A master's degree in taxation prepares students to become financial professionals who can help a wide range of organizations thrive. Taxation is extremely important to any company because financial information, as analyzed and interpreted by CPAs, allows executives to make informed business decisions that help companies become more successful. Through our program, our graduates develop specific expertise in the area of taxation by strengthening and enhancing the ability to interpret and communicate information about a company's operations and finances. Academic experience, combined with a practical internship experience, propels our graduates to be proficient in the "language of business" that is taxation.
Coursework in taxation conveys a comprehensive understanding of the theory and concepts that underlie accounting practice. Emphasis is placed on logical reasoning and the development, understanding, and use of information, which enable students to solve problems in accounting and management of organizations and to make sound accounting policy decisions.
CPA Licensure
Taxation students have many career options to consider after graduation. Those who aspire to pursue careers in public accounting must become Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). The CPA designation is not as critical for other career paths in accounting, but becoming a CPA can be advantageous in any accounting career.
While the CPA requirements of most states have similar components and required courses, the specifics of those requirements differ greatly. Students interested in ultimately pursuing CPA licensure should contact the applicable state licensing board to determine any requirements, including particular courses, they may need to fulfill in order to obtain licensure in a particular state.
Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program
Students may earn this degree as part of the Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's (BAM) degree program, which allows currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time.
For more information, see the Accelerated Master's tab for the associated bachelor's degree(s): Business Administration - Bachelor of Science (BS).
Requirements
The MS taxation degree consists of 10 graduate-level courses. Students can opt to take additional courses. The degree can be completed in 9–20 months, depending on whether the student wants, and is offered, a busy-season (spring) internship.
The following suggested course pathways are recommended based on a traditional starting date (fall semester), completion date (20 months), and undertaking a busy-season internship. Students can deviate from the suggested pathways depending on their personal timeline and experiences.
Prerequisites
The following four intermediate-level accounting courses or their equivalent must be completed before starting the master's-level accounting courses. Course equivalency will be assessed by the faculty director during transcript review in the application process.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 3220 | Corporate Financial Reporting 1 | 3 |
| ACCT 3230 | Corporate Financial Reporting 2 | 3 |
| ACCT 3320 | Cost Management | 3 |
| ACCT 3440 | Income Taxation of Individuals | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Required Courses and Credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ACCT 5450 | Income Taxation of Business Entities | 3 |
| ACCT 5620 | Auditing and Assurance Services | 3 |
| ACCT 6350 | Current Issues in Professional Accounting--Accounting Ethics | 3 |
| ACCT 6420 | Research and Writing in Income Taxation | 3 |
| ACCT 6430 | Taxation of Partnerships | 3 |
| ACCT 6450 | Taxation of Corporations | 3 |
| ACCT 6620 | Advanced Auditing: Business Risk and Decision Analysis | 3 |
| ACCT 6700 | Income Taxation | 4 |
| BSLW 5120 | Advanced Business Law | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Choose one: | ||
| US International Taxation | ||
| Oil and Gas Accounting | ||
| Advanced Financial Accounting | ||
| Financial Statement Analysis | ||
| Accounting Information Systems | ||
| Data Analytics for Accounting | ||
| Topics in Business | ||
| Textual Analysis in Business | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 31 | |