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Re-imagine your future with a master’s in accounting for non-accounting majors
Organizations need people who understand the fundamentals of accounting for business, finance, and even forensic accounting. So, what if you’re ready for a career pivot yet don’t have an undergraduate degree in accounting? With our pathway to Franklin’s M.S. in Accounting, you don’t need an accounting background or a bachelor’s in accounting. Franklin’s one-class-at-a-time pathway lets you earn a 100% online M.S. in Accounting in about 31 months, opening the door to new career opportunities for you.
Program Availability
Industry-Aligned Curriculum
Learn to apply best-practice accounting guidelines.
31-Month Completion
Get to your future career in accounting in less than 3 years.
Streamlined Pathway
A five-course pathway positions non-accounting majors for success.
Program Overview
Earn a master’s in accounting – without a bachelor’s in accounting
Want a career in accounting but didn’t major in it? With Franklin’s 100% online non-majors pathway to an M.S. in Accounting, you don’t need a bachelor’s in accounting to further your education and your career. Franklin offers busy working adults an affordable pathway to build their core accountancy skills – no accounting undergraduate required.
With our streamlined pathway to a master’s in accounting, you could ready yourself for Franklin’s M.S. in Accounting degree program in just 5 terms. And, in 31 months you could graduate with an in-demand master’s in accounting degree prepared and ready to start a whole new career.
Develop relevant accounting skills and competencies
Establish your accounting knowledge base and grow your financial and managerial accounting and auditing skills with the master’s bridge program for non-accounting majors. This pathway to Franklin’s M.S. in Accounting degree program consists of 5 corequisite courses, each of which builds upon the other to ensure you’ve developed the essential accounting skills needed to earn a master’s in accounting without an accounting undergraduate degree. At Franklin, you’ll learn the fundamentals of financial reporting, explore cost behavior and analysis, and apply learned theories and concepts to tax accounting, auditing and accounting ethics.
How to quickly prepare for the M.S. in Accounting degree program
Franklin’s fast-track pathway to a master’s in accounting for non-accounting majors can help you ramp up for a new job opportunity or the next phase of your accounting career – without earning another bachelor’s degree.
Franklin’s accounting masters for non-majors pathway not only features industry-relevant accounting bridge courses, it lets you learn from the real-world experience of seasoned, in-field accounting professionals who’ve worked in public and private accounting.
Plus, at Franklin, you’ll benefit from convenient and interactive online classes, as well as the support of academic advisors committed to easing your transition to becoming an accounting student. Get started on your future today.
Your Best Value Master's in Accounting for Non-Accounting Majors
Choose Franklin's M.S. in Accounting and get a high-quality degree that fits your life and your budget.
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Highly Recommended
98% of graduating students would recommend Franklin to their family, friends and/or colleagues.
Source: Franklin University, Office of Career Development Student Satisfaction Survey (Spring 2025)
Available M.S. in Accounting Programs
Accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), Franklin’s M.S. in Accounting helps you boost your accounting knowledge while you build in-demand skills in research, communication and technology. Earn your degree 100% online and balance earning an employer-respected degree with your life.
M.S. in Accounting Financial Operations Focus
Become a trusted advisor on any management team by learning to think critically about big-picture accounting systems and processes, communicate more effectively, and leverage technology in new and innovative ways.
Learn MoreM.S. in Accounting Taxation
Build your prowess with both the technical and non-technical aspects of accounting and learn to navigate critical tax issues. With Franklin’s hands-on curriculum, you’ll emerge with the practical experience necessary to tackle the day-to-day responsibilities of a tax professional.
Learn MoreM.S. in Accounting STEM
Excel in the tech-driven financial world by combining advanced skills in data analytics, automation and information systems with embedded industry-recognized certifications.
Learn More
M.S. in Accounting-Pathway for Non-Accounting Majors
Make the career change you’ve been longing for. Five 12-week classes provide the foundational knowledge to prepare you to conquer master’s-level coursework.
Learn MoreCurriculum & Course Descriptions
AND
A study of financial accounting theory as it relates to decision making in a contemporary, global financial reporting environment. Key areas of concentration include development of accounting theory, international financial accounting standards, revenue recognition, review of financial statements and their components, working capital, income taxes, leases, post-retirement benefits, and business combinations.
A management system is a set of policies, processes, and procedures used by an organization to ensure it can fulfill the tasks required to achieve its objectives. During this course, we will analyze various management and leadership systems used by managers to ensure goals and strategies are being implemented throughout the organization. Case analysis and research are emphasized.
This seminar course will provide students with a capstone experience of their academic studies. Students will research and analyze recent literature, both professional and academic, in accounting, focusing on the impact of current developments in various areas of the accounting profession. Students will also apply accounting research strategies, learned over the course of their studies in the program, to a topic agreed upon by the student and professor. Students will present their research findings to colleagues at the end of the course.
Taxation:
OR
Financial Operations:
Complete one of the following:
This course is an introduction to accounting, emphasizing how general-purpose financial statements communicate information about the business corporation's performance and position for users external to management. Approximately one third of the course emphasizes how the accountant processes and presents the information and includes exposure to recording transactions, adjusting balances and preparing financial statements for service and merchandise firms according to established rules and procedures. The balance of the course examines major elements of the statements such as cash, receivables, inventory, long-lived assets, depreciation, time value of money, payroll, bonds, and other liabilities and stocks. Concepts of this course are applied to ACCT 225 (Managerial Accounting). Students are advised to avoid any time lapse between these two courses.
The study of management accounting for internal reporting and decision-making. The course introduces a business-management approach to the development and use of accounting information. Major topics include cost behavior, cost analysis, profit planning and control measures. Accounting for decentralized operations, capital budgeting decisions, and ethical challenges in managerial accounting are also covered.
OR
OR
Effective leadership in today's complex and highly regulated business environment demands more than a working knowledge of basic accounting practices. Managers must fully grasp sophisticated financial and managerial accounting concepts and be able to apply them with ease in handling day-to-day responsibilities. Managers must also be well versed in the intricacies of corporate governance and asset protection. In this course, students will develop a clear understanding of these critical functions and issues. Students will study the foundational aspects of financial accounting, including professional structure, the interrelationships of financial statements, and multiple forms of financial analysis. Additionally, the functional aspects of managerial accounting will be covered, including planning, decision making, and performance evaluation.
AND
Complete one of the following:
Intermediate Accounting I is the first of two in-depth financial accounting courses. Theory, the conceptual framework, development of generally accepted accounting principles, and applications are stressed. Topics include the income statement, statement of cash flows and, the balance sheet, specifically the asset accounts.
This course is the second of two in-depth financial accounting courses. Theory, concepts, and applications are stressed. Topics include time value of money, current and non-current liabilities, leases, deferred taxes, retirement benefits, stockholders' equity, earnings per share, accounting changes and errors, and the statement of cash flows.
OR
OR
This course covers how general purpose financial statements communicate information about the business corporation's performance and position for users external to management. Approximately one third of the course emphasizes how the accountant processes and presents the information and includes exposure to recording transactions, adjusting balances and preparing financial statements for service and merchandise firms according to established rules and procedures. The balance of the course covers the conceptual framework, development of generally accepted accounting principles, and applications are stressed. Topics include the income statement, the statement of cash flows and the balance sheet.
AND
A study of the planning, evidence gathering, internal control review, sampling, and application of procedures used to audit assets, liabilities, equity and related income statement accounts of a profit-oriented enterprise. Includes an evaluation of the audit profession including professional standards, ethics and liability of CPAs. Also includes a student-prepared audit case for hands-on application of audit procedures. The reporting requirements for compilation and review services and a thorough study of the types of audit opinions will also be studied. In addition, an audit research paper is required.
AND
Complete the above courses or the equivalent from an accredited school. Prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better. ACCT 470 is only needed for students taking ACCT 733.
M.S. in Accounting (non-Accounting background) Program Details
| 2026 - 2027 Tuition | Cost Per Credit |
| Standard tuition per credit hour | $690 |
| RN-MSN Pathway (NURS 500) | $298 |
| Current service members | $536 |
| Master's Prerequisite Courses (500 level) | $398 |
| Master's Prerequisite Courses (500 level) - International Students | $526 |
| 2026 - 2027 Tuition | Cost Per Credit |
| Standard tuition per credit hour | $690 |
| Other Fees and Charges | Cost |
| Resource fee (each semester) | $100 |
Know the Total Cost of Your Master’s from Day One
Save yourself the anxiety of annual tuition increases with Franklin’s Tuition Guarantee. The guarantee lets you lock-in what you’ll pay from first-term through graduation, as long as you remain actively enrolled. Not only will this help you maximize funding sources - like employer reimbursement or financial aid, it will keep you focused on earning your degree.
The admission process reflects Franklin University’s efforts to clearly identify the performance standards that can help predict student success in graduate level study. The selection criterion for Franklin’s graduate programs, as determined by faculty, emphasizes academic ability, contributory work experience, and personal qualities and characteristics.
Requirements for admission include having earned a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from an institution accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC), Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE), Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), Southern Association of Colleges and School Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), or a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)-recognized accrediting organization with a GPA of at least a 2.50 on a 4.0 scale.*
Submission of an official transcript from the educational institution where the bachelor’s, master's, or doctoral degree was earned is required. A student will not be permitted to register for courses in their initial term of registration until unofficial domestic transcripts or official transcripts are received. Official transcripts must be received before registering for the second term.
Master's Conditional Admission - GPA
- Domestic applicants seeking enrollment into a Franklin University Master’s Program who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements may be considered for conditional admission into a program. An applicant must meet Franklin University’s other admission requirements to be eligible for conditional admission.
- Applicants who earned a GPA between 2.250-2.499 on a 4.0 scale in their earned degree will automatically be granted conditional enrollment status. Applicants who earned lower than a 2.250 GPA on a 4.0 scale in their earned degree can petition for conditional enrollment status to the program chair by submitting a professional resume and an essay detailing other criteria that the applicant believes should be considered to demonstrate their ability to be successful in a graduate program. This petition could include details on the applicant’s work experience, work ethic, level of professionalism, personality characteristics, level of difficulty of program of study previously completed, etc.
- Conditionally admitted students are required to achieve a final grade of “B” (3.0 GPA) or better in the first graduate-level course of their program, and are restricted to taking one graduate course at a time until this requirement is met. Students admitted to the programs listed below may take two 12-week classes concurrently, and would be required to earn a final grade of “B” in each course. If the terms of the conditional enrollment are not met, the student will not be allowed to advance in their program and will be unable to earn this graduate degree from Franklin University. Programs that allow for concurrent enrollment include: Business Analytics, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Health Informatics, Data Analytics, Information Technology, and Information Systems.
Master’s Conditional Admission – Degree Conferral
- Domestic applicants seeking enrollment into a Franklin University Master’s Program who have not yet completed their qualifying degree program may be considered for conditional admission into a program. Conditional admission may be offered up to two semesters prior to an applicant’s anticipated graduation.
- Conditionally admitted applicants may register for classes prior to completing their qualifying degree, but may not begin master’s program coursework until the semester after their degree is conferred.
- It is the responsibility of the student to provide an official transcript confirming successful completion of their qualifying degree program prior to the end of their first semester. If the terms of the conditional enrollment are not met, the student will not be allowed to advance in their current program.
Master’s applicants may be offered conditional admission for both low GPA and pending degree conferral.
For the following programs, transcripts are evaluated for co-requisite requirements during the admission process:
M.S. in Accounting
M.S. in Accounting-STEM
M.S. in Computer Science
M.S. in Cybersecurity
M.S. in Information Technology
English Language Testing & TOEFL IELTS
Prospective graduate students must demonstrate English language proficiency. A student who meets at least one of the following criteria is eligible for admission as a degree-seeking student:
- The applicant is a citizen of a country where English is the primary language for education. A list of these countries can be found below.*
- The applicant has provided official documentation that meets Franklin graduate admission requirements from an institution in which English is the medium of instruction.
- Has submitted an official score report meeting the minimum requirements for admission (see Minimum Scores below) from one of the following exams approved by Franklin University: Accuplacer ESL, Cambridge English Qualifications, Duolingo English Test (DET), International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS), Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Other officially recognized exams may also be considered. English proficiency scores must be less than two years old.
*For more information about English proficiency, including a list of English-speaking nations, please visit our International Students section.
To be awarded a graduate degree, students must:
- Successfully complete all required curriculum courses.
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00.
- Complete the residency requirement:
- Master of Science in Accounting students must earn at least 20 of the 32 required credits at Franklin University.
- Complete the payment of all requisite tuition and fees.
- Not to be under disciplinary dismissal due to academic dishonesty or violation of Student Code of Conduct.
Transfer credit awarded based on experiential learning shall not count toward the residence requirement at Franklin University.
The University employs a team approach to planning, developing and maintaining its academic curriculum. An essential element of this process – and a key to the institution’s quality assurance practices – is the Program Advisory Board (and the associated Alumni Advisory Board). A diverse array of business and industry leaders make up these discipline-specific boards that provide guidance on theory-to-practice ideas, global business perspectives, and emerging topics in the field. Each academic year, Program Advisory Boards meet with Division Chairs and faculty for lively and engaged conversations, thus bringing members’ substantial professional experience and expertise into the classroom. In addition, some Division Chairs elect to engage Program Advisory Board members in the assessment of academic program outcomes.
| Name | Organization | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Blaine | Columbus State Community College | Professor of Accounting |
| Daniel Click | KPMG LLP | Partner, Cyber & Tech Risk Services |
| Will Dokko | KPMG LLP | Principal, Cyber & Tech Risk |
| Richard Filler | Aetna | CFO Ohio/Kentucky Market |
| Charles Gossman | Ohio Health | VP of Finance for Central Market |
| Michael Kaizar | Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation | Forensic Accounting Supervisor |
| Tara Kanavel | Nationwide | AVP, Accounting & Finance Solution |
| Samuel Kirk | Ohio Auditor of State | Special Prosecutor |
| Keith Martinez | Plante & Moran | Office Managing Partner |
| Gary Shamis | Winding River Consulting | Ceo |
| Brad Trimble | Columbus State Community College | Professor of Accounting Technology |
| Cathy Vrenna | Vrenna Enterprises, LLC | Owner + CEO |
Frequently Asked Questions
Your individual background, aptitude and interests will shape how you learn. As a STEM major, accounting is rooted in rigorous mathematical thinking and quantitative, problem-solving. The difficulty of earning a master’s in accounting without an accounting undergraduate degree can be subjective, so we can’t say for sure how difficult it will be for you. What we can tell you is what it takes to be successful.
Students who do well typically possess strong analytical skills, and are thorough, detail-oriented, and highly organized. While advanced math skills aren’t required, a solid foundation in math and a penchant for numbers and calculations is essential. Successful students also are good at problem-solving and critical thinking, which helps them identify and resolve financial problems.
Ultimately, the difficulty of a program is influenced by the effort and dedication put forth by the student. Individuals who consistently put in the work, manage their time well, seek help when they need it, and maintain a positive attitude are the most successful in this program.
Remember, at Franklin, you’re not alone in your journey to earn your master’s in accounting even if you didn’t earn an accounting undergraduate. Franklin faculty and staff are here to offer academic advice from start-to-finish.
Franklin's pathway to an accounting master’s for non-majors is specifically designed for busy, working adults. You can expect to complete this accounting foundations bridge program in 5 terms, preparing you to enroll in the M.S. in Accounting degree program, which can be completed in 17 months. With that in mind, you could finish your M.S. in Accounting – including corequisites – in about 2-1/2 years (31 months).
The good news is that your next career move is up to you. Many entry-level accounting positions require little to no experience, and employers often value other qualifications, such as education, the ability to sit for the CPA exam, and potential for growth. If you want to gain experience while working toward your degree, you may want to consider interning with an accounting firm or volunteering with our Volunteer Tax Assistance Program.
Absolutely! As part of our mission to provide high-quality educational experiences that support adult learning within the context of doing, we encourage student internships. Not only is an internship a great way to gain hands-on experience, it allows you to explore your career options, build a professional network, and enhance your resume.
During your internship, you’ll learn professional skills, such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. Plus, internships can help increase your job prospects and provide you with a competitive edge in the job market. Ask an advisor and/or program chair for more information and learn more about internships, apprenticeships, co-ops and gig experiences here.
Franklin University’s M.S. in Accounting degree provides you with a comprehensive and in-depth accounting education that you often won’t receive from a certification program. An M.S. in Accounting degree adds professional credibility that can open doors to new employers or to more senior or specialized roles within your current organization. Earning your M.S. in Accounting degree can lead to long-term earning potential, too, since individuals with higher levels of education tend to have higher lifetime earnings potential. Lastly, our master’s in accounting for non-majors program can provide you with unique networking opportunities with professors, fellow students, and Franklin alumni – all of which can help you build lasting professional relationships that are invaluable for career advancement.
As a student in Franklin’s online accounting master’s degree, you’ll gain the foundational knowledge to prepare for the CPA exam. To become a licensed CPA, you’ll need 150 hours of college credit including advanced accounting knowledge. At Franklin, you’ll develop in-depth knowledge that aligns with the CPA exam, helping you better understand and answer the exam questions. In addition, our graduate courses include assignments that are specifically designed to prepare students for the CPA exam, including practice CPA exam questions and exam strategies. This targeted preparation can help you familiarize yourself with the format and content of the exam and, thereby, greatly improve your likelihood of success.
Your success depends a lot on you – and Franklin is here to help. Our master’s in accounting for non-business majors includes corerequisites to help you build the strong accounting foundation necessary to succeed in the graduate-level program. These courses cover the introductory material required for more advanced coursework, so you can be assured that you’ll be well-prepared for the more challenging material you’ll encounter in the M.S. in Accounting degree program.
Yes, you may take prerequisite courses from any accredited school.
If you’ve earned a non-accounting bachelor’s degree, pursuing a master’s degree instead of a second bachelor's degree in accounting could allow you to take a more focused approach. Franklin’s M.S. in Accounting degree allows you to specialize in either financial operations or taxation, whereas a bachelor’s degree offers a much broader field of study.
So, if you’re looking to develop advanced skills in a particular area of accounting, a master’s degree provides greater opportunity to deepen your understanding of the subject matter. A master’s degree also can help you stand out in a competitive job market and help with career advancement – especially if you’re interested in a management or leadership role.
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