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Degree Programs & Courses
Undergraduate Programs
Lehman College’s Department of Accounting offers two undergraduate degrees: the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Accounting. The B.S. degree is a 120-credit program with 63 credits dedicated to accounting and business coursework. It is designed for students planning to pursue CPA licensure and provides a solid foundation in auditing, taxation, financial reporting, and strategic decision-making. The B.A. in Accounting, also a 120-credit program, includes 42 credits toward the major and offers a more liberal arts–oriented curriculum. It is intended for students interested in accounting but not planning to become CPAs. Additional coursework would be required for B.A. graduates to meet CPA licensure requirements.
Graduate Programs
Lehman offers two graduate-level pathways in accounting. The Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.), newly redesigned and certified effective Fall 2025, meets New York State’s CPA-150E education requirement and provides students with the advanced competencies necessary for CPA exam preparation and professional practice. Many B.S. graduates from Lehman continue into this program, typically completing both degrees in 5 to 6 years.
For students not pursuing CPA licensure or who do not meet M.S.A. prerequisites, Lehman offers the Master of Science in Business (M.S.B.) with an Accounting Concentration. This program is tailored for working professionals seeking advanced accounting and managerial expertise and is available fully online (except for F-1 visa students). Admission requires a bachelor’s degree in accounting with foundational coursework and a GPA of 3.0, or 2.8 with relevant managerial experience. The program also prepares students for doctoral studies or advanced business roles.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting B.S. - 120 credits degree program, with 63 credits earned towards the major, at the School of Business. This major is more traditional, and is for students who are interested in becoming C.P.A.s. It places a greater emphasis on accounting topics. This allows students to become more vested and familiar with the use of accounting data. In this degree, students are expected to become familiar with general accounting principles, use accounting for planning and strategic decision making, learn about the audit function and become vested in individual and corporate taxation.
Lehman’s B.S. in accounting prepares students for entry level positions in audit, corporate and non-for-profit accounting and tax. This degree meets the requirements to be accepted into Lehman’s M.S. in accounting program. The Lehman M.S.A. program is registered with New York State as meeting the educational requirements to be licensed as a C.P.A. in the state.
For the specific 63 credits major requirements to earn the B.A. in Accounting degree follow this link – B.S. in Accounting Major Requirements
Additional information:
- Start your application by following this link - Undergraduate Applications
- Undergraduate admission requirements – this provides information for the application process for regular, transfer and international students
- Fall and Spring admission deadline – Rolling admission.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Accounting – 120 credits degree program, with 42 credits earned towards the major, at the School of Business. This degree is for students who are interested in accounting but may not have the intention of becoming a C.P.A. This program emphasizes a broader liberal arts education and allows students to complete a major in accounting (with fewer accounting and business credits than traditional B.S. in accounting). As a result, the B.A. degree in accounting allows students to gain liberal arts education and at the same time become vested in a very relevant and career-oriented area. In this program, students to learn about financial statements, track financial performance and use such data to manage activities.
As this degree is designed as a liberal arts degree while focusing on accounting, additional coursework would be required for B.A. students who want to become licensed as a C.P.A.
For the specific 42 credits major requirements to earn the B.A. in Accounting degree follow this link – B.A. in Accounting Major Requirements
Additional information
- Start your application by following this link - Undergraduate Applications
- Undergraduate admission requirements – this provides information for the application process for regular, transfer and international students
- Fall and Spring admission deadline – Rolling admission
Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A) – 30 credits earned toward program, at the School of Business. This degree offers coursework concentrated in accounting which is designed for students interested in pursuing career opportunities in public, industry, governmental and nonprofit accounting. Students who complete this program and earn their degree in Accounting will have completed all of the educational requirements to be licensed as a CPA in New York State.
For the specific 30 credits major requirements to earn the M.S. in Accounting degree follow this link – M.S. in Accounting Course Requirements
To be admitted to the M.S.A. program, applicants must have completed the undergraduate degree (B.S.) in accounting or its equivalent, meet the 3.0 GPA requirement, and submit the application materials. Students graduating with Lehman’s B.S. in Accounting (or its equivalent from other universities) meet the coursework requirement for M.S.A. admission. Students holding undergraduate degrees in a field other than accounting or accounting degrees not equivalent to Lehman's B.S. in Accounting can still gain admission to the M.S.A. program by completing the missing coursework, prior to applying. See Graduate Bulletin for required courses to be considered for admission to the M.S.A program.
Students with Lehman’s B.A. in Accounting who wish to apply to the M.S.A. program can meet the prerequisite requirements by completing the missing coursework equivalent to B.S. in Accountancy. All of the undergraduate prerequisite courses must be completed before applying to the M.S.A. program.
Students from other CUNY schools are encouraged to check Transfer Explorer to for equivalences of courses to our B.S. prior to applying to the M.S. Program. We would be happy to assist such students in this process, please contact us for further details.
Additional information
Start your application by following this link - Graduate admission
Fall Admission Deadline:
- Priority Decision: Deadline (first look): April 15
- Regular Decision: Deadline: May 15
- Final Deadline: June 15
Spring Admission deadline:
- Priority Decision: Deadline (first look): October 15
- Regular Decision: Deadline: November 15
- Final Deadline: December 15
Overview of CPA Requirements - CPA Requirements
Master of Science in Business: Accounting Concentration
For students whose interest is in accounting, but who are not considering the pursuing a CPA certificate or who do not meet the prerequisite requirements for the Master of Science in Accounting program, Lehman offers a Master of Science in Business with an Accounting Concentration.
Lehman College has established a graduate program leading to the degree of Master of Science in Business (MSB) with a specialization in accounting. The objective of this curriculum is to satisfy the growing need in today's business environment for professionals who have developed the necessary expertise, insight, and vision in tackling the technical, interpersonal, and conceptual problems specific to their chosen managerial subfield. The program also constitutes a threshold into higher academic or professional pursuits, such as earning a doctorate in business or law.
Students in most of our specializations may complete the degree program entirely online by taking online courses only.
Prerequisites: Applicants to the MSB program must have earned their bachelor's degree from an accredited undergraduate institution in the U.S. or abroad. They must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) or a minimum GPA of 2.8 (B-) with at least two years of supervisory or managerial experience in the area of study.
For Accounting Concentration: To gain admission to the MSB program with a concentration in accounting, students must have completed a Bachelor's degree in accounting (BA, BS, or BBA), which should include the following courses: ACC 171, ACC 272, ACC 334, ACC 335, and ACC 348, or their equivalents.
Applicants must submit a statement of career objectives, and two letters of recommendation. GMAT is optional in support of application.
International Students must additionally obtain a minimum total score of 500 or equivalent on the TOEFL and comply with the applicable financial and visa requirements. Those who have earned their baccalaureate from a college or university in which the language of instruction was exclusively English are exempted from the TOEFL requirement. The online-only MS program option is not available to students studying on an F1 Visa as they may take only one online course in a semester to maintain full-time student status. However, international students are eligible to participate in the online-format programs from their home countries.
Minors
In addition to our majors, we provide the opportunities of students to purse minors in the following areas from the School of Business. These minors are available to both accounting and non-accounting students.
For further information how to declare a major and/or minor, please click here.
Thank you once more for your interest in our programs, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need additional information. We are here to assist you on your academic journey and career path.
New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals. For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State. CUNY’s academic programs leading to licensure or certification are carefully designed to meet and exceed these State requirements. This is a role CUNY plays in protecting the public. Other states frequently have their own requirements, so if your goal is to practice in another state, this disclosure will help you check to see what that state requires.
Per U.S. Federal Regulations, §668.14 and §668.43, and in compliance with the SARA Policy Manual, CUNY Lehman College provides the following disclosure related to the educational requirements for professional licensure and certification.
This Disclosure is strictly limited to the CUNY Lehman College determination of whether this academic program, that if successfully completed, would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure or certification requirements in a State for Teaching. CUNY Lehman College cannot provide verification of an individual’s ability to meet licensure or certification requirements unrelated to its educational programming. Such individual determinations are made by state licensing boards and are fact-specific determinations.
This disclosure does not provide any guarantee that any particular state licensure or certification entity will approve or deny your application. Furthermore, this disclosure does not account for changes in state law or regulation that may affect your application for licensure and occur after this disclosure has been made. Enrolled students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact their state’s licensure entity using the links provided to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.
CUNY Lehman College has determined this academic program curricula, if successfully completed, is sufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for an initial teaching certification license in the following states:
New York State: New York State Education Department Teacher Certification
CUNY Lehman College has made no determination that the curricula is insufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for initial teaching certification in any of the 50 states and territories. After making all reasonable efforts, CUNY Lehman College cannot determine whether its educational programs curricula for this academic program, if successfully completed, is sufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for certification in the following states:
List of states(pdf)