What is an MBA with an Accounting Specialization?

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An MBA with an Accounting Specialization is a 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?

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 an Accounting Specialization. While the choice is different for everyone, one advantage is 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 open 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 Accounting Specialization 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.

Careers You Can Pursue with an MBA Accounting Specialization

The combination of skills that comes from an MBA Accounting Specialization 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.
Accounting manager

Accounting managers take on a variety of tasks related to the management of an organization’s financial accounts, payrolls, budgets and assets. They may also perform financial audits and develop cash flow forecasts.
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 to uncover financial fraud or tax avoidance schemes.
Budget director

A budget director determines 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 to help 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 to maintain revenues and expected expenditures.
Financial planner

Financial planners work with individuals or executives to determine how finances should be handled 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.

Types of Skills You Can Learn in an MBA in Accounting Program

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

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

MBA vs. Master’s in Accounting

Which is the best choice for you – an MBA or Master’s in Accounting? The simple answer is it depends on your career goals. While an MBA with a Specialization in Accounting can prepare you to pursue a career in the field, the depth of accounting knowledge you can learn from a Master's in Accounting program may better qualify you for more accounting-specific roles.

Anyone considering graduate business school to increase their marketability for senior-level management positions should carefully consider which degree is the best fit with their career goals. More specifically, you should consider whether you are passionate enough about a single topic to want to concentrate on it for many years. If you are keenly interested in or have an obvious talent for a specific area like analytics or finance, you may prefer to pursue the degree that takes a deeper dive into accounting principles. But on the other hand, if you are concerned that the specialization of an accounting-specific degree might limit your flexibility to select a career path outside of that specialty, the broader scope of the MBA might be the better fit.

Another way to inform your decision making is to study the qualifications listed in job postings in the industries and positions that interest you.

If you're interested in building these skills, or simply want to know more about what you’ll learn in an MBA Accounting Specialization, then head to our MBA with a Specialization in Accounting page.

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^†Credits and degrees earned from this institution do not automatically qualify the holder to participate in professional licensing exams to practice certain professions. Persons interested in practicing a regulated profession must contact the appropriate state regulatory agency for their field of interest. For instance, typically 150 credit hours or education are required to meet state regulatory agency education requirements for CPA licensure. Coursework may qualify for credit towards the State Board of Accountancy requirements. However, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the state board of accountancy for the jurisdiction in which they are applying to determine whether they have completed the appropriate credit hours and coursework to qualify to take the CPA exam. Employees of DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management are not in a position to determine an individual’s eligibility to take the CPA exam or satisfy licensing. New York students should contact the NYSED Office of Professions regarding professional licensure.