Stern Stories

Audit Possible

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You will get both sides of the equation; highly qualified faculty and experienced practitioners delivering this program
NYU Stern’s first class of 46 Master’s of Science in Accounting students were welcomed to campus at orientation August 31 - September 1.  Over the course of the next year, students will earn their degree and satisfy the 150-credit-hour education requirement needed as a prerequisite for New York State’s Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification. Dean Conor Grennan kicked off the two-day program, welcoming the group as “pioneers.” Program highlights included:
 
  • Remarks from Professor Alex Dontoh, deputy chair of NYU Stern’s Accounting Department and faculty advisor for the program, and Professor Rangarajan Sundaram, vice dean for MBA Programs
  • "Big 4" address from Patrick Courtney, Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • Keynote address from Dan Black, Director of Americas Recruiting at Ernst & Young
  • Networking luncheon with accounting firms and representative staff from Ernst & Young, BDO, Deloitte, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and FTI Consulting 
Vice Dean Sundaram urged students to seek out all that Stern, NYU and New York City have to offer.  "There are a great number of opportunities here - go out and explore!" he said.  Professor Dontoh emphasized the uniqueness of Stern’s program, highlighting the intersection between the academic and professional world.  “We are fortunate to have the top faculty in the world teaching in this program, along with professionals from the ‘Big 4’ firms,” he said, "You will get both sides of the equation; highly qualified faculty and experienced practitioners delivering this program." Patrick Courtney told the class that, as accountants, they had two roles: to build trust in society and to help solve important problems.  "Dividends will be paid out to those who are willing to work hard, seize opportunities and have a positive attitude," he said. 
 
Stern’s new MS in Accounting, which launched in May 2015, will allow college graduates with a business or accounting major to satisfy the course requirements for New York State’s CPA certification. Because of New York State’s stringent standards and reciprocity with other states’ certification, graduates of this program will be well-prepared to meet CPA requirements in other states such as California, Texas, and Florida.  The MS in Accounting provides a thorough foundation for careers in accounting, including attestation and assurance services, as well as taxation and forensic accounting.