Program Information for the Master of Science in Tax Consulting at EMU

The strength of Eastern's Master of Science in Tax Consulting (MSTC) is that it responds to marketplace needs. The program was developed with input from local and national accounting firms, corporations, other organizations, current and former students, and faculty with over 20 years of professional experience with a focus on those skills required for a successful career as a tax professional – the skills that will set Eastern’s graduates apart from graduates of other similar programs.

The MSTC recognizes that the practice of tax entails more tax consulting and less tax compliance. This shift began over thirty years ago and continues today. Eastern Michigan’s MSTC was designed to prepare students to be tax consultants from their first day on the job.

 

Curriculum

The MSTC prepares students for a successful career as a tax professional by:

  • Imparting an ability to read and understand the Internal Revenue Code, tax cases, the U.S. Treasury regulations and other IRS administrative guidance, and the other items comprising tax law;
  • Developing writing skills that focus on how to write about a rule-based body of knowledge in a clear, concise, deductively logical, understandable manner; and
  • Focusing on the ethical and legal standards that govern the practice of tax.

As a student in the MSTC program, you'll take 21 credits of required core courses and nine credits of restricted elective courses. The required core and restricted elective courses were developed with input from current and former students, potential employers, and faculty with over 20 years of practical experience and consist of those classes deemed most important for a successful career as a tax professional. The program is customizable for students coming in with an accounting degree and/or CPA certificate. Others may be required to take up to 15 credits of foundation courses.

All tax courses are offered online using current technology. Thus, offering online students access to the same course media, materials, classroom discussions, etc., as if they were in the classroom.  In addition, many faculty record class meetings, which enables students to revisit lectures as often as necessary while enrolled in each course.

NOTE: The MSTC program alone does not qualify a student to sit for the CPA exam or to become a CPA. In Michigan, students must have completed the curriculum for an undergraduate degree in Accounting, including 24 credit hours in general business subjects. While each state’s laws differ, most states require students to (1) have an undergraduate (or higher) degree from an accredited university, (2) have taken a number of required accounting and related courses from an accredited university, and (3) have completed at least 150 hours of higher education course work to be eligible to sit for the CPA exam and/or to become a CPA. Please check with your state board of accountancy for the specific requirements in your state.  

Highlights

  • Ability to complete the entire program online (if a student chooses elective courses that are taught online).
  • Outstanding faculty with real-world experience, including professionals from local, national, and international law and accounting firms.
  • Ability to view and participate in lectures via current technology regardless of location (many students watch our lectures from the workplace).
  • Full-time students can earn a degree in just one year; part-time options are available for working professionals.
  • Excellent job placement opportunities through job postings, on-campus recruiting programs, alumni connections, and networking opportunities.
  • A particular emphasis on tax consulting teaches students to read and understand the Internal Revenue Code, U.S. Treasury Regulations, and other tax law items and then to write about the law in a clear, concise, deductively logical, understandable manner.