“It was an ideal platform for me because there was no set schedule; I could take the courses at my own pace. Now that I’m married and have a young daughter, I can’t even imagine having to take courses in a traditional classroom setting, at a specified time each week. I tell everyone I know who may be looking to get an MSA that UConn’s program is a great way to go.”
- Nick Preusch, '07 MS in Accounting graduate, UConn

There’s another key reason the online nature of the program was so appealing to Nick. He was in law school at the same time he was earning his Masters in Accounting!

A Rock Star in the World of CPAs

Nick Preusch was recruited to be the “new face of tax” by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), which is seeking to encourage greater interest in its tax section membership.

Who doesn’t love John Grisham, especially if you have a passion for taxes and the law? After reading Grisham’s legal thriller The Firm back in high school, Nick Preusch was especially intrigued by the world of tax attorneys and CPAs—an interest that never faded. In fact, Nick eventually went on to earn a Juris Doctor Degree from Case Western Reserve Law School and a Masters Degree in Accounting (MSA) from the University of Connecticut (UConn). Today, he works as Tax Manager for PBMares, LLP, a CPA firm located in Fredericksburg, VA, working with large corporations, partnerships and the wealthy to ensure proper tax compliance with the IRS and local taxing authorities. He also specializes in international, non-for-profit tax issues, and tax ethics issues.

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“When I was hired in July 2017 to work for Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Miami, my new boss said that she viewed my working towards earning the MSA as a huge benefit for the bank. It definitely helped me get the job.” - Jefferson Betancourt, MS in Accounting graduate, UConn

After earning an MS in Accounting from UConn, Commercial Banking expert Jefferson Betancourt now feels like he can talk shop with accountants.

Making the Transition

Jefferson Betancourt had been working in the finance industry since graduating from college in 2011, when he decided he wanted to take his career to the next level. He set his sights on earning an MS in Accounting (MSA) for one simple reason. He felt that this credential, in addition to his undergraduate degree in finance, would give him a significant competitive edge—and the potential to get a job with greater responsibility and a higher salary.

There was just one problem. He didn’t have the prerequisites required to apply for a master’s level program. After doing some research online, he discovered the University of Connecticut’s online Certificate in Accounting Fundamentals. It seemed like it was created just for him! As Jefferson explains; “The description said ‘Applicants who have an undergraduate degree who were not accounting majors will be considered for admission.’ That was me!”

Jefferson also learned that when he had completed the four courses, he could automatically enroll in UConn’s MS in Accounting. Even better? Credits from two of the four courses would roll right over into the MSA. And best of all, says Jefferson, “When I did a search for the top online MSA programs, UConn’s ranked second. And it was $20,000 less than another program I was looking at here in Florida.”

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“The MSA exceeded my expectations!  I was able to complete the program within three semesters and at the conclusion, I felt fully prepared and ready to begin my position in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers.” - Lauren Consoli, MS in Accounting graduate, UConn

For Lauren Consoli, earning her MSA from UConn exceeded all of her expectations.

On the Fast Track to Success

Lauren Consoli had a really great reason for wanting to earn a Masters in Accounting (MSA) right after she graduated from the University of Connecticut (UConn) in May 2017. "Like most people who major in Accounting, I graduated with 120 credits from UConn.  In order to pursue CPA licensure, you need an additional 30 credits," says Lauren, who was hired right out of college as a Core Assurance Associate with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Hartford, which she deferred for a year so she could get her MSA. "PwC expects you to become a CPA within three years on the job. Quite frankly, you cannot get promoted to the next level without being a CPA. sure, I probably could have taken the courses I needed at our local community college, but I really wanted to earn an MSA."

Preparation for the CPA exam

And that's exactly what Lauren did.  She earned her MSA from UConn one year after earning her undergraduate degree.  "The courses were terrific. UConn really gears them to help prepare you to take the CPA exam." For example, she says, "UConn highlights which sections various courses are geared to.  I took an audit course and recently passed one section of the CPA exam on this topic.  I also took two tax classes and a business law class, which covered a majority of the content that is tested on the Regulations CPA exam.

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"I did a lot of research looking for an online MS in Accounting. Based on its reputation, course offerings, and affordability, I felt that choosing the program from UConn was a no-brainer.  I didn’t see anything else that came close to it.”  -Jackson Perry, MS in Accounting graduate, UConn

For Jackson, the online aspect of the program meant that he could earn credits without having to be in a traditional on-campus program. This was important because, as a Sergeant Major in the Army, he was required to travel extensively.

A “No-brainer”

Since graduating from high school 18 years ago, Jackson Perry has been in the Army. During his service, he earned an undergraduate degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland. But with retirement from the Army just a couple of years away, he decided he needed to up his game to secure a good job in the Accounting field once he was discharged. “I really want to get my CPA license. But I needed those additional credits to even apply to sit for the exam. I was specifically looking for a program accredited by AACSB.”

So Jackson started an Internet search. Once he came across UConn’s MS in Accounting (MSA), he said it was a really easy choice: "Based on its reputation, course offerings, and affordability, choosing the program from UConn was a no-brainer. I didn’t see anything else that came close to it.”

The online aspect of the program meant that Jackson could earn credits without having to be in a traditional on-campus program. This was important because, as a Sergeant Major in the Army, he was required to travel extensively. In fact, he completed about half of the coursework while he was stationed in Europe. “I had a busy job and moved around a lot. It was incredibly helpful that I could log onto the Husky/CT platform anytime, anywhere,” he says.

From Italy to Storrs......READ MORE