Job Placement Rate High Among SHU Graduate Accounting Students

Master’s program helps students develop critical thinking, prep for CPA exam

Nearly 100% of Sacred Heart University’s class of 2020 master’s in accounting (MSA) students have landed jobs at major companies. Moreover, 69% of those students received jobs offers from the Big Four accounting firms: Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

These students credit SHU’s comprehensive program and dedicated professors for their success.

Students who enroll in the flexible, one-year, hybrid program take online classes and also meet in person one Saturday per month. The program enables students to develop critical thinking and analytic and communication skills. Participants choose one of two accounting concentrations: forensic accounting or accounting analytics. Along with the relevant accounting-related classes, students immediately start the Becker preparation course for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam. Accountants must pass all four parts of the CPA exam to become certified.

The Becker program includes online lectures, digital and print textbooks, flashcards, final review, sample exams and instructor support.

“Our program covers what’s up to date and what’s in demand in the industry,” said Mahfuja Malik, associate professor and director of the MSA program. The team of accounting professors are qualified with years of experience and are supportive and approachable, Malik said.

Rebecca Armand, ’19, ’20 MSA, of South Plainfield, NJ, earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and her MSA at SHU. She currently works for Deloitte as a global employer services tax consultant.

In 2015, Armand chose SHU for its “homey” vibe, growing campus and proximity to her hometown. She also liked that SHU has a women’s bowling team—something many schools in the northeast do not offer. Armand, now 23, went on to bowl in two national tournaments.

In regards to academics, Armand said she always wanted to explore the business field. “I was always good with numbers. I was good at math and logical subjects. I also knew I wanted a desk job, a nice cubicle and a good salary. I knew being an accountant would give me job security and a semblance of a life I imagined for myself,” she said

After earning her bachelor’s degree in accounting, continuing her education at SHU to obtain her MSA was a “no brainer,” Armand said. “The program is awesome; it’s so flexible. People can work and take classes.”

One of the requirements to pass the four-part CPA exam is having 150 credit hours, and a bachelor’s degree only provides students about 120. Obtaining an MSA expands students’ accounting knowledge and enables them to meet the exam’s credit-hour requirements while prepping for it. Armand passed her CPA exam, as did many of her classmates. Overall, the MSA students’ first-time CPA pass rate has improved over the years.

Armand said her professors did a great job of applying real-world knowledge to classroom lessons. They explained to students what they would see and do in certain accounting jobs. “You could tell they were passionate about what they were discussing,” she said.

When Armand received the job offer from Deloitte, she was excited and nervous about taking a position with a Big Four firm. She also was relieved—her education paid off, and she was using her skills and knowledge in a meaningful way.

To help students in their job searches, the University maintains strong relationships with employers and recruiters. Besides the career fair SHU conducts every year, the accounting department has an accounting-focused fair, with assistance from SHU’s center for career & professional development. The fair is an opportunity for students to meet with representatives of some of the best accounting firms.

Even though the pandemic caused Malik to worry a bit about job placement for her students, she said that overall, accounting jobs will always be in demand. “Every firm needs an accountant,” Malik said. “Whether it’s for the government, private entity, nonprofit sector or an S&P 500 firm, everyone needs an accountant.”

When Malik received the outcome data for 2020’s MSA graduates and realized that nearly 100 percent of them landed good-paying jobs at top-tier companies, she was proud.

While completing an MSA entails a lot of work, and passing the CPA exams generates a great deal of pressure, Malik said students know if they work hard, they will be rewarded. “Students are investing in their career,” she said.

Visit the MSA program webpage for more information.