The Advanced Standing in Accounting (BS/MSA) program is open to high-achieving Bentley students majoring in Accounting, Information Technology in Accounting, and Corporate Finance and Accounting. In this accelerated program, students develop depth and breadth in accounting and have an opportunity to graduate in as little as four years with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.
Applications for the combined bachelor's and master's program are accepted during the Fall or Spring semester of a student's sophomore year. All second-year Bentley undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to apply to the ASAC program if they have completed (or are currently completing) AC 201 with a grade of B or higher. Students in the ASAC program should expect to complete their bachelor's degree one semester prior to completing their master's degree. Those planning to finish the MSA in senior spring are required to take a Winter Intensive course.
In addition to the four graduate courses that students take during their undergraduate studies, certain undergraduate courses may be used to waive the MSA foundation requirements. To qualify, students must earn a grade of B or higher in each corresponding undergraduate course. Please see below for details of the foundation course equivalents:
| Foundation Course | Undergraduate Equivalent |
| GR 521 | ST 113 or MA 214 |
| GR 524 | AC 115 and AC 215 |
Advanced Standing Reminders:
- Students are permitted to complete a maximum of four graduate-level courses during the undergraduate portion of their program.
- Students should review course prerequisites and typical offering patterns when planning graduate coursework.
- Students may be eligible for foundation course waivers. To qualify, a grade of B or higher is required in each of the courses. For information and policies related to Advanced Standing pre-program foundation course waivers, see the Graduate Academic Policies page.
- Students are encouraged to review the policies on Graduate Grading Standards.
- Please note that all undergraduate scholarships and financial aid end upon the completion of the student's undergraduate degree. Students planning to continue into a graduate program should plan accordingly, as undergraduate financial aid does not extend beyond the undergraduate portion of their studies.
- An $8,000 program fee, separate from undergraduate tuition, will be billed in four installments starting with the first semester of the student's junior year.
Program Requirements
- Students are expected to work closely with an advisor to develop a plan to meet all program requirements.
- There is a four-semester program minimum.
- The program will allow up to four graduate-level classes to be double-counted toward both the bachelor's and the MSA degrees. Students may not enroll in graduate-level courses before their sixth semester.
- Students will not receive credit for undergraduate equivalents of graduate-level courses completed during their undergraduate studies. For example, taking AC 311 will count only toward the undergraduate degree, whereas taking AC 611 (in place of AC 311) allows the course to count toward both the undergraduate degree and the MSA. Students are encouraged to speak with their advisor for guidance.
- The program should allow for study abroad semesters and accelerated learning, but this is not guaranteed.
- The remaining requirements for the MSA taken as a full-time graduate student are listed on the Master of Science in Accounting webpage.
Course choices should be based on undergraduate major and MSA major. Students should speak with the ASAC/MSA Program Director to choose the appropriate courses for their desired programs.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select any four graduate courses from the following list: | 12 | |
| Financial Reporting and Analysis (Instead of AC 311) | ||
| Advanced Topics in Financial Reporting (Instead of AC 312) | ||
| Managerial Accounting (Instead of AC 310) | ||
| Internship in Accounting Practice (Instead of AC 421) | ||
| Advanced Accounting for Multinational Corporations | ||
| Business Processes and Controls Assessment (Instead of AC 340) | ||
| Financial Information Systems (Instead of AC 440) | ||
| Financial Statement Audit (Instead of AC 470) | ||
| Information Technology Auditing (Instead of AC 475) | ||
| Internal Audit (Instead of AC 472) | ||
| Federal Corporate Income Taxation | ||
| Principles of Fraud Investigation (Instead of AC 332) | ||
| Fraud and Forensic Accounting | ||
| Data-Driven Development with Python (Instead of CS 230) | ||
| Data Management and SQL for Analytics (Instead of CS 350) | ||
| Corporate Finance: Theory, Tools and Concepts (Instead of FI 305) | ||
| Corporate Finance: Applications and Advanced Topics (Instead of FI 307) | ||
| Professional Tax Practice | ||
| Federal Taxation of Income (Instead of AC 350) | ||
| Corporations and Shareholders | ||
| Multi-Jurisdictional Taxation | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Students cannot receive credit for the undergraduate equivalent of graduate courses. Speak to your advisor.