Avila University’s MBA in Accounting is designed for professionals seeking advanced accounting expertise and strong leadership skills. This flexible program combines rigorous coursework with practical, real-world applications to prepare students for success in today’s business environment.
Students develop knowledge in financial reporting, auditing, cost accounting, and financial analysis while building essential business competencies such as leadership, strategic planning, and organizational management. The curriculum emphasizes ethical decision-making, analytical thinking, and effective communication—skills critical for modern accounting professionals.
Program highlights include:
- Formats designed for working professionals
- 30-36 total credit hours
- Career-focused, industry-aligned curriculum
- Experienced faculty with real-world expertise
- Flexible scheduling to balance work and life
This program is ideal for individuals pursuing career advancement, leadership roles, or specialized expertise in accounting and finance. Whether you are advancing in your current role or preparing for new opportunities, the MBA in Accounting provides the knowledge and credentials needed to grow professionally.
Accreditation
The School of Business at Avila University has received specialized accreditation for its MBAs in Accounting, Finance, Healthcare Administration, International Business, Management, and Marketing through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the MBA in Accounting program are prepared for careers such as the following:
- Accounting Manager
- Financial Analyst
- Auditor
- Controller
- Financial Manager
Admissions
What you need to be admitted to the MBA Accounting program
We’ve simplified the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. You can find all requirements for admission to the Avila MBA in Accounting below.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Minimum 2.5 GPA
- No GRE or GMAT required
- Additional admission requirements may apply.
In order to be eligible to receive an MBA degree from Avila University, you must have the following:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- GPA requirements for unconditional admission: 2.75 cumulative grade point average at the completion of the undergraduate degree
- GPA requirements for conditional admission: 2.5 cumulative grade point average at the completion of the undergraduate degree
- Official transcripts from all institutions previously attended
This program is not visa-eligible, and international applicants residing outside of the United States cannot enroll in this program.
Submit all official transcripts to:
Email: MBA@avila.edu
Mail: MBA Admissions
Avila University
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, MO 64145
Courses
Review the full list of program courses below.
In order to earn the MBA in Accounting, you will complete a minimum of 10 courses for a total of 30 credit hours. Students who have not taken a statistics course in previous coursework will be required to take EC604 Statistical Analysis or BA 600 Foundations of Business Analytics, increasing the total program credit hours to 33 with an optional additional 3 credit hour internship.
Core Courses
Concentration Courses
Foundation Course
AC 601: Financial Accounting for Decision Making
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to accounting concepts and procedures for organizational decision-making.
OR
AC 650: Managerial Cost Accounting
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
A study of accounting concepts as applied in manufacturing and merchandising firms emphasizing analysis of financial statements and managerial use of cost data for decision-making.
Course objectives:
- Use deductive/inductive reasoning to solve business problems (CVP Analysis, Differential Analysis)
- Identify, measure, summarize, and analyze financial and tax data (identify and trace cost flows using a job order cost accounting system; break mixed costs into their fixed and variable components for control and planning purposes, variance analysis)
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course has three purposes: 1) understanding and managing individual and group behavior in organizations; 2) stress-management and well-being; and 3) recognition and management of ethical responsibilities of business.
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course integrates learning from the earlier functional course areas as well as MG 698 through a series of simulation-based exercises. Students will sharpen their decision-making by analyzing, formulating, and testing their strategies in a competitive environment. Prerequisite: MG 698
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
The study of microeconomic analysis and models relevant to a broad cross section of decisions within the business firm. This course is designed to enhance the knowledge of Microeconomic Theory to make sound management decisions using both traditional and behavioral economic concepts.
FI 630: Financial Management
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Introduction for managers and entrepreneurs to the fundamentals of the economy, the financial markets, and financial management, including security valuation, The capital budgeting process, capital structure, and working capital management.
OR
FI 635: Financial Analysis & Decision-Making
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
A case study course that prepares entrepreneurs and managers with innovating financial management techniques and skills, with emphasis on data analysis and financial decision-making. Spreadsheet skills are recommended.
Course objectives:
- Build stronger analytical and communication skills to analyze how real business decisions affect the value of the firm
- Learn to make informed corporate investment and financial decisions
- Calculate financial ratios and make business forecasts
- Study capital budgeting decisions and resource allocation
- Manage dividends and repurchases
- Learn about the management of the corporate capital structure
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course aims to provide a framework to gain a competitive advantage in a global environment. Topics covered include industry analysis, resource-based view of the firm, business strategy, innovation, diversification, and multinational strategies.
MK 610: Marketing Management
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Introduction for managers and entrepreneurs to the fundamentals of marketing including product, pricing, promotion, distribution/logistics, segmentation and marketing research with special emphasis on global marketing and ethics
OR
MK 615: Marketing Strategy
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Through case analysis and simulation technology, graduate students learn to analyze opportunities and challenges associated with the development, execution, evaluation, and redirection of marketing efforts in a wide range of organizations. Culminates in a real-world service-learning project. Prerequisite MK 610
Course objectives:
- To analyze problems associated with the development, execution, evaluation and redirection of marketing programs, plans and strategies in a wide range of organizations. This analysis will utilize the growing importance and usage of Internet marketing. The main objective of the course is the completion of a marketing plan as a term project
- The development of the marketing plan requires the student to have a firm grasp of all the components of the marketing system specifically and the problem-solving process in general
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
A study of accounting concepts as applied in manufacturing and merchandising firms emphasizing analysis of financial statements and managerial use of cost data for decision-making.
Course objectives:
- Use deductive/inductive reasoning to solve business problems (CVP Analysis, Differential Analysis)
- Identify, measure, summarize, and analyze financial and tax data (identify and trace cost flows using a job order cost accounting system; break mixed costs into their fixed and variable components for control and planning purposes, variance analysis)
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
A study of additional cost accounting techniques, emphasizing advanced applications.
Course objectives:
- Make managerial use of cost data for control, planning, evaluation, and forecasting
- Evaluate business segments through ROI and residual income analysis, recognizing the possible effect of each evaluation method upon managerial behavior
- Determine appropriate transfer pricing methods under a variety of circumstances, explaining the potential impact for each method upon a firm’s profit
- Identify and analyze relevant costs in capital budgeting decisions, explaining the effect of non-quantitative factors upon such decisions
- Communicate professionally in an organizational setting via written, oral and technological means
- Use deductive and inductive reasoning to solve business problems
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Emphasis is given to techniques used in arriving at audit decisions and the practical implementation of such audit decisions.
Course objectives:
- The required consideration of fraud in a financial statement audit
- The different types of fraud
- The design and implementation of controls to prevent, deter, and detect fraud
- Auditing techniques to identify fraud
- Contemporary topics in fraud examination and auditing
- Auditing and fraud examination ethics
For students without a previous stats course, EC 604: Statistical Analysis or BA 600 Foundation of Business Analytics will be required. Any previous stats course taken will be reviewed to determine fulfillment of the requirement.
EC 604: Statistical Analysis
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to basic statistical techniques which involve methods of collecting and analyzing data with an emphasis on inferential statistical techniques used for hypothesis testing and decision making.
OR
BA 600 Foundation of Business Analytics
Duration: 8 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course provides students with a solid foundation in the concepts, tools, and techniques of business analytics. The course covers the entire data analytics pipeline from data acquisition and management to visualization and statistical analysis. Topics include data preprocessing, exploratory data analysis, regression analysis, hypothesis testing, and data visualization. Students will also learn how to use tools such as Python, R, and Excel for data analysis.
Students must have completed EC 604 Statistical Analysis or BA 600 Foundations of Business Analytics prior to entry, or have completed an approved statistics course from another university. Students who have not met this requirement will be required to take EC604 Statistical Analysis or BA600 Foundations of Business Analytics.
Testimonals
“Earning my MBA at Avila University was one of the most impactful decisions for my academic and professional growth. The program’s strong support system, flexible scheduling, and dedicated faculty made it possible for me to complete my MBA in just one year while working full-time. I’m especially grateful to Dr. Acker for her guidance and support throughout my journey. I’m proud to be part of the Avila community and thankful for an experience that challenged and prepared me for the next step in my career.”
Alliance Kaneza · Aug 2025
“My name is Udit Kaura, and I completed my Master of Business Administration with a major in International Business at Avila University. My journey here has been truly transformational. The professors and staff genuinely care about every student and treat us as children of God, offering compassion, respect, and constant encouragement. Their unwavering support helped me grow not only academically, but also personally and spiritually. Because of Avila, I feel confident and well-prepared to pursue my career and make a meaningful difference in the world. I will always be deeply grateful to be part of the Avila community, and I highly recommend Avila University to anyone looking for a supportive environment to pursue their education and achieve their goals.”
Udit Kaura · Aug 2025
“Avila’s online MBA program was an incredibly rewarding experience that gave me the flexibility I needed as a working professional without sacrificing quality or challenge. The curriculum was engaging and practical, with a great balance of independent work and collaborative projects that mirrored real-world business environments. The faculty truly made the difference. They were always accessible and willing to go the extra mile, even offering time on weekends and holidays to support students. Dr. Buckler, in particular, had a lasting impact on my experience and learning. The impact of the program was immediate. The skills and knowledge I gained allowed me to add more value in my role right away, and I was promoted shortly after completing my MBA. I’m grateful for my experience at Avila and would highly recommend the program to anyone looking to grow their career.”
Ian Rhoads
Contact Us
Contact
Wendy Acker, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Business Programs & International Graduate Student Engagement | Assistant Professor of Business
P: 816-501-3798 / E: wendy.acker