New program design aims to cut costs and align accounting education with evolving industry demands.
Newark, NJ – Rutgers Business School has overhauled its long-standing MBA in Professional Accounting program, reducing credit requirements and introducing new flexibility while maintaining eligibility for the CPA exam in New Jersey.
The revised program lowers the total credits from 66 to 49, a change school officials say will make the degree more accessible and faster to complete. The program continues to target graduates from a range of academic backgrounds, including arts, science, and business.
“The revised program delivers the same rigorous preparation for the accounting profession and the CPA exam while saving students both time and cost,” said Professor Alexander Sannella, the program director. “By modernizing the curriculum, adding flexible class scheduling options, and creating a pathway to a second master’s degree in accounting and analytics, the program is now more aligned with the needs of today’s students.”
Program updated to reflect industry changes
Rutgers said the curriculum now incorporates coursework focused on emerging technologies and analytics, reflecting shifts within the accounting profession. New offerings include classes such as Emerging Technologies in Accounting and Auditing and Advanced Cost Accounting and Analytics.
Students who complete the program will still meet the educational requirements needed to sit for the CPA exam in New Jersey.
Key Points
- Rutgers reduced MBA accounting program credits from 66 to 49
- Updated curriculum includes technology and analytics-focused courses
- Graduates remain eligible to sit for the CPA exam in New Jersey
Expanded pathways and longstanding reputation
The updated program also introduces an option for students to pursue a second graduate degree, a Master of Accountancy in Accounting and Analytics, by applying up to 12 credits from the MBA program. This pathway can also help students meet requirements to sit for the CPA exam in New York.
Founded in 1954, the MBA in Professional Accounting program has produced graduates who have gone on to careers in public accounting, private industry, consulting, and nonprofit organizations. Rutgers Business School, with campuses in Newark and New Brunswick, said the changes reflect an effort to modernize a program that has operated for nearly 70 years.