STEM Designation
The MSBA/MSA is a dual degree program with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) designation. Due to the demand of graduates with expertise in STEM fields, the Department of Homeland Security permits international students graduating from STEM programs to apply for a 24 month extension of their initial year of Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more detailed information, please visit the ISSO webpage.
MSBA/MSA Online Curriculum
16-20 Courses
46-56.5 Credits
Program Length:
Part-time in as few as 33 months
Required Introductory Course (1 credit)
Must be taken in first semester of program.
| SBS-700 | Unlocking Your Professional Potential | 1 |
Management Preparation Courses (6 credits)
May be waived. Students who are not eligible for a waiver of MBA-651 are required to take FIN-808 as one of their approved electives.
| MBA-651 | Financial Management for Business Decisions | 1.5 |
MSA Preparation Courses (9 credits)
May be waived.
MSA Core Courses (18 credits)
If course is marked "must substitute", follow the rules outlined in the Elective Course section.
Business Analytics Core Courses (18 credits)
If ISOM-801 is waived, must substitute with an ISOM elective.
| ISOM-631 | Data Analytics with SAS Base | 3 |
| ISOM-801 | Solving Business Problems Using Advanced Excel | 3 |
| ISOM-821 | Data Management and Modeling | 3 |
| ISOM-825 | Enterprise Data Management | 3 |
| ISOM-827 | Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence | 3 |
| ISOM-835 | Predictive Analytics | 3 |
Capstone Courses (6 credits)
Should be taken as late in the program as possible.
| ACCT-861 | Leadership in the Financial Professions | 3 |
| ISOM-837 | From Data Mining to Business Insights | 3 |
Elective Courses (3 credits)
The required MSA elective course must be an ACCT or TAX course. If a student received a "must substitute" under the MSA Core Courses, the first substitution must be an ACCT course, the second substitution must be a TAX course, and the third substitution and beyond can be any course from the approved MSA electives lists.
Only students who waive ISOM-801 can choose an elective from the Approved ISOM Electives list below.
Approved MSA Electives
| ACCT-806 | Fraud Examination | 3 |
| ACCT-824 | Big Data and Financial Statement Analytics | 3 |
| ACCT-871 | Not-For-Profit and Governmental Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT-910 | Directed Individual Study in Accounting | 3 |
| ISOM-730 | Python for Business Analytics | 3 |
| ISOM-840 | Security and Privacy | 3 |
| ISOM-845 | Business Intelligence, Data Visualization, and Storytelling | 3 |
| ISOM-851 | Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| ISOM-861 | Project Management: Gaining Competitive Advantage | 3 |
| FIN-800 | Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation | 3 |
| FIN-808 | General Theory in Corporate Finance | 3 |
| FIN-810 | Investment Analysis | 3 |
| MBA-730 | Innovative Thinking | 3 |
| MBA-741 | Experiential Intensive | 3 |
| MGIB-835 | International Strategy | 3 |
| SBS-920 | Graduate Internship | 0 |
| TAX-862 | Taxation of Corporations | 3 |
| TAX-863 | Taxation of Pass-Through Entities | 3 |
Approved Electives for the CPA Exam
Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) CPA Exam Section
| ACCT-871 | Not-For-Profit and Governmental Accounting | 3 |
Regulation (REG) CPA Exam Section
| TAX-862 | Taxation of Corporations | 3 |
| TAX-863 | Taxation of Pass-Through Entities | 3 |
Business Environment and Concepts (BEC) CPA Exam Section
Approved Electives for CMA Exam Preparation
| ACCT-824 | Big Data and Financial Statement Analytics | 3 |
| FIN-808 | General Theory in Corporate Finance | 3 |
Approved ISOM Electives
| ISOM-829 | Advanced Data Management Leveraging ETL Tools | 3 |
| ISOM-840 | Security and Privacy | 3 |
| ISOM-845 | Business Intelligence, Data Visualization, and Storytelling | 3 |
| ISOM-851 | Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| ISOM-861 | Project Management: Gaining Competitive Advantage | 3 |
MSBA/MSA Online Concentrations
Students may declare an MSA concentration in Corporate Accounting and Finance, or Forensic Accounting if they received enough MSA Core Course waivers for substitution. Students should consult with their advisor if interested.
Students who declare a concentration must submit an SBS Graduate Program Concentration Request Form.
If a concentration is declared, three electives must be in one concentration area. The schedule of when courses within a concentration are offered vary by semester.
The concentration appears on the transcript, not the diploma.
Corporate Accounting and Finance Concentration
Required Course (3 credits)
| ACCT-824 | Big Data and Financial Statement Analytics | 3 |
Elective Courses (2 courses, 6 credits)
Choose 2 electives from the following list:
Forensic Accounting Concentration
Required Courses (9 credits)
If waived, ISOM-801 must be substituted with ISOM 861.
Substitution Course
| ISOM-861 | Project Management: Gaining Competitive Advantage | 3 |
Course Substitution and Waiver Policy
To waive a management preparation course, a student must successfully complete equivalent coursework at the undergraduate/graduate level in the seven (7) years prior to MSBA/MSA matriculation, with a grade of "B" or better.
To waive an MSA preparation course, a student must have successfully completed equivalent academic coursework at the undergraduate/graduate level in the five (5) years prior to MSA matriculation, with a grade of "B" or better. Exception: ACCT-800 will only be waived if a student has completed prior coursework at a U.S. university.
To substitute an approved elective for an MSA Core Course, a student must have successfully completed equivalent academic coursework at the undergraduate/graduate level in the five (5) years prior to MSBA/MSA matriculation, with a “B” or better. Exception: ACIB-872 and TAX-801 will only be waived if a student has completed prior coursework at a U.S. university. To substitute an approved elective for MSBA core course, a student must have successfully completed equivalent academic coursework at the graduate level in the seven (7) years prior to MSBA/MSA matriculation, with a “B” or better.
Students must provide official transcripts (with English translations, if applicable). All waiver and course substitution requests are evaluated upon a student's acceptance into the MSBA/MSA Program and are waived during the student's first semester. Students may also elect to take a proficiency exam, for a fee, to gain a waiver of a management preparation course. Proficiency exams must be taken in the first semester and are administered on the Boston Campus.
All MSBA/MSA students must complete a minimum of 46 graduate credits (15 courses and SBS-700) in the Sawyer Business School.
Transfer Policy
For any candidate seeking transfer credits, courses taken at the graduate level from an AACSB accredited graduate program in business will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. These credits may be considered for transfer if the credits do not apply to a previously completed degree.
MSA specific Transfer credits must have an earned grade of "B" or better and have been taken within five (5) years prior to entering the Suffolk MSBA/MSA program. However, at the discretion of the MSA program director, accounting core courses may not be transferred if the subject material has changed significantly since completion. MSBA transfer credits must have an earned grade of "B" or better and have been taken within the seven (7) years prior to entering the Suffolk MSBA/MSA program. If a course is approved it must be substituted with an ISOM elective. A maximum of six (6) credits may be considered for transfer.