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Online Master's Degree MS in Accounting Taxation

Gain Expertise in Tax Rules & Practices with a Master’s in Taxation Online

Enhance your Master of Science in Accounting degree with a concentration in Taxation from Southern New Hampshire University. The focused taxation curriculum will introduce you to key concepts, rules and practices in income taxation for individuals, corporations and partnerships, as well as excise tax on estates and goods.

Taught by professional accountants, the interactive MS in taxation degree program is designed to prepare you to meet the growing demand in the workplace for highly skilled accountants. Through practical, interactive course work, you'll:

  • Understand tax law, auditing and financial reporting
  • Gain the analytical and technical skills companies and municipal agencies require in their accounting professionals
  • Build the foundation you need to launch your career in this high-demand accounting specialty
  • Prepare for the Uniform CPA (certified public accountant) Exam

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See Yourself Succeed in Taxation

SNHU’s master’s concentration in taxation online will prepare you to counsel the individuals, corporations or nonprofits you’ll work for by helping them to understand how to best manage their financial decisions in preparation for year-end taxes. The program aligns with the Content and Skill Specification Outlines (CSOs/SSOs) set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission – to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your MS in Accounting online at SNHU include:

  • Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
  • Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
  • Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your graduate degree in as few as 15 months, with two courses per 10-week term
  • Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
  • Minimal requirements. No GMAT or GRE required for admission
  • Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for tips and career opportunities
  • Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study

Admission Requirements

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our five graduate terms. You can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials. To apply, simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options. Your counselor can also walk you through the application process, which involves completing a graduate application ($40 fee) and providing undergraduate transcripts.

Career Outlook

Complex financial regulations have increased demand for accounting professionals. Career opportunities in this field are expected to grow 10 percent through 2026, faster than the average for all occupations according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.*

Many in taxation work in federal government, litigation and valuation, investment funds, forensic tax and tax fraud. SNHU's master's in taxation online degree prepares you to succeed in middle and senior management roles such as tax director, analyst or auditor.

Please note: Students cannot earn CPA certification simply by earning a college degree. If you wish to follow the traditional CPA track upon graduation, you'll need to verify you meet all requirements to sit for the exam. Licensing requirements to sit for the CPA exam vary from state to state, so it's best to review your state-specific requirements. For state-by-state educational requirements, consult the website of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). For state-by-state CPA licensing requirements, consult the Accounting Licensing Library, powered by the NASBA. The content of our programs aligns with the Content and Skill Specification Outlines (CSOs/SSOs) set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and fulfills the educational requirements for CPA certification in most states.

Curriculum

The online MS in Accounting curriculum is designed to provide you with practical knowledge in auditing, advanced financial reporting, business law, ethics, communication, corporate, partnership, private tax, research and more in a supportive and interactive environment. The content of this program aligns with the Content and Skill Specification Outlines (CSOs/SSOs) set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Degree Courses
TAX 665 Estate and Gift Taxation

This course deals with the federal taxation of gratuitous transfers during a taxpayer's lifetime and property transfers at death. After gaining knowledge of the relevant statutes, regulations and case law, the student will develop estate and gift planning strategies to address estate and gift planning aspects of business and life events.
TAX 670 Tax Research Methodology

Explore the methods and techniques of federal tax research. Learn the rules and procedures for representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service.
TAX 700 Special Topics in Taxation

This course offers an in-depth study of special topics in federal taxation. Major, contemporary problem areas of taxation are explored.
ACC 645 Advanced Auditing

This course is designed to introduce the student who is familiar with financial auditing principles to advanced auditing topics including 1) beyond the financial audit, 2) when audits go wrong, and 3) behavioral and ethical concerns for auditors. The course utilizes a combination of case studies, student presentations, and reviews of current auditing research and professional materials to assist students in increasing their knowledge of auditing. This is a reading intensive course.
ACC 675 Control/Audit of Accounting Info System

New auditing and quality control standards adopted by the PCAOB and the AICPA require auditors to have adequate technical training and must understand the role information technologies play in the maintenance and effective internal control of financial information. Knowledge of EDP auditing and control is particularly important in complying with Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), which requires auditors to attest to the standards of internal control and any material weaknesses disclosed by senior management. This course will give auditors the knowledge they need to comply with SOX Section 404 by allowing them to test the process rather than just the product of the financial information system. Select curricular standards set by ISACA will be addressed to assess and to improve auditing and internal control practices.
ACC 690 Advanced Topics in Financial Reporting

This course is an examination of advanced topics in accounting, including SEC reporting, corporations in financial difficulty, multinational accounting and additional consolidation reporting issues not covered in Financial Reporting II.
ACC 696 Situational Ethics in Accounting

This course deals with the application of academic research related to ethical decision making, identifying evolving ethical issues in the accounting and business environment, and evaluating and applying theories of ethics and justice. Students will be exposed to ethical situations affecting the accounting and business environments to gain a solid foundation on which to address possible circumstances they may face as accounting professionals.
ACC 700 Accounting Capstone

This capstone course is the culminating experience for the M.S. in Accounting program. The aim of the capstone is to assess students' ability to synthesize and integrate the knowledge and skills they have developed throughout their coursework, rather than introducing new concepts. This course is structured to support student success in fulfilling program requirements.
FIN 550 Corporate Financial Management

This course is a study of finance from a corporate perspective including investments, capital structure and re-structuring, budgeting, financial markets, policy, and portfolio management. Students will analyze a firm's opportunities and risk level within these categories to evaluate the impact on shareholder's value.
MBA 610 Business Law

This course provides a survey of the legal environment of business by looking at legal issues and regulations in a business context. The students assess the impact of business law on organizational decision making for informing strategic legal decisions. The course covers employment law, contracts, tort and product liability, internet law as well as other legal issues affecting the business environment. The students also assess the legal and ethical implications of US companies doing business abroad.
MGT 550 Managing Through Communication

Learn how to manage people and organizations effectively using communication as a tool. Enhance skills and techniques in motivating, leading change, developing relationships and team building through effective communication of core visions, active listening and providing feedback. Develop strategic management and communication skills that positively affect stakeholder behavior. Gain comprehensive, hands-on-experience in constructing documents and presentations that inform, persuade and influence the intended audience to achieve strategic goals.
TAX 655 Federal Income Tax of Corporations and Partnerships

This course studies the theories and practices of income taxation of corporations and partnerships and excise tax on estates and gifts.
For students without undergraduate Accounting degree:
ACC 550 Cost Accounting

This course provides a comprehensive study of the concepts, procedures, and practices of accounting systems that record, classify, and report cost data. These systems are designed to aid in the cost-effective operation of for-profit and non- profit organizations. This course focuses on cost behaviors, alternative cost systems, and accounting tools for planning and control. Additional topics studied would include relevant cost analysis for management decisions, cost/ revenue allocation methods, inventory management, and transfer pricing.
ACC 610 Financial Reporting I

This course examines financial accounting theories and practices and emphasizes asset and liability, measurement and reporting.
ACC 620 Financial Reporting II

This course is a continuation of ACC 610. Topics include stockholders' equity, income measurement, income taxes, pensions, leases and statements of changes in financial positions.
ACC 630 Financial Reporting III

This course examines such advanced accounting topics as partnerships, consolidations, insolvencies, estates and trusts.
ACC 640 Auditing

This course is a study of the concepts and methods of professional auditing.
TAX 650 Federal Taxation of Individuals

This course studies the theory and practice of federal income taxation of individuals.
For those who do not meet the minimum requirements, the following courses may be required:
MBA 501 Mathematics and Statistics for Business

This is an applied course, which will provide students with the mathematical knowledge and skills that underlie many courses offered in the school of business. Students will learn the fundamental concepts and methods of linear algebra, mathematical functions, differential calculus and statistics and their applications to business. They will also sharpen their quantitative, analytical and problem-solving skills that are so important for success in the world of business today.
MBA 502 Economics for Business

This course is intended to provide the student with a concisely focused yet rigorous introduction to both micro- and macroeconomic theory needed at the foundational level of a graduate degree program. Some of the topics to be addressed include: market behavior; demand theory and related elasticity concepts; production and cost theory; managerial decision-making in perfectly competitive and imperfectly competitive markets; GDP determination; unemployment and inflation; and fiscal and monetary policy.
MBA 503 Financial Reporting and Analysis

This course emphasizes the creation and interpretation of financial statements critical to an understanding of today's economy. Various financial topics related to financial statements are covered. Income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements are explored in-depth giving students an appreciation of how these statements are prepared and the standard accounting rules that apply to their creation.

Program Outcomes

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer a 25 percent tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Graduate Programs Per Course* Per Credit Hour*
Degree/Certificates $1,881 $627
Degree/Certificates
(U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty) 		$1,410 $470

*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed Annually.

Additional Costs:
$40 Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as well as several other accrediting bodies. More...

This program is accredited by both NEASC and ACBSP. Consumer information is available on the College Navigator.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the Internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm (viewed online December 6, 2017). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.