Westminster Partners with Washington University on Accelerated Master’s Degree in Accounting

Westminster College students will have a new and accelerated pathway to earn a Master’s degree in Accounting from one of the top business schools in the country, thanks to an agreement between Westminster and Washington University’s Olin Business School in St. Louis, MO.

The new accelerated “4+1” program allows students to earn a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Accounting in just five years.

Students participating in the program will spend four years at Westminster College, where they will complete their coursework, a portion of which will count toward their graduate credit at Washington University. Likewise, once at the Olin Business School, credits will be transferred back to fulfill remaining undergraduate requirements.

The result is an integrated program that allows students to save time and money in earning their Master’s degree in Accounting, and to potentially start their careers with an advanced degree sooner.

“Washington University is pleased to enter this new partnership with Westminster College, which has a long tradition of academic excellence,” said Joe Fox, Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Programs at Olin Business School. “We look forward to welcoming Westminster’s best and brightest students to Olin as they pursue their Master of Accounting degrees.”

Applicants are evaluated on the basis of grade point average, an interview, internship experience, statements of support by Westminster College and letters of recommendation.

Westminster College students accepted into the program enter Washington University’s Master’s program in the fall semester following their senior year, and need to complete 27 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters to graduate with both degrees in May of the fifth year.

The Olin Business School will accept up to six Westminster credit hours to apply to its Master of Accounting degree. Westminster College, in turn, will accept up to three credit hours from Washington University to apply toward its Bachelor’s degree in Accounting.

“This partnership opens doors for our students to move right into graduate school at one of the top business schools in the nation,” said Westminster College Associate Professor of Accounting Elise Bartley. “Combining Olin’s Master’s program with our undergraduate accounting program provides a big advantage and a great opportunity for our students.”

Students who complete this accelerated program will be well prepared to sit for the CPA exam, Bartley said.

“Westminster continually looks for ways to better serve our students and provide a top education that is both challenging and inspiring,” she added. “Our partnership with Washington University provides students with an efficient path to an advanced accounting degree, saving them time and money. Students will graduate with two degrees and a distinct edge in their accounting careers.”

The Olin Business School is one of the country’s leading research-oriented business schools with a large network of partners on campus in the St. Louis community and around the world.  Its Master of Accounting degree prepares students for a career interest in public or corporate accounting and consulting or financial services.

The Weston Career Center at the Olin Business School also provides a wide range of employment resources to help students navigate the job market, another advantage of the new partnership.

Founded in 1851, Westminster College in Fulton, MO is one of the top liberal arts colleges in America, according to major educational ranking firms, including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes magazine, The Princeton Review and Washington Monthly. Westminster is a challenging academic environment where students are educated to lead and inspired to achieve. Ninety-six percent of Westminster graduates start their first job or enroll in graduate or professional schools within six months of graduation.

To learn more about the new degree program, click on http://www.westminster-mo.edu/academics/majorsminors/majors/Accounting/Wash-U.html.