Receive your Master of Accountancy in as little as one year from Truman’s School of Business — one of the few universities worldwide to receive AACSB International accreditation for both Business and Accounting. Get personalized expert guidance from experienced faculty in a program known for its high CPA Exam pass rate.
Format: On Campus or Online
Two Paths to Completion
Synchronous Online
Let our expert faculty come to you.
In-person
Join us on our beautiful campus in Kirksville, Missouri.
Why study accounting at Truman
- #1 program in the nation according to the CPA Success Index (2021)
- Flexibility of online and in-person learning options
- AACSB school accreditation for both Accounting and Business
- Personalized attention from expert faculty
Accreditation
Curriculum
Your degree will be a mix of core coursework (18 credits), courses from your chosen track (Audit or Tax - 9 credits), and one elective (3 credits).
Discover current theory and financial reporting related to corporate acquisitions, mergers and consolidations, reporting international operations, and an introduction to the basic reporting model for state and local governments and private not-for-profit organizations.
Accounting in the cloud, electronic reporting and decision-making, using technology to solve problems and support accounting operations, protecting accounting data, current trends and ethical considerations.
Study of the roles that cost measurement, cost management, performance evaluation, and other current management accounting methods play in decision making.
This course introduces strategies and techniques for fraud prevention and detection. It focuses on financial fraud such as bribery, contract rigging and kickbacks, embezzlement, fraudulent financial reporting, payroll fraud, and misappropriation of inventory and other assets. Several real-life cases and examples will be used to illustrate how to detect and prevent fraud.
An advanced course in business law that covers law of agency, corporations, and partnerships. Negotiable instruments, secured transactions, bankruptcy, and sales.
An intensive course in data science for business applications using R, including regression, classification, non-linear models, tree-based methods, and unsupervised learning.
Track 1 – Audit
Discover current theory and financial reporting for state and local governments and not-for-profit entities.
This course will discuss the concepts of business analytics and its application in different business disciplines. Various descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics techniques will be discussed. Quantitative modeling and analysis techniques will be used throughout the course to support decision making in a business environment.
Tackle advanced topics in auditing, information technology (IT) auditing, professional responsibilities, fraud responsibilities, internal controls, not-for-profit auditing, prospective financial statements, and current controversial issues.
OR
Track 2 – Tax
Federal income taxation of corporations and shareholders, including organization, capital structure, distributions, redemptions, reorganizations, division, liquidations, and affiliated groups.
Tax research methodologies and selected tax topics.
Examine federal income tax treatment of partnerships, S corporations, and estates and trusts.
Choose one of the following:
Discuss the concepts of business analytics and its application in different business disciplines. Various descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics techniques will be discussed. Quantitative modeling and analysis techniques will be used throughout the course to support decision making in a business environment.
Examine some of the fundamental theories and practices from organizational behavior and human resource management for international organizations Of particular interest is the conduct of business in cultural settings where organizations must abide by the different customs, values, politics, and norms of the countries they penetrate to source and/or to market their goods and services.
Analyze issues related to global supply chains, including discussion of the current concerns of managing complex relationships such as building relationships with suppliers, developing transport and logistics systems, issues in management of supply chains and related ethical and global implications.
Study the theory and problems of financial management through case studies that provide a comprehensive view of the complex financial issues faced in the domestic and international environment.
Learn about the microstructure of derivative markets, principles and valuation methods of derivative assets, and risk management with derivatives.
Discover issues related to both international financial markets and the financial operations of a firm within the international environment. You’ll focus on the identification, measurement and management of the impact of exchange rates, taxation, political risk, financing and investment decisions, trade financing and the management of working capital.
Tackle advanced topics in auditing, information technology (IT) auditing, professional responsibilities, fraud responsibilities, internal controls, not-for-profit auditing, prospective financial statements, and current controversial issues.
Learn current theory and financial reporting for state and local governments and not-for-profit entities.
Tax research methodologies and selected tax topics.
This course introduces strategies and techniques for fraud prevention and detection. It focuses on financial fraud such as bribery, contract rigging and kickbacks, embezzlement, fraudulent financial reporting, payroll fraud, and misappropriation of inventory and other assets. Several real-life cases and examples will be used to illustrate how to detect and prevent fraud.
First-Place Finish
Laura Haarmann, Delany Borella, Mitchell Heberer, and Erynn Glaesemann came out on top at the 2021 Deloitte FanTAXtic case competition, beating out teams from more than 40 colleges and universities across the country, including DePaul, Gonzaga, North Carolina State, Syracuse, the University of Houston, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Missouri, and the University of Nebraska.
Meet the Faculty
Dr. Stacey Kaden, is the Accounting Department Chair, Associate Professor of Accounting, and is an alumna of Truman State University. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Accounting while at Truman. She earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas. Dr. Kaden is a CPA and worked for five years for a public accounting firm as a tax accountant. Her research interests include individual and nonprofit tax compliance and other tax issues. She is married and has three young sons. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, hiking, and traveling.
Dr. Michael V. Barnes Jr. received his B.S. in Accounting and Master of Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma; and his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. Prior to pursuing his doctorate, Michael worked as an auditor and forensic analyst at KPMG in Dallas, Texas. His research examines auditor differentiation strategies related to industry and client-specific experience. In his free time, Michael enjoys cooking, live theatre, and gaming.
Dr. Isaac Ison earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in business administration from Dixie State University, a master’s degree from Southern Utah University, and a Ph.D. in business administration from Jackson State University. His research interests revolve around corporate merger and acquisition accounting, specifically, purchase price allocation, goodwill impairment and accounting for intangibles. His hobbies include researching business ideas, tinkering with mechanical projects, waterskiing, hiking, and spending time with his family.
Dr. Kathy Otero, CMA®, received her Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Spanish, her Master of Accountancy-Managerial Accounting specialization and her Ph.D. in International Business - Accounting specialization from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her research interests include capital markets, professional ethics, and pedagogical development and effectiveness. She is married and has one son (also an accountant). She and her husband have an assortment of cats, dogs, and horses that provide endless entertainment value.
Dr. Trevor Shonhiwa is from Harare, Zimbabwe, and he completed his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has teaching experience from the University of Nebraska and New Mexico State University, and his research interests include empirical analyses of corporate governance and accounting irregularities. He enjoys spending his time with family and friends and playing golf.
Originally from Minnesota, mid-career Dr. Liz Diers joined academia in western South Dakota at Black Hills State University. While at BHSU, she earned her PhD from the University of North Dakota. She and her husband Kermit moved to Kansas for warmer weather and her teaching at Emporia State. They relocated again, this time to Missouri to be closer to their grandkids and for her to join the faculty at Truman State. They have four married daughters and eight grandchildren. Kermit is a farmer, and he enjoys raising sheep. She has taught most accounting courses, but she really enjoys teaching tax classes.
Admission
Apply early for priority consideration.
Spring Admission:
Apply by November 1
Summer Admission:
Apply by April 1
Fall Admission:
Apply by June 1*
*Complete your application by February 15 to be considered for a Graduate Teaching/Research Assistantship (GTRA) position or graduate Foundation scholarships.
Admission Requirements
OPTIONAL: Graduate Teaching/Research Assistantship (GTRA) application
*not required for Truman Accounting or Business Administration graduates
**Truman Accounting or Business Administration graduates need only submit one letter
Tuition
*Total estimated tuition based on 2024-25 academic year. Tuition subject to change.
Financial Aid
Degree-seeking students enrolled in at least six credit hours per semester are eligible for federal financial aid programs. For more information, see Financial Aid Resources for Graduate Studies or contact the Financial Aid Office at (660) 785-4130 or finaid@truman.edu.
Schedule a Visit
Virtual or In-person
Get an inside look at program specifics, tour your learning environment, and meet your professors.
