Master of Business Administration in Accounting

at University of Massachusetts Lowell USA

he department offers a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) program and a combined B.S.E./M.S.E. program, both of which offer a thesis and a non-thesis option. The masters degree requires a minimum of thirty credit hours of acceptable graduate work, including nine credit hours of research for the thesis option or nine credit hours in an acceptable out-of-department minor for the non-thesis option. Refer to the graduate catalog for more information on research, thesis and core requirements, as well as degree concentrations.

Students who wish to pursue an MSE in mechanical engineering with a bachelors degree in a physical science or in another field of engineering may be required to take up to five undergraduate mechanical engineering courses. This requirement is to ensure that students have the sufficient fundamentals to complete the master of science in mechanical engineering degree.

Sociologists study many different subjects: race and ethnicity, social policy, gender and sexuality, family and kinship, the nature of industrial capitalism, the effect of technology on modern society and interpersonal relationships. These are just a few of the many areas sociologists are interested in understanding. What draws these different areas together is the emphasis on understanding social life, both in our own society and cross-culturally.

The sociology major offers students the opportunity to learn about our social world. Courses cover a wide range of fields. As part of their program, students are encouraged to work in the Lowell community. Many students complete corporate or agency internships in which they work within a field setting to gain needed job experience.

Department members value the search for meaningful social change. Students who are interested in working in human services, social work, personnel management, urban planning, elder services, communications, law, education, research, community activism or full-time academic work might consider a major in sociology.   

Policy and Social Problems Concentration
Students may choose a concentration in Policy and Social Problems, which provides a pathway for those who want to focus specifically on applying analytical tools of sociological thinking to social problems and their solutions.

With a concentration in finance in business administration, you will gain:

• The ability to analyze complex capital budgeting problems
• The ability to assess investment opportunities for institutes and individuals
• An understanding of the techniques needed to finance corporate operations and expansion
• The ability to communicate financial concepts to others

Finance graduates can choose from careers that include banking, financial planning, corporate finance, financial analysis, insurance, real estate, cash management and forecasting.

The B.F.A. degree prepares students for careers in studio arts and graphic design. Within these disciplines, students may choose to focus on photography, sculpture, painting, ceramics, animation, 3D modeling, drawing, printmaking or interactive digital media.

The art major is designed to develop a rigorous art practice. Students gain a deep knowledge of the technical and conceptual abilities needed to succeed in the professional world. The Art & Design Department offers the professional degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.).

Through a broad, competence-building sequence of core courses, students are introduced to the language of several disciplines, various materials and techniques. They study the fundamentals of studio art along with a wide variety of skills including visual communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, oral communication and project development. In addition, they learn how to constantly adapt to new technology.

Assignments focus on self-expression, material/technical competencies, building a personal language and life practice. In addition to core studio courses, students can take advantage of courses in web design, motion graphics, interactive design, typography, art history, art theory, video, and the huge array of science and humanities courses available at the university.

High quality professors, rigorous and relevant curriculum and state-of-the art facilities create an environment that produces excellent student achievement.

The Studio Art concentration prepares artists for careers in animation, digital imaging, drawing, interactive-media, painting, photography, and sculpture. Graduates have built successful careers in photography, teaching, animation, gallery management and studio arts. The Studio Art concentration at UMass Lowell provides students with the tools necessary to reach their highest potential as creative practitioners.

The program combines theoretical study and scientific research methods with practical application through course work, field studies, community involvement, volunteerism and supervised independent research. Graduates of the Psychology department go on to careers in social services, mental health, education, research and business. Undergraduates also may choose to specialize in developmental disabilities.

The Psychology major augments a general liberal arts education and provides the basis for graduate training and careers in mental health, community development, education, research, and business and industry. The psychology curriculum acquaints students with the theoretical and empirical foundations of the major sub-fields of psychology (human development, basic mental and behavioral processes, the social context, and individual differences). The curriculum reflects the importance of scientific methods and provides students with hands-on experience in designing and conducting their own research; indeed, over the years, many of our students have been able to present their work at scientific conferences or have it published in academic journals. The curriculum also emphasizes the applications of psychological knowledge and skills in many areas of human functioning and gives students the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills through a variety of placement opportunities on campus and in the community.

Information technology pervades every aspect of healthcare delivery today, providing access to rich and voluminous data. Those who can analyze and understand how data can best be used to improve healthcare outcomes are in high demand. The UMass Lowell Master of Science in Health Informatics and Management program, ranked the 16th best online master’s degree in this field in the country,* helps students advance their careers and, if they wish to, enter technical fields within the health care industry. Master’s-prepared employees in the field can earn more than $91,000 per year, according to Payscale.com.

While more technical or business-focused programs teach students how to crunch numbers in order to improve the bottom line, UMass Lowell’s program teaches these skills as ways to improve the quality of healthcare provided to patients in organizations that offer satisfying and rewarding work experiences to all staff members. Courses have been developed by faculty in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Department of Public Health, while drawing upon the expertise of industry experts, through an organizational affiliation Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS). The program is fully online, offering working professionals flexibility.

Due to the breadth and long history of health-related academic programming, UMass Lowell has close connections with dozens of healthcare providers in Massachusetts and New England, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lahey Clinic, Lowell General Hospital, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Kindred Healthcare, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and Lowell Community Health Center.

The Management Concentration focuses on the development of knowledge and skills applicable to professional positions in any functional area of management.

The Management Concentration provides you with the broad range of skills needed to become a highly competent manager in today’s complex global economy. The skills you acquire can be applied in any company and functional area of business. Concentration coursework will assist you to:

• Develop the 21st century leadership skills that are so necessary for company competitiveness and personal advancement.
• Effectively deal with the complex human resource issues that contemporary managers must face every day.
• Develop the team building, project, negotiation and conflict management skills that lead to better problem solving and decision making.
• Skillfully manage your own career by developing strategies that maximize your life-long professional potential.

Management is your choice if you:

• Find challenge in solving the complex organizational issues confronting modern businesses.
• Aspire to lead diverse and often distant business work teams.
• Wish to contribute to the development of competitive and sustainable companies.
• Are interested in combining your studies in one of the School’s other Business concentrations with one that focuses on the key managerial responsibilities necessary for success in any business enterprise.

The Management knowledge and skills you will acquire include: leadership, managing teams and projects, current human resource policies, practices and laws, negotiating, managing conflict, career management and other current and emerging issues in the field.

The Finance Department at The Manning School of Business offers a graduate degree program in Master of Science in Finance (MSF) in addition to a finance options in the MBA and doctoral degree programs. All degree programs offered by the Finance Department, along with all programs offered by the MSB are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This accreditation is the highest level of accreditation for a business school, and documents the commitment of the Finance Department, the Manning School of Business, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell to excellence in education and continuous improvement of programs to keep them rigorous and relevant.

The first year of undergraduate study is devoted to developing writing skills and subjects in mathematics and science that serve as a foundation for upper level professional studies.

During the second year of study, students learn additional engineering mathematics, basic engineering mechanics and biology for engineers. Course work that addresses environmental engineering with an associated laboratory, and environmental engineering chemistry are introduced in the second-half of the sophomore year.

Junior year courses address topics such as: energy and sustainability, groundwater hydrogeology and remediation, and biological processes in environmental engineering.

The senior year focuses on: chemical fate and transport in the environment, air quality and solid waste engineering. Advanced elective courses are available during the senior year. In the final semester students participate in an in-depth comprehensive capstone design project for the solution of an environmental problem.

The Master of Science in Accounting at UMass Lowell prepares students for careers in public, corporate, government and non-profit accounting, in addition to qualifying students to meet licensing requirements to become certified public accountants.

The Massachusetts Board of Public Accountancy has classified MSA program at Manning School of Business as “Level 1” and deemed the program to be substantially equivalent to AACSB standards. Any student who earns a graduate degree in accounting from a Level 1 program is judged to have satisfied the educational requirements to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. Students who earn degrees from non-Level 1 programs must demonstrate that they have satisfied such educational requirements. Therefore, our MSA program’s Level 1 status makes it easier for UMass Lowell accounting graduates to eventually become Certified Public Accountants (CPA).

The MSA will prepare graduates to succeed in a competitive environment and a respected profession, one whose members continue to be in high demand from public accounting firms, financial institutions, industry, government agencies, municipalities, schools, hospitals and charitable organizations.