View a complete list of program courses, program-specific and degree-level requirements, recommended experience, and more.
This program requires a total of 36 credits.
This course must be taken within the first 6 credits of study (if required). The UCSP 615 requirement may be waived if you previously earned a graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution. For more information, contact your academic advisor.
You will need to take 18 credits in accounting, 15 credits in financial management, and a 3-credit capstone course.
This is our recommended course sequence to progress through this program. This sequence incorporates course prerequisites and program requirements but does not list course alternatives that may be available. We recommend you take a maximum of 6 credits per term. You cannot take a prerequisite with its subsequent course during the same session. Your plan will be unique and dependent on multiple factors, including the number of credits you transfer to this program.
Contact an advisor if you have any questions about this plan, course alternatives, or your course load limit.
| Sequence | Course |
| 1 | (0 Credits, UCSP 615) |
| 2 | (3 Credits, ACCT 610) |
| 3 | (3 Credits, ACCT 611) |
| 4 | (3 Credits, ACCT 613) |
| 5 | (3 Credits, FIN 610) |
| 6 | (3 Credits, ACCT 628) |
| 7 | (3 Credits, FIN 620) |
| 8 | Choose one of these courses: (3 Credits, ACCT 625) (3 Credits, ACCT 630) (3 Credits, ACCT 635) (3 Credits, ACCT 640) |
| 9 | (3 Credits, FIN 630) |
| 10 | Choose one of these courses: (3 Credits, ACCT 625) (3 Credits, ACCT 630) (3 Credits, ACCT 635) (3 Credits, ACCT 640) |
| 11 | (3 Credits, FIN 660) |
| 12 | (3 Credits, FIN 645) |
| 13 | (3 Credits, MSAF 670) |
Before enrolling in any graduate accounting course, you must do one of the following:
If you completed your undergraduate degree at UMGC with coursework in accounting, an accelerated pathway between UMGC's graduate and undergraduate degree programs in that field allows you to reduce your total coursework for this program by up to 6 credits.
This program is designed to help prepare students to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Exam and/or obtain initial licensure as a Certified Public Accountant in Maryland. To sit for the CPA Exam in Maryland, a candidate is required to have successfully completed 120 credits toward an accounting degree; many other states, however, require candidates to successfully complete 150 credits prior to sitting for the CPA Exam.
To obtain initial licensure as a CPA in Maryland and most other states, a candidate is required to have successfully completed 150 credits; Maryland has additional requirements to obtain initial licensure as a CPA, not all of which can be fulfilled through education; learn more about Maryland's requirements for initial licensure.
Students seeking licensure in another state are advised to contact the appropriate licensing board in their state; learn more about professional licensure and how to contact your state's licensing board.
This information is for students who enroll in the 2023–2024 academic year. For prior year requirements for this program or to review UMGC's complete program requirements for a specific academic year, visit our program catalog archive.
Successful companies need competent, career-oriented leaders who are able to manage and oversee their financial operations. This online program is designed to help students develop market-relevant skills in areas like finance, accounting, risk management, data analytics, financial analysis, and profit planning.
Our program directors refresh and update the curriculum regularly, with a focus on helping students achieve these learning goals:
This program is designed to help you prepare for accounting and financial management careers in many professional contexts. The skills you gain in this program translate to most industries in the public and private sectors. UMGC courses are taught by experienced faculty and address skills and competencies that are highly valued by today’s employers.
As you work through our career-relevant curriculum, your instructors will assign projects that will help you prioritize real-world skills and experience. In the past, students have been able to complete the following course projects:
Gain insight from our faculty and delve deeper into a range of topics, including accounting information and career goals.
Get answers to questions that current and prospective students are asking about program admission, credibility, and more.
UMGC’s online master’s degree in accounting and financial management is a 36-credit program that covers topics like financial accounting, financial planning, auditing, investment valuation, behavioral finance, and more. Graduates may be well-prepared for careers in a range of settings, including public accounting firms, private businesses, and government.
UMGC's online master's in accounting and financial management is a 36-credit program with courses offered year-round. If you successfully complete six credits each fall, spring, and summer, you can expect to graduate in as little as two years. If you recently completed an undergraduate program at UMGC that included coursework in accounting, you may be able to apply 6 credits toward this program and shorten your time to completion by one term.
UMGC is committed to keeping our tuition and fees as affordable as possible. The master's in accounting and financial management follows the standard graduate program tuition rates, which appear at the top of this webpage. We also offer scholarships for qualified students, an interest-free monthly payment plan, and no-cost digital materials in place of most textbooks to help make your education more affordable.
You don’t need to have majored in any specific area to be successful in this program. However, we do recommend you have a recent background in finance and accounting, as well as familiarity with Microsoft Excel. Strong writing skills are also encouraged. Please be sure to review the course/licensing admission requirements for this program, covered earlier on the page.
Shandel A., HEWA Beach, HI, MS in Accounting & Financial Management
