Specializations
MSc in Accounting
This specialization is designed for those intending to pursue PhD studies. Students are exposed to a broad range of accounting research and practical experience conducting research in their own areas of interest.
Is this Specialization for you?
Discover how this program aligns with your academic or research oriented career goals. Request a virtual one-on-one meeting with a member of our program team.
Recommended Undergraduate Degrees
- Accounting
- Business or Commerce
Program Structure and Content
This is a 12-month program beginning in September. Each student is required to complete the following courses and a research project of publishable quality.
Course offerings change from year to year. This sample stream is not reflective of a guaranteed curriculum but is instead an example of what a curriculum could look like in a given year.
With supervisor approval, students can select MGMT specialization courses from other area groups. Electives can be any other MGMT course or a course from another department at the supervisor’s discretion.
Course descriptions are available on the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website. Any non-MGMT courses are linked below.
Sample Accounting - Finance/Economics Stream MSc Curriculum
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Core | |
| MGMT 801 Research Foundations | Pass/Fail |
| MGMT 898 Major Research Project | Pass/Fail |
| Specialization – MGMT | |
| MGMT 810 Accounting I – Financial Accounting Research | 3 |
| MGMT 811 Accounting II – Auditing Research | 3 |
| Electives – Supervisor Approved MGMT or Other Department | |
| MGMT 813 Introduction to Accounting Research – Markets (or other elective) | 1.5 |
| MGMT 821 Capital Markets, Theory and Empirics (or other elective) | 3 |
| MGMT 822 Corporate Finance, Theory and Empirics (or other elective) | 3 |
| Methods/Related Field | |
| MGMT 988 Applied Statistics and Econometrics | 3 |
| MGMT 890 Econometrics Methods | 3 |
| Total Credits | 19.5 |
Sample Year 2 PhD Curriculum
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Core | |
| MGMT 993 Teaching and Learning in Management and Business | Pass/Fail |
| MGMT 994 Upper Year Research Presentation | Pass/Fail |
| Specialization – MGMT | |
| MGMT 912 Accounting III – Management Accounting Research | 3 |
| MGMT 916 Special Topics in Accounting | 3 |
| Methods/Related Field | |
| ECON 850 Econometrics I | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 |
Examples of possible electives from other departments for the Accounting – Finance/Economics specialization include:
Sample Accounting - Social/Behavioural Stream MSc Curriculum
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Core | |
| MGMT 801 Research Foundations | Pass/Fail |
| MGMT 898 Major Research Project | Pass/Fail |
| Specialization – MGMT | |
| MGMT 810 Accounting I – Financial Accounting Research | 3 |
| MGMT 811 Accounting II – Auditing Research | 3 |
| Electives – Supervisor Approved MGMT or Other Department | |
| MGMT 813 Introduction to Accounting Research – Markets (or other elective) | 1.5 |
| MGMT 814 Introduction to Accounting Research – Experimental (or other elective) | 1.5 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Methods/Related Field | |
| MGMT 800 Statistics I | 3 |
| MGMT 802 Qualitative Research Method Design | 1.5 |
| MGMT 803 Experimental Research Method Design | 1.5 |
| MGMT 804 Survey Research Method Design | 1.5 |
| Total Credits | 19.5 |
Sample Year 2 PhD Curriculum
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Core | |
| MGMT 993 Teaching and Learning in Management and Business | Pass/Fail |
| MGMT 994 Upper Year Research Presentation | Pass/Fail |
| Specialization – MGMT | |
| MGMT 912 Accounting III – Management Accounting Research | 3 |
| MGMT 916 Special Topics in Accounting | 3 |
| Methods/Related Field | |
| MGMT 900 Statistics II | 3 |
| Total Credits | 9 |
Examples of possible electives from other departments for the Accounting – Social/Behavioural specialization include
“After the program, I went on to work in various roles, including as the financial officer for the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s. My passion for the education of accountants then led me to contract work for various professional accounting organizations and, eventually, to teaching at Smith where I am a continuing adjunct lecturer in accounting.”
Adjunct Lecturer
Smith School of Business, Queen's University
Kingston, Ont.