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MSA Competencies
The Master of Science in Administration
degree program requires all degree-seeking students meet competency
requirements in the areas of Financial Accounting (ACC 201 or ACC 203)
and Statistics (STA 282).
You have the following options to meet these competency requirements:
- Previous Course Work: successful completion of the course (grade of "C"
or better) or its equivalent within three years prior to admission to the MSA
program. Please be sure to notify your Advisor after your transcripts have
arrived to ensure that your student record is coded.
- Competency Examinations: pass a competency exam, only offered if
the student has previously taken the course. Students may take a free competency
examination for Accounting and/or Statistics. Examinations may be taken twice
and must be passed with at least 70% accuracy. Competency examinations are
available online in Blackboard. To request to take an online CA exam complete
the
request form. Upon receipt of request, your eligibility to take the exam
will be confirmed with your academic advisor.
- Study guides are available for each of these competency examinations from
the MBS Bookstore; select "Buy
Course Materials", click "Continue" and select option for "Study
Guides" which
appears in the center listings. The study guides are
relatively inexpensive (approximately $10-$20 each) and help familiarize the
student with terminology, formulas, and sample questions.
- Workshops are also offered for a fee of $150 each. These workshops are
available online or occasionally at program centers. Please keep in mind that
the workshop is not the equivalent to an undergraduate course and the student is
still required to complete the competency examination to meet the pre-requisite
requirements. The study guide and a textbook may be required for the workshop.
Sample exams:
CA Accounting Sample Exam
CA Statistics Sample Exam
- Undergraduate Course – take the course or its equivalent at CMU or
another accredited institution. If students have never had an accounting or
statistics course they will need to take an undergraduate level course in
accounting and/or statistics. These courses are available online and
occasionally at program centers. Students must earn a "C" or better in the
course in order to meet prerequisite requirements.
NOTE: Students may also prefer to take these undergraduate level courses
at their local community college. If so, please verify that the course you plan
to take will meet CMU’s requirements:
Most of the students who are only pursuing an MSA Graduate Certificate do not
need to meet the competency requirements. Students pursing an IRM Certificate
are required to meet the accounting and statistics competency requirements in
order to meet the IRM course prerequisites.