What is an MBA with Accounting Concentration?

An MBA with a Specialization in Accounting is an Master of Business Administration degree that has a greater focus on accounting courses compared to a general MBA. This degree program can help you develop your existing accounting skills while honing additional business skills that can be applied in the workplace. This well-rounded degree program may help you consider a wider variety of positions than perhaps a general MBA or a Master's in Accounting might.

In this article, we'll explore some of the advantages of MBA programs with an accounting concentration by discussing some of the potential careers that degree holders might consider, why you might want to pursue an accounting specialization and more in the following sections:

• Why Specialize in Accounting?
• Careers You Can Pursue with an Accounting Specialization
• Types of Skills You Can Learn in an MBA in Accounting Program

With other degree options like a Master's in Accounting or a general MBA, it's fair to ask why one might choose to get an MBA with a Specialization in Accounting. While the choice is different for everyone, one advantage is the versatility.

By its very nature, an MBA degree is versatile.. By focusing primarily on business aspects such as leadership, management and administration, which are used in every industry, an MBA can help position graduates to consider lots of different career possibilities. It's a degree that helps opens up options rather than limiting a student to a smaller area of specialization. By adding an accounting specialization onto the traditional MBA degree, you can potentially expand your options even further.

The reason for this is simple: while an MBA degree is designed to expand your skill set, an MBA program with an accounting concentration also focuses on boosting your accounting skills. With this unique combination of accounting and business capabilities, you may have the opportunity to pursue a wider variety of jobs.

The combination of skills that comes from an MBA specializing in accounting can help equip you for a wide variety of careers. The following list is just a few of the careers that you may be able to consider after earning an MBA with an Accounting Specialization:

• Accountant: Accountants are responsible for tracking the expenses and revenues of a business. They may also specialize in particular areas such as auditing or tax accounting.


• Account manager: Account managers are in charge of maintaining the relationship between a business and its clients. They often manage client billing and work alongside project managers to ensure that the client's needs are being met.


• Auditor: Auditors constantly scrutinize the accounts of a business to ensure that everything is being logged accurately. In a government setting, they may perform audits for companies in order to uncover financial fraud or tax avoidance schemes.


• Budget director: A budget director is in charge of determining the budget for a company or department. To do this, they often manage a team of accounting professionals to ensure that they are setting budgets that are feasible and likely to lead to benefits for the company.


• Budget analyst: Budget analysts use accounting knowledge to help companies map their finances, prepare reports that track spending and help determine funding levels based on cost and benefit data.


• Credit analyst: Credit analysts work with either companies or individuals in order to help them repair their credit, increase credit limits or manage the usage of credit in an effective manner.


• Environmental green accountant: Green accountants look for ways that a company can invest its money in environmentally friendly companies and services.


• Financial analyst: Financial analysts use finance and accounting abilities to monitor markets and suggest lucrative investment options to company executives.


• Financial manager: Financial managers oversee the transactions and investments of a company in order to maintain revenues and expected expenditures.


• Financial planner: Financial planners work with individuals or executives to determine how finances should be handled in order to generate greater revenue through investments or application of funds.


• Internal auditor: Internal auditors are responsible for reviewing internal accounting documents to ensure the accuracy of other accountants.


• Management accountant: Management accountants track the expenses incurred by managerial staff to determine how effectively money is being deployed at the managerial level.


• Payroll staff manager: Payroll staff managers work in a subcategory of human resources that is specifically in charge of the payroll of the company.


• Public accountant: Public accountants are a versatile type of accounting professional who can perform a variety of different accounting services such as consultation and tax accounting, among others.^†

When job hunting, it’s important to keep in mind that titles and qualifications are not standardized across industries. You may meet the application qualifications at one company and not at another, despite the two job listings having the same job title. Be sure to focus on the specific tasks associated with each role to find the best fit for your interests and skillset.

Typically, an MBA with accounting concentration offers the opportunity to develop your skills in several different ways. Some of the skills you can learn during an MBA with a Specialization in Accounting program at DeVry include:

• Accounting standards
• Financial reporting
• Technology
• Collaboration
• Problem solving
• Management theory and practices