Mississippi Christian University and Alcorn State University have joined forces on a master’s degree program in accounting.
The two schools signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this week that allows accounting students at Alcorn State to have access to an accelerated Master of Accountancy degree at Mississippi Christian, formerly Mississippi College.
The agreement establishes a 4+1 program that allows qualified Alcorn students to earn both their Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the HBCU in Lorman and their Master of Accountancy degree from the private university in Clinton in five years of study, decreasing the total length of undergraduate studies plus graduate school by one year.
“Mississippi Christian University is proud to partner with Alcorn State University to offer students a streamlined path to earning their Master of Accountancy degree,” MC President Blake Thompson said. “This arrangement benefits both MC and Alcorn State and establishes a clear pathway to help keep the best and brightest future accountants in our state.”
Alcorn State University President Tracy M. Cook also praised the partnership between the two institutions.
“This signing with Mississippi Christian University offers a new opportunity for our students who are ready to lead,” Cook said. “By developing this accelerated pathway to an AACSB-accredited Master of Accountancy, we are continuing to expand access to the accounting profession. That is the promise of an education at Alcorn State. I am proud that we are building this future with our partners at Mississippi Christian University.”
Students with good academic standing and 90 credit hours completed with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA required for the bachelor’s accounting degree from Alcorn will be eligible for provisional admission to the MC online master’s degree program. Students seeking admission to the MC School of Business will not be required to take the GMAT entrance exam as long as they have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better.
The 4+1 program in accounting is modeled after the 3+3 accelerated law degree partnership the MC School of Law has established with other colleges and universities throughout the state, allowing students to earn both their bachelor’s and law degrees in six years of study rather than seven.