Curriculum

The advent of big data, analytics, blockchain, and machine learning is creating exciting changes in the field of accounting. Bentley's new Master's in Accounting (MSA) builds upon our over one-hundred-year accounting legacy and infuses it with technology and analytics to give you the skills you need to thrive in a respected, in-demand profession.  

Having started as the first program in Massachusetts to gain the prestigious separate accounting accreditation from AACSB International, we are proud to announce that our new STEM designated curriculum is one of only a few programs to collaborate with KPMG’s Data and Analytics Program, ensuring that what you learn is industry ready. You can count on it. 

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
4 Core Courses Common to All Concentrations
AC 611	Financial Reporting and Analysis	3
AC 730	Business Processes and Controls Assessment	3
AC 770	Data Analytics for Accountants	3
AC 793	Professional Judgment, Ethics and Decision Making	3
Students must choose one of the following concentrations		18

Advisory

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
AC 773	Fraud and Forensic Accounting	3
AC 799	Experimental Course in Acctg	3
Select one of the following		3
AC 741	Financial Statement Audit
AC 742	Information Technology Audit
AC 744	Internal Audit
Choose three electives		9
AC 701	Internship in Accounting Practice
AC 741	Financial Statement Audit
AC 742	Information Technology Audit
AC 744	Internal Audit
AC 753	Tax Factors in Business Decisions
AC 772	Principles of Fraud Investigation
AC 781	International Dimensions of Accounting
CS 605	Data Management and SQL for Analytics
CS 607	Cybersecurity
FI 631	Financial Modeling
GR 604	Global Strategy
IPM 723	Information Security, Controls and Ethics
IPM 740	Enterprise Systems Planning and Configuration
MG 638	Corporate Governance
MG 704	Management Consulting Skills

Analytics

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
AC 777	Accounting Analytics in Practice	3
CS 602	Data-Driven Development With Python	3
CS 605	Data Management and SQL for Analytics	3
IPM 652	Managing with Analytics	3
Choose one of the following		3
AC 741	Financial Statement Audit
AC 742	Information Technology Audit
AC 744	Internal Audit
Choose one elective		3
AC 701	Internship in Accounting Practice
AC 731	Financial Information Systems
AC 741	Financial Statement Audit
AC 742	Information Technology Audit
AC 744	Internal Audit
AC 799	Experimental Course in Acctg
CS 650	Data Analytics Architectures with Big Data
CS 733	Artificial Intelligence Techniques and Applications
CS 753	Business Intelligence Methods and Technologies
FI 631	Financial Modeling
HF 730	Visualizing Information
HF 760	Intelligent User Interfaces
MA 705	Data Science
MA 707	Introduction to Machine Learning
ST 625	Quantitative Analysis for Business
ST 635	Intermediate Statistical Modeling for Business

Assurance

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
Select two of the following		6
AC 741	Financial Statement Audit
AC 742	Information Technology Audit
AC 744	Internal Audit
Choose one of the following		3
AC 750	Federal Income Taxation
AC 754	Accounting for Income Taxes
Choose three electives		9
AC 612	Advanced Topics in Financial Reporting
AC 621	Managerial Accounting
AC 701	Internship in Accounting Practice
AC 741	Financial Statement Audit
AC 742	Information Technology Audit
AC 744	Internal Audit
AC 753	Tax Factors in Business Decisions
AC 772	Principles of Fraud Investigation
AC 773	Fraud and Forensic Accounting
AC 781	International Dimensions of Accounting
AC 799	Experimental Course in Acctg
FI 631	Financial Modeling
IPM 740	Enterprise Systems Planning and Configuration
MG 638	Corporate Governance

Corporate Financial Reporting

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
AC 612	Advanced Topics in Financial Reporting	3
AC 621	Managerial Accounting	3
Select one of the following		3
AC 750	Federal Income Taxation
AC 754	Accounting for Income Taxes
Select three electives		9
AC 701	Internship in Accounting Practice
AC 731	Financial Information Systems
AC 744	Internal Audit
AC 781	International Dimensions of Accounting
AC 799	Experimental Course in Acctg
CS 607	Cybersecurity
FI 625	Corporate Finance: Theory, Tools and Concepts
FI 631	Financial Modeling
IPM 723	Information Security, Controls and Ethics
MG 638	Corporate Governance

Information Systems

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
AC 742	Information Technology Audit	3
AC 731	Financial Information Systems	3
CS 605	Data Management and SQL for Analytics	3
IPM 740	Enterprise Systems Planning and Configuration	3
Choose two electives		6
AC 701	Internship in Accounting Practice
AC 744	Internal Audit
CS 602	Data-Driven Development With Python
CS 607	Cybersecurity
CS 650	Data Analytics Architectures with Big Data
CS 733	Artificial Intelligence Techniques and Applications
CS 753	Business Intelligence Methods and Technologies
FI 631	Financial Modeling
HF 760	Intelligent User Interfaces
IPM 723	Information Security, Controls and Ethics
MA 705	Data Science
MG 651	Project Management

Note: Electives may be chosen according to the student’s interest or to fulfill requirements for a graduate certificate in a related area — for example, fraud and forensic accounting, taxation, financial planning, business ethics or business analytics.  All course work must be completed within 5 years.