Accountancy, MS (iMSA) and Business Administration, MBA (iMBA)
for the joint degrees of Master of Science in Accountancy and Master of Business Administration in Business Administration (online)
The Joint Degrees in Master of Science in Accountancy and Master of Business Administration in Business Administration can be completed online.
This fully online joint master’s degree provides students with a broad, deep knowledge in business and accounting. Students will build and master skills in the following areas: technical accounting, business management, data analytics, finance, leadership, marketing, and strategy. The joint degree delivers a high-quality program that is accessible to a global audience. The highly-engaging delivery format and our world-renowned faculty provide students with a handson,practice-oriented, and team-based learning experience. It caters to learners who need flexibility and convenience in order to balance work with academic life. The residential MBA can be earned jointly with most on-campus master’s or PhD programs. The joint iMBA/iMSA program is a new option that will be available for students enrolled in Gies College of Business’ online programs.
The degree allows students to minimize time and cost by earning both degrees simultaneously. It also provides students both a well-rounded business education and the accounting knowledge needed to prepare for the Uniform CPA exam. The joint degree requires 92 credit hours divided between iMBA and iMSA courses (60 for iMBA and 32 for iMSA). A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be maintained in order to remain in good standing.
Students who do not meet the requirements for the joint degree can petition to switch to one of the two individual programs, and then they would complete the degree requirements of either the iMSA or the iMBA program. Any credits already earned toward the stand-alone degree can be counted toward degree completion. Any remaining credits can be either counted toward completion of an iMBA or iMSA specialization – a series of related courses – if those credits are aligned with an existing specialization, or transferred to another program or university which accepts transfer credits.
Admission
Students interested in the joint iMBA/iMSA degree program can initially apply to either program. Students entering the joint degree through the iMBA program must first complete the ACCY 500 course at a grade B or higher. They must also have been enrolled in the iMBA program for three consecutive semesters with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to become eligible to petition for the Department of Accountancy’s approval to officially become a joint-degree student. A potential joint-degree student entering through the iMSA program must complete 20 semester credits of required accountancy coursework in the iMSA program at a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. At that point, they would become eligible to petition for the iMBA program’s approval to officially become a joint-degree student.
for the joint degrees of Master of Science in Accountancy and Master of Business Administration in Business Administration (online)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCY 500 | Accounting Measurement, Reporting, and Control (Section IMB) | 4 |
| BADM 508 | Leadership and Teams | 4 |
| BADM 509 | Managing Organizations | 4 |
| BADM 520 | Marketing Management | 4 |
| BADM 544 | Strategic Management | 4 |
| BADM 567 | Operations Management | 4 |
| BADM 572 | Stat for Mgt Decision Making | 4 |
| FIN 511 | Investments | 4 |
| FIN 570 | Corporate Finance | 4 |
| FIN 574 | Microeconomics for Business | 4 |
| FIN 571 | Money and Banking | 4 |
| MBA 590 | Specialization Capstone (must enroll twice) | 0 |
| MBA 597 | Program Foundations | 0 |
| MBA 598 | Program Capstone | 0 |
| Complete an additional elective course to meet the iMBA Core 3 requirement, selected in consultation with an Online Programs advisor. | 4 | |
| In consultation with a Gies program advisor, choose a focus area or set of elective hours, which will consist of one of the following options: complete an additional focus area from the list below, or 12 hours from the following courses, or an approved Graduate Certificate from a partnering unit. | ||
| Digital Marketing | ||
| Digital Marketing Analytics | ||
| Digital Media & Marketing | ||
| Marketing in Our New Digital World | ||
| Global Challenges in Business | ||
| Global Marketing | ||
| Global Strategy | ||
| Multiculturalism in Management and the Marketplace | ||
| Entrepreneurship & Strategic Innovation | ||
| Strategic Innovation | ||
| Fostering Creative Thinking | ||
| Entrepreneurship: From Startup to Growth | ||
| Business Analytics | ||
| Introduction to Business Analytics with R | ||
| Introduction to Business Analytics: Communicating with Data | ||
| Data Toolkit: Business Data Modeling & Predictive Analytics | ||
| Data Analytics Applications in Business | ||
| Mergers and Acquisitions | ||
| Accounting for Mergers & Acquisitions and Other Complex Transactions | ||
| The Finance of Mergers and Acquisitions | ||
| Applications of Investment Banking Concepts | ||
| ACCY 501 | Accounting Analysis I | 4 |
| ACCY 502 | Accounting Analysis II | 4 |
| ACCY 503 | Managerial Accounting | 4 |
Students are required to take the 16-week iMSA version of ACCY 503. | ||
| ACCY 504 | Auditing | 4 |
| ACCY 505 | Federal Taxation | 4 |
| ACCY 506 | Advanced Topics in Accounting (Section: Advanced Financial Reporting) | 4 |
| ACCY 507 | Taxation of Business Entities | 4 |
| Non ACCY elective course. This course should be selected in consultation with an Online Programs advisor. Electives may include, BADM 403 or another non-accounting course. | 4 | |
| Total hours required for iMBA | 60 | |
| Total hours required for iMSA | 32 | |
| Total hours required for joint iMBA/iMSA | 92 | |
Other Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 | |
| Maximum Hours From Outside Gies College of Business: | 12 | |
for the joint degrees of Master of Science in Accountancy and Master of Business Administration in Business Administration (online)
iMSA Learning Outcomes:
- Students should demonstrate competency in financial accounting.
- Students should demonstrate competency in cost accounting.
- Students should demonstrate competency in auditing.
- Students should demonstrate competency in federal income tax.
- Students should be able to communicate with others regarding technical accounting topics.
- Students should demonstrate the ability to collaborate as an effective team member in varying roles in a diverse group and in diverse tasks.
iMBA Learning Outcomes:
- Students employ appropriate analytical models and apply reasoning to evaluate evidence, select among alternatives, and generate creative solutions for real-world business problems.
- Students are able to work well in teams and to assess the contributions made by themselves and by their peers.
- Students will apply leadership skills to organize and engage others, to work more effectively together, and to set and achieve organizational goals.
- Students will apply management tools, techniques, and behaviors to demonstrate effective management skills.
- Students should be able to demonstrate the ability to listen and to read attentively, and to express ideas with clarity in both oral and written communications, and to communicate effectively in diverse business settings.
for the joint degrees of Master of Science in Accountancy and Master of Business Administration in Business Administration (online)
Accounting
Chair of Department: Michael Donohoe
Director of Graduate Studies: Rachel Schwartz (MSA); Oktay Urcan (iMSA)
Associate Director of Graduate Studies: Ashley Lamb
MSA website
iMSA website
Department website
360 Wohlers Hall, 1206 South Sixth, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-0857
Accounting email
Department of Business Administration
Head of Department: Carlos Torelli
Associate Dean: Jeff Loewenstein
Business Administration Department website
Business Administration Department faculty
350 Wohlers Hall, 1206 S. Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-4240
Business Administration email
Gies College of Business
Gies College of Business website
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements
Gies College Admissions & Requirements