Equipping You for CPA Success with an MAcc Degree

The Master of Professional Accountancy (MAcc) degree at Azusa Pacific equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Designed to develop the character and competence demanded of professional accountants, the program integrates a CPA firm internship and CPA review course, along with classroom instruction.

Offered through APU’s LP and Timothy Leung School of Accounting, the program offers two pathways to the degree based on your prior academic experience:

Traditional Option

Designed for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting or in a related field with an accounting concentration, this option sets you up for success in the program through foundational coursework in accounting. View the Traditional Option coursework.

Executive Option

This 30-unit option is for students with a bachelor’s degree in accounting or equivalent degree, and allows you to immediately move into core MAcc coursework and complete the program in as little as one year. View the Executive Option coursework.

Our Goals:

• 100% internship placement
• 100% pass rate on the CPA exam
• 100% CPA firm placement by graduation

Study with Experienced Accounting Professionals

All courses are delivered by APU faculty who are experienced accounting professionals dedicated to your success. Small classes give you the opportunity to get to know your professors and peers, who will be your future colleagues in the accounting profession. Faculty teach from a Christian worldview, helping you dynamically bridge faith and calling in your daily life and work.

Learn more about our faculty and APU MAcc students who have gone on to find professional success.

Build Career Connections

In addition to a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for the CPA exam, the master’s in accounting program builds on practical experience and emphasizes job placement for graduates. You will master the core competencies of accounting professionals while developing the research skills and character needed to solve complex problems.

You will also have the opportunity to participate in events such as Meet the Firms night. Hosted by the Accounting Honor Society, this event allows students to meet with accounting professionals representing 20 public accounting firms, including Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler, along with other national firms, specialty firms, and regional and local firms.

Specialized Credentials and Applied Learning

Through the MAcc program, you also have the opportunity to earn specialized credentials, such as the IRS Enrolled Agent and the Certified Information Systems Auditor. Participation in the Accounting Honors Society and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program also equip you with hands-on experience providing income tax assistance to low-income taxpayers in the surrounding communities.

Learn more about the program, our faculty, and APU MAcc students who have gone on to find professional success.

Program Highlights

• Benefit from scholarship opportunities ranging from $3,000-$5,000 for qualified students.
• Gain comprehensive training for a career as a Certified Public Accountant.
• Study alongside accounting professionals who bring depth of experience to the program.
• Apply knowledge gained from a public accounting firm internship to enhance classroom studies.
• Earn your degree in just 12 months from a top Christian university. (A part-time option is also available.)
• Benefit from nationwide opportunities for job placement with program curriculum that meets the 150 credit hours of coursework required by states for certification.
• Experience comprehensive curriculum combined with experiential learning techniques that have led to CPA exam pass rates in the top 20% of California universities.

School of Business and Management Accreditation

Azusa Pacific University receives accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). In addition, the School of Business and Management receives accreditation from the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), and is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Outcomes Assessment Results

Read IACBE’s Outcomes Assessment Results (PDF) to learn how we’re doing.

University Reputation

U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2023 edition named Azusa Pacific to its list of top national universities and several other significant lists, including First-Year Experiences and Top Performers on Social Mobility. The Princeton Review designated APU as 1 of 126 institutions in the “Best Western Colleges” section of its 2023 Best Colleges guide. APU’s School of Nursing was named a top nursing school in California for 2023 by College Factual and Niche. APU was included as a top-100 degree producer by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Azusa Pacific is also a Military Friendly School and Yellow Ribbon University, serving more than 500 military-connected students and families, and is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as an R2 Doctoral Research University.