Admissions
Start on Your Path to an MS in Accounting and Business Analysis
Selecting the right master’s program for your career goals is important. Our admissions team is here to help you at every stage, from inquiry to application. Schedule a phone or video consultation with one of our team members to get started.
A Master’s Degree Designed For:
students with, or currently pursuing, a four-year undergraduate business degree with a major in accounting, or equivalent, from an accredited university.
students enrolled in and pursuing an undergraduate accounting major at UW–Madison. Explore how you can declare your candidacy for this master’s program now and complete your undergraduate and graduate degrees in as little as four years.
Application Deadlines
Application due for Fall 2024 admission
- January 15, 2024
- March 1, 2024
- May 1, 2024
We offer multiple deadlines to apply. Apply for the deadline that best works for you. If you submit between deadlines, we will review your completed application after the next deadline. If admitted, your enrollment deposit date will be communicated to you in your online admission letter.
All applicants will be considered for merit aid based on the merits of your application. Merit aid is communicated at the time of admission. For the best consideration, apply by the priority deadline which will be announced soon.
UW–Madison accounting majors wishing to integrate a relevant internship experience into their path to this master’s program should declare their interest in the program by Aug. 31 before their junior year. Email Katharine Widlak with your declaration of interest.
Tuition & Fees
The tuition rate will be $900 per credit for a total of $27,000 for the entire one-year program. There are segregated fees of $1,561.48.
What You’ll Need for Your Application
Undergraduate Degree
Your academic history—particularly your undergraduate degree—indicates to us your ability to succeed in a structured study program.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required. Bachelor’s degree in business with a major in accounting, or equivalent, from an accredited institution is required.
- An equivalent degree includes taking all of the following courses:
- Introductory Financial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT I S 100 or ACCT I S 300)
- Introductory Managerial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT I S 211 or ACCT I S 300)
- Intermediate Financial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT I S 301 and ACCT I S 302)
- Cost Management Systems (equivalent to ACCT I S 310)
- Accounting Information Systems (equivalent to ACCT I S 340)
- Taxation (equivalent of ACCT I S/LAW 329, ACCT I S 620, or ACCT I S 621)
- Foundations of Auditing (equivalent to ACCT I S 630)
- Business Law (equivalent to GEN BUS 301)
International Applicants
International applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution. View the minimum degree equivalents for different countries. You may wish to have your transcript evaluated by World Education Services (WES) to ensure you meet the requirements.
- International applicants who are seeking a CPA but do not meet the degree equivalency requirements should consider applying to the Master’s of Accountancy program.
Required essay questions
- What are your career goals and how will the MSABA program help you achieve these goals?
- Please share an example of a time when you demonstrated your respect for people and their differences. How did you work to understand perspectives of others?
Optional essay question
Please use this optional essay to communicate additional information about yourself that is not otherwise represented in the application, and that you feel would benefit the admissions committee.
Résumé
Include past work experience, educational accomplishments, demonstrations of leadership, and ways in which you have grown professionally.
Transcripts
- You can submit your application with unofficial transcripts; certified copies of transcripts from your degree institution are required once admitted.
- The preferred method to receive official transcripts is electronically from your institution. Please access the Parchment website or contact your institution to make this request and send to masters@wsb.wisc.edu. Official transcripts may also be mailed directly from your undergraduate institution in a sealed and stamped envelope to:
MBA & Master’s Program Office
Wisconsin School of Business
2450 Grainger Hall
975 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706
Official transcripts must be received on or before August 1.
Application fee
- $75 for both domestic and international students (additional $6 processing fee for international students).
- Fee waivers available if you have been on active duty in the U.S. military within three years of applying.
- Payment by credit or debit card through the online application system; receipt required to learn of the admissions decision.
Test scores
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The GMAT Focus/GMAT and GRE are optional for candidates who earned an accredited US undergraduate degree. You can apply for the test waiver by completing the waiver request form.
Candidates who are below a 3.0 GPA are strongly encouraged to take either the GMAT Focus or GRE to show the admissions committee they have the academic ability to handle the rigors of the master’s program.
- A TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score is required for international students. The requirement can be waived if you have an undergraduate or master’s degree that was taught in English.
Letter of recommendation (optional)
You may submit a letter of recommendation as part of your application; however, it is not required. Select a recommender who is qualified to evaluate your potential for leadership or management. They should have a strong understanding of your abilities and be familiar with solid examples of your accomplishments. This individual may be a current or past supervisor or manager, a client or vendor, or a representative of a volunteer or community organization in which you are involved.
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