page or call us at (512) 387-3110 if you are interested in additional details.
To apply for the program, students are required to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and complete the application process. For application dates and to submit an application, please go to the Graduate Application Page.