Accelerated BBA/MSA Program

 

The Kent State Department of Accounting provides three programs to help students obtain both a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting degree and a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree in accelerated ways.

1.)  Direct Admission

Kent State is proud to offer incoming, high achieving undergraduate students, direct admission into a business master's program. With direct admission, students can comfortably complete their Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting degree and Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree within five years.

Our simplified MSA admission process includes a waiver of:

  • Graduate school application fees
  • The GMAT/GRE
  • Application essay  
  • Letters of recommendation

Admitted students may defer the start of their master's program for one year following completion of an undergraduate degree. 

INCOMING STUDENT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (ALL MASTER'S PROGRAMS)

 

High School Requirements

  • High school GPA of 3.4 or better
  • Preference given to candidates with rigorous high school coursework (AP, IB, CCP, Honors, etc.)

Undergraduate Current or Transfer Student Requirements

  • Transfer GPA of college level credit of 3.2 or better for students with 30+ college credits
  • Transfer students with 29 credits or less will be evaluated on a combination of their college level coursework GPA and high school GPA

Common Undergraduate Requirements Across All Master's Programs

  • Maintain a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA at Kent State of 3.2
  • Submit Master’s program application during junior year  

Master's Degree Application Requirements

  • When applying, select the “MBA DIRECT ADMIT” program (or MSA, MAE, MSBA)
  • Resume – required
  • Application fee – waived
  • Letters of Recommendation – waived
  • GMAT/GRE – waived 
  • Essay of Goals and Objectives – waived

 

UNDERGRADUATE REQUIREMENTS FOR MSA

  • Submit a Master's program application during junior year. 
  • Enroll in the Bachelor of Accounting major (BBA)
  • Maintain a 3.2 GPA overall and a minimum Accounting Major GPA of 3.2

2.)  4+1 Program – Combined Degree Program

In their junior year, accounting students are also encouraged to apply for a combined BBA/MSA program. This will allow them to double count up to 9 credit hours of graduate coursework toward both their BBA and MSA programs, and then complete both degrees in a total of five years.


3.)  3+1 Program - Four Years, Two Degrees

Highly motivated business students, who enter Kent State University with a minimum of 15 advanced college credits, can earn both a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Accounting and a Master of Science in Accounting degree (MSA) in only four years.

Program Benefits – Four Years, Two Degrees

  • Accelerated path to a master’s degree in accounting
  • Fulfills the 150 credit-hour requirements for the CPA license

Academic Requirements

The 3+1 BBA and MSA program is open exclusively to highly motivated first-year entering students, who have earned a minimum of 15 advanced college credits before entry into the program.

Participating students pursue a carefully sequenced course load that will require summer coursework. Students are also highly recommended to participate in the accounting internship program. As a result, students complete a minimum of 120 undergraduate credits and fulfill their BBA degree requirements in three years.

In their “senior” or fourth year, students who maintain academic excellence during their BBA program will be admitted into the MSA program. Students may opt out of the MSA program if their plans change and graduate with their BBA degree.