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Chris Eldridge with text Chris Eldridge '15

Master's in Taxation Online MS in Accounting Concentration

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Register By: July 01 Classes Start: July 03

Earn Your Master's in Taxation

  • $627/credit (36 credits total)
  • Transfer up to 12 graduate credits
  • Continue your path toward a CPA
  • Program accredited by ACBSP
  • Alignment with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA™)
  • Enrolling accounting students since 1932

Master’s in Taxation Online Concentration Overview

Gain expertise in tax rules and enhance your Master of Science (MS) in Accounting 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.

Tax accountants aren’t hired simply for their ability to prepare tax returns. Businesses and individuals rely on them as experts in a complex, high-stakes subject. Taught by professionals in the field, the interactive master's in taxation degree program is designed to prepare you to meet the growing demand in the workplace for highly skilled accountants.

What You'll Learn

  • Understand tax law, auditing and financial reporting
  • Gain the analytical and technical skills required in accounting professionals
  • Build a foundation for a successful career in this high-demand accounting specialty
  • Prepare for the Uniform CPA (Certified Public Accountant) Exam

How You'll Learn

At SNHU, you'll get support from day 1 to graduation and beyond. And with no set class times, 24/7 access to the online classroom and helpful learning resources along the way, you'll have everything you need to reach your goals.

Career Outlook

The Internal Revenue Code is complicated and changes every year. That's why individuals and businesses rely on tax accountants who are expertly trained to navigate the tax code to ensure compliance.

Mona Stephens with the text Mona Stephens

"Noncompliance with code can result in fines and more serious consequences," said Mona Stephens, CPA, MSA and accounting faculty lead at SNHU. "In fact, Al Capone went to prison not for his organized crime dealings, but for tax evasion."

But what does a taxation concentration mean for your career path? Specializing your skill set in taxation could help prepare you to counsel individuals, corporations or nonprofits by helping them understand how to best manage their financial decisions in preparation for year-end taxes. Or, you could put your knowledge to work in the compliance and enforcement side of taxes investigating and uncovering potential tax fraud. Either way, you'll learn how to keep up with annually changing tax codes while becoming adept at communicating and working with clients.

Job Growth

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that employment of accountants and auditors is projected to grow 6% from 2021 to 2031, on track with the average for all occupations.1

Salary

Overall, accounting can be a lucrative job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accountants and auditors had a median annual pay of $77,250 in 2021.1

Many people in the taxation field work in federal government, litigation and valuation, investment funds, forensic tax and tax fraud. Our master's in taxation online degree was built to prepare you to take your career to the next level, including in middle and senior management roles within your field.

If the role you're after requires you have your CPA license, you're in luck. Our MS in Accounting with a concentration in Taxation program curriculum 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 exam eligibility in most states.

That's exactly what Lin Woolsey '20 needed in a program.

"I needed the education and the credits to sit for the CPA exam," she said, noting that she also wanted "a curriculum that aligns with AICPA."

Woolsey has since earned the CPA credential.

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. See CPA requirements by state on our licensure and certification disclosure page.

Where Could You Work?

Tax Advising

Utilize knowledge of tax deductions, liability and strategy to help individuals and businesses avoid overpaying taxes. 

Tax Management

Advise clients and ensure their taxes are within compliance. Supervise other tax staff within your company.

Tax Auditing

Examine financial records to evaluate whether or not they comply with tax laws. Conduct audits to identify what taxes are owed.

Government

Work as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service. Your master's in taxation will lay a great accounting foundation, but this work also requires training from the IRS.

Law

Work in court, advising judges in cases concerning tax law. Conduct research and give advice as an expert in your field.

Start Your Journey Toward an Online Taxation Degree

What SNHU Students Are Saying

Lin WoolseyLin Woolsey '20

"I couldn’t have done it without the flexibility of the program."

Courses & Curriculum

The online master's in accounting curriculum is designed to provide you with practical knowledge in auditing, advanced financial reporting, business law, ethics, communication and research. When you add the taxation concentration to your program, you'll go beyond basic individual and corporate taxes and learn about estate and gift taxes, how to conduct tax research and special tax issues.

In the tax concentration, you'll take courses that cover individual income tax, corporate tax, tax research, international tax and flow-through entities. You'll learn how various business entities are taxed, how U.S. tax laws affect people and companies outside the country and more.

"I loved the intermediate/advanced accounting and taxation classes," said Lin Woolsey '20. "The accounting knowledge is useful at work while the taxation knowledge is helpful with my personal tax return."

The MS in Accounting with a concentration in Taxation is a 12-course program, with 9 courses in the major. The taxation concentration is made up of 3 tax-focused courses that will help you specialize your knowledge and skills:

  • Estate and Gift Taxation. Learn about federal taxation of large gifts throughout life and also property transfers upon death. Using relevant statutes, regulations and case law, you'll develop different estate and gift planning strategies.
  • Tax Research Methodology. Examine the methods and techniques used in federal tax research. You'll also learn rules and procedures for representing clients during IRS review.
  • Special Topics in Taxation. Study special topics in federal taxation. You'll explore major contemporary problem areas of taxation in the U.S.

These courses are designed to give future tax accountants a strong foundation in all aspects of U.S. taxes. You'll have the opportunity to demonstrate your learning via case studies and projects. This work includes researching issues for tax clients and making tax planning recommendations.

Because tax law changes each year, it’s not always immediately clear how a particular tax provision should be applied. This is why you'll also learn how to research tax law and then propose a solution using your findings.

Our master's in taxation online curriculum aligns with the Content and Skill Specification Outlines (CSOs/SSOs) set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). As such, the MS in Accounting with a concentration in Taxation fulfills the educational requirements to sit for the CPA exam in most states. Additionally, material covered in the taxation concentration will help prepare you for many concepts, including the regulation section of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination.

Foundation Courses

While we enroll students with all kinds of undergraduate degrees, you might need to take some foundation courses before getting into the core master's in taxation courses.

If you did not earn your bachelor's degree in accounting, you may need to take these foundational accounting courses:

  • Cost Accounting
  • Financial Reporting I, II and III
  • Auditing
  • Federal Taxation of Individuals

If you do not have a bachelor's in business or accounting, you may need to take these business foundation courses:

  • Mathematics and Statistics for Business
  • Economics for Business
  • Financial Reporting and Analysis

Through these courses, you'll learn the basic accounting and business concepts you need to succeed. With this solid accounting and business foundation, you'll be ready to build your expertise as you complete the master's in taxation online program.

University Accreditation

New England Commission of Higher Education Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as well as several other accrediting bodies.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer a 25% 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 Annual Cost for 15 credits 
Degree/Certificates $1,881 $627 $9,405 
Degree/Certificates
(U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)*
$1,410 $470 $7,050 

Tuition rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.
*Note: students receiving this rate are not eligible for additional discounts.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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References

Licensure and Certification Disclosures

SNHU has provided additional information for programs that educationally prepare students for professional licensure or certification. Learn more about what that means for your program on our licensure and certification disclosure page.