hero image UBalt accounting student

Why This Specialization is For You

Accounting and Leadership Converge.

Earn an MBA and add a specialization in accounting and see where your career will go. A broad spectrum of business and management coursework is a great way to impact your current or future employer.

Business and Entreprenuership

Business and Entreprenuership

Program Type

Master of Business Administration
M.B.A.

Locations/Format

UBalt Campus
Hagerstown Regional Higher Ed. Center
• Courses are offered on campus and online.

Cost

More About MBA Tuition & Fees
• UBalt offers "regional, in-state tuition" for select out-of-state areas.

Requirements

All Degree Requirements

The MBA is 39-credits

  • 30 Core credits
  • 9 Specialization credits

No test requirements for admission.

MBA-Accounting SPecialization

The MBA specialization in Accounting emphasizes broader business acumen, particularly leadership skills relevant to accounting careers. This distinction is significant for those targeting management roles. Accounting offers a stable career path with diverse specializations and a good work-life balance, attracting analytical and ambitious individuals. While various entry points exist, a master's degree is crucial for those aspiring to leadership positions.


The MBA for Working Professionals.

Earn your MBA in as few as 18 months or work at your own pace.

We recognize the importance of work-life-education balance, so we offer flexible learning options for working professionals. Our on-campus business classes begin at 6 p.m., with some offered in a hybrid format (combining in-person and online learning) and all of our online classes are available asynchronously. You also have the choice to take a part-or full-time course load—and you can change your mind every semester.

Learn more about the Admission process.

Accounting Leaders Start Here.

Accounting offers a stable and diverse career paths attracting analytical and ambitious people. While various entry points exist, a master's degree is crucial for those aspiring to leadership positions. An accountant with an MBA degree typically possesses a refined set of skills that go beyond traditional accounting practices. Here are 4 key skills they often demonstrate:

  • Strategic Thinking: By choosing the MBA Accounting specialization you'll gain skills in strategic management, enabling you to analyze financial data in a broader business context. You'll contribute to strategic planning, forecasting, and decision-making by understanding how financial performance aligns with overall business objectives.
  • Leadership and Management: MBA coursework includes organizational behavior, team management, and leadership development. This equips you to lead teams, manage projects, and effectively communicate financial information to diverse stakeholders, including non-financial managers.
  • Business Acumen: An MBA provides a holistic understanding of business functions like marketing, operations, and human resources. This allows those who choose accounting to see the interconnectedness of various departments and how financial decisions impact the entire organization.
  • Enhanced Communication and Presentation Skills: The UBalt MBA focuses on developing strong communication skills, including written, verbal, and presentation skills. Accountants with MBAs can articulate complex financial information clearly and concisely to different audiences, facilitating better understanding and collaboration.

This broader business perspective opens doors to roles requiring strategic thinking, team management, and business development skills, making it a valuable investment for those seeking to climb the corporate ladder.

Go Deeper into Accounting

At UBalt we like to offer our students options and flexibility. Learn more about the specialized master's degrees in accounting.

Choosing between an MBA and a specialized master's depends on your individual career goals. If the primary focus is on specialized technical accounting roles, the master of science accounting degree might be your right fit.

However, for those aiming for leadership positions, such as controllers, finance managers, or CFOs, the MBA in Accounting provides a more comprehensive and advantageous path. The broader business perspective, coupled with enhanced leadership skills and networking opportunities, positions graduates for greater career advancement and higher earning potential.

When you choose the 30-credit Masters of Science in Accounting and Business Advisory Services program you'll go beyond just accounting—you'll build your knowledge in areas of finance and information systems, too. There is an increased emphasize on analytical and technology skills. This program also offers a specialization in data analytics.
The University of Baltimore has a long history of delivering online business education. We offer the 30- credit, fully online Masters of Science in Accounting and Business Advisory Services. You have the option to follow the traditional and flexible General Accounting or you track or you can specialize in:
  • Data Analytics
  • Nonprofit Financial Management
  • Taxation

What Our Graduates Do

The UBalt MBA is the largest master's program and provides valuable networking opportunities with classmates, professors, and alumni, often leading to career advancement or new job opportunities. Graduates who focus on accounting often find themselves in executive management roles.

Common Roles

  • Financial Manager
  • Controller
  • Finance Director
  • CFO
  • Management Consultant
  • Investment Banking
Dean Raju Balakrishnan and three male Merrick School of Business students

A Message from Dean Raju Balakrishnan

A degree from the Merrick School of Business is more than just a qualification; it's a passport to a world of opportunity.
Raju Balakrishnan, Ph.D. Dean, Merrick School of Business
Read Full Story

Admission Information

Your application will be accepted on a rolling basis but you can use these dates as a guide.

  • Fall: Aug. 15
  • Spring: Jan. 1
  • Summer: May 1

Admission will be offered depending on availability of space, strength of your credentials and sufficiency of time for processing.

Questions? Contact an admission counselor at 410.837.4777 or gradadmission@ubalt.edu.

 Let us know when you are ready to earn your MBA degree by applying to the program. Our online application will only take you a few minutes to complete. Before you submit the application, you’ll be asked to use your credit card or bank account to pay the $50 application fee.

Insider tips:
The earlier you apply and submit a completed application, the faster you’ll receive an admission decision. Each one of your supporting admission documents may be sent individually. Your admission portal will keep track of what the UBalt Admission team has received.

When you attend an information session or discuss your application with an Admission counselor or Merrick School of Business representative be sure to get your application fee waiver code and save yourself $50.

A bachelor’s degree in any field is required for admittance into the UBalt MBA program. This program is open to students without an accounting undergraduate degree as well as those who have earned an accounting-focused bachelor’s degree. The undergraduate GPA for admitted students typically ranges from 2.9 to 4.0.

Historically, admitted MBA students have average cumulative GPA's of 3.2 and come from a variety of academic majors, with the majority having some sort of prior accounting education.

The University of Baltimore has several scholarships that may be available for those students who have submitted competitive GPA documentation.

A key factor for all applicants is the undergraduate GPA, although graduate coursework will be taken into account. Request your official transcripts as soon as possible, as they can take time to print, prepare and mail. The Office of Admission requires original transcripts from all universities you’ve attended. It’s easiest to have the institution send your transcript directly to us.

If you are mailing an institution’s transcript, do not break the seal upon receipt. If you attended a non-U.S. institution, you must provide the official transcript and a transcript evaluation with a course-by-course analysis conducted by a transcript evaluation service such as World Education Services. 

Send your resume to our team via email. By submitting your resume you are signaling that you are a polished professional. That’s great because our students are professionals who are looking to enhance or change their careers. The diversity of your overall work experience is important to us.  

The Admissions Committee holistically considers your transcripts, work experience, personal statement and professional recommendation in the evaluation process.

Your personal statement is important, so take your time writing it. Please submit it to documents@ubalt.edu

Clearly tell the admissions committee more about your background and your interests. Share the reasons why you are interested in pursuing a University of Baltimore MBA.

Include your thoughts about how the program will assist you in achieving your academic and professional development goals. Make sure your essay is well written and exhibits a high level of academic and professional competency. Again, don’t forget to proofread for grammatical and spelling errors. 

One recommendation letter is required for candidates with a GPA less than 3.0.  It should come from someone with the ability to evaluate your academic aptitude and/or professional experience, such as a professor, supervisor, project partner, or mentor.

Candidates with a GPA above 3.0 are not required to submit a letter of recommendation but it is welcomed.

Examples should include details of your work history, thoughts on your competence as an employee, an explanation of why they think you’d be a successful MBA candidate, description of your academic ability, etc.

Ask the writers to put their letters of recommendation in sealed envelopes with their signatures on the back flap. Give those individuals who are writing your letters of recommendation at least two weeks—but preferably a month—to complete the task. This allows them to take their time and communicate their thoughts and recommendations of the likelihood that you will succeed in the program.

University of Baltimore
Office of Graduate Admission
1420 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

documents@ubalt.edu

Learn More
About UBalt

Faculty

Faculty Profile Image

Mikhail Pevzner, Ph.D.

Professor
See Faculty Profile

Jan Williams, Ph.D.

Professor

Kathryn Demarest, M.S.

Associate Dean- Business

Lourdes White, D.B.A.

Professor

Johnny Ramsey, M.B.A.

Lecturer