Proficiency Requirements and Advanced Standing | Master of Accountancy in Professional Accounting

Incoming students are expected to be competent in calculus, statistics and computer skills. Faculty assume that students will have active knowledge of the required materials throughout the program.

As a Master of Accountancy in Professional Accounting applicant, you have more flexibility in satisfying these proficiency requirements, and there is no required workshop.

The following conditions satisfy the proficiency requirements:

  • Calculus: If you have previously completed a 3-credit undergraduate course in calculus and earned a "B" or better.* AP calculus does not waive the pre-requisite. There is no time limit on when the course was taken.
  • Statistics: If you have previously completed a 3-credit undergraduate course in statistics and earned a "B" or better, and have done so within no more than four years of admission to RBS.**

If you have not yet completed the requirements, you can fulfill them in one of two ways:

  1. Once you have paid your program fee, you are given access to seven online modules called “SS&C Learning Modules.” Part-time applicants can use the calculus and statistics modules to satisfy their pre-requisites by completing the course online and passing the final exam with a grade of 80 or better. No credits are earned toward the Master's degree.
  2. Calculus and statistics may be taken at a community college or any accredited college or university. In order to waive the pre-requisite, you must earn a grade of "B" or better and send the transcript to RBS when the course(s) is completed. These credits will not count toward the Master's degree. Applicants are urged to complete their study of these subjects before starting the program.

*A completed 3-credit, college-level course in mathematics that carries the title "calculus” is presumed to meet the requirements. A course that does not carry the title "calculus" may qualify if it covers the following areas: algebra, functions, limits, differentiation, optimization, partial derivatives, and matrix algebra (operations and systems of equations).

**A course that does not carry the title "statistics" may qualify if it covers the following areas: descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, normal distribution, sampling distributions, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests. Students who have completed such courses with a grade of B or better must provide copies of the college catalogue description if the courses do not carry the title "calculus" and/or "statistics."

Advanced Standing

If you have taken graduate courses at an AACSB accredited school which are comparable to the content of the program’s required courses and received a “B” or better, you may petition to be granted up to 6 credits by transfer through advanced standing. Courses must have been taken within an 8-year timeframe.