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Accountancy and Data Analytics, M.A.D.A.

Prepare for your accounting career in the data age through hands-on experience in data analytics and cutting-edge technologies.

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About the Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics

Our Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics (MADA) program, launched in 2018 through a partnership with KPMG, is one of the first of its kind in the nation and offers specialization in data analytics paired with broad graduate-level accounting education. This program is STEM-designated.

MADA students complete five required accountancy and taxation courses, a three-course data analytics specialization, and two accountancy electives. You’ll want to take our CPA review course, which provides high-quality CPA exam preparation and a structured study environment, as one of your electives. During the course, you’ll take three of the four sections of the CPA exam. Many of our students complete the CPA exam by the time that they graduate.

Patterson School of Accountancy Computer Specifications

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    Program Information

    Degree

    Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics

    Required Credit Hours

    30

    Program Type

    Master's Program

    Program Location

    Oxford

    School

    Patterson School of Accountancy

    Duration

    10-12 months

    Admission Requirements

    Learn about GPA and GMAT requirements as well as undergraduate prerequisite courses that must be completed for admission to our Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics program. 

    • Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
    • Completion of the required undergraduate courses, with minimum grades where applicable
    • Minimum 445 GMAT score if you do not qualify for a GMAT waiver
    • If you are an international student: You are required to meet English language proficiency exam requirements as specified by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services unless you are a citizen of a country on the exemption list or a graduate of an institution of higher education in the U.S. or a country on that list.

    Students who do not meet the minimum requirements for full standing admission may be considered for admission in another category. Admission in a category other than full standing requires fulfilling specified grade and/or course requirements and limits financial aid eligibility until full-standing admission is obtained.

    University of Mississippi accounting majors: minimum grades of C in ACCY 401: Auditing and ACCY 405: Income Taxes I

    Accounting majors from other institutions with separate accounting accreditation by AACSB International: minimum grades of C in undergraduate auditing and tax courses that are equivalent to ACCY 401: Auditing and ACCY 405: Income Taxes I

    Accounting majors in programs without separate accounting accreditation by AACSB and applicants who majored in a field of study other than accounting:

    If a required course is not available at your undergraduate institution, you may be able to take it at the University of Mississippi before starting master's classes.

    We accept scores for the current and previous versions of the GMAT. Scores are valid for five years.

    The GMAT requirement is waived for:

    • Patterson School accounting majors with an overall or resident GPA of 3.0 or higher
    • Undergraduate accounting majors with an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher from other AACSB-accredited institutions.

    The GMAT is required for all students who wish to be considered for a PSOA graduate assistantship.

    We ask students who are not eligible for a GMAT waiver to make up to three attempts if needed and send us all GMAT scores received.

    When to Take the GMAT

    • Starting the master’s program in summer or fall:
      • take the GMAT in spring or summer of the year prior 
    • Starting the master’s program in winter intersession or spring:
      • take the GMAT in spring or summer of the year prior to be considered for a PSOA graduate assistantship for the fall semester that you’re enrolled
      • take the GMAT in spring or summer fall two years prior  to be considered for a PSOA graduate assistantship for the spring semester that you’re enrolled (note that we rarely have openings for spring semester)

    Be sure to consider application deadlines and the timeframe for receiving your score (up to 20 business days) when scheduling the GMAT.

    Application Information

    Find application deadlines, including priority dates for PSOA financial aid award consideration. View details on selecting the right starting term for your master’s program and the application process.

    Priority Deadlines

    • February 1, 2026 – Priority Deadline 1 to apply for a 2026 summer term, Fall Semester 2026, Winter Intersession 2027, or Spring Semester 2027 and be considered for Patterson School of Accountancy financial aid awards
      • PSOA graduate assistantships will be offered to applicants with an admission score of 1350 or above (admission score = (200 x GPA) + GMAT)
      • Scholarships and fellowships will be offered to selected applicants who meet specified award criteria
    • April 1, 2026 – Priority Deadline 2 to apply for a 2026 summer term, Fall Semester 2026, Winter Intersession 2027, or Spring Semester 2027 and be considered for Patterson School of Accountancy financial aid awards
      • Any remaining PSOA graduate assistantships will be offered to applicants with the highest admission scores
      • Any remaining PSOA scholarships and fellowships will be offered to selected applicants who meet specified award criteria

    General Deadlines

    • May 1, 2026 – Deadline to apply for all 2026 summer terms
    • August 1, 2026– Deadline to apply for Fall Semester 2026
    • December 1, 2026 – Deadline to apply for Winter Intersession and Spring Semester 2027

    Your graduate school application must be submitted and any required documentation for your application must be received by one of the priority deadlines or the general deadline for the term in which you'd like to begin master's classes.

    Admitted students may register for and begin master's classes after the below are completed. 

    • Master’s program advising
    • All required undergraduate prerequisite courses for master’s admission (with minimum grades where applicable)
    • Undergraduate degree (with the degree certified)
      • Current Ole Miss Students:
        • Allow up to two weeks after completing your last undergraduate class(es) for your undergraduate degree to be certified. (Degree certifications for students starting a master’s class immediately will be prioritized.)
      • Students From Other Institutions:
        • Your final official transcript with the degree earned must be received by our graduate school. Contact your registrar if needed to find out when your completed undergraduate degree will be listed on your transcript and when an official copy can be sent to the graduate school (gschool@olemiss.edu). Choose a starting term that begins after the graduate school will receive your official transcript.

    Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics students are required to take ACCY 628 in May intersession or August intersession; we recommend taking that class at the beginning rather than the end of your master’s studies.

    Dates for all terms are listed on the academic calendars.

    Have Any Required Documentation Sent to Us

    • If you are attending or have graduated from another institution:
      • Have all official transcripts sent from the registrar's office(s) of the institution(s) you've attended to the graduate school (gschool@olemiss.edu).  
    • If the GMAT is required for you:
      • Have your official score sent to the Patterson School of Accountancy via your GMAC account.
    • If you’re an international student:
      • Have your English language proficiency exam scores sent to the university unless you are a citizen of a country on the exemption list or a graduate of an institution of higher education in the U.S. or a country on that list.

    We do not require or accept statements of purpose, letters of recommendation, or resumes in the application process. 

    If the GMAT is waived for your admission but you plan to take it for PSOA graduate assistantship consideration, you can have your score sent when you apply or have it sent so that we receive it by one of the priority application deadlines.

    Submit the Graduate School Application

    To complete the graduate school application, you'll enter basic information, select your master’s program, select your starting term for the program, and pay the $60 nonrefundable application fee (required for all applicants).

    If you are applying for Fall Semester 2026 or a later term, you must upload your unofficial transcript in the application process, even if you are a current Ole Miss student or graduate. 

    Degree Requirements

    See the courses you'll take to complete your Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics degree.

    Required Accountancy and Taxation Courses (15 hours, 5 courses)

    Required Data Analytics Courses (9 hours, 3 courses)

    Accountancy Electives (6 hours, choose 2 courses)

    Financial Aid

    Financial aid for Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics students includes graduate assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and graduate student loans.

    Students who apply by one of the priority deadlines, are eligible for admission, and who have completed the PSOA Financial Aid Application are considered for PSOA financial aid awards.

    In addition to the information provided in the PSOA Financial Aid Application, transcript, admission application, and FAFSA information (if available) is used to determine eligibility for PSOA awards.

    An official GMAT score must be received by the PSOA for graduate assistantship consideration.

    • February 1, 2026 – Priority Deadline 1 to apply for a 2026 summer term, Fall Semester 2026, Winter Intersession 2027, or Spring Semester 2027 and be considered for PSOA financial aid awards
      • PSOA graduate assistantships will be offered to applicants with an admission score of 1350 or above [admission score = (200 x GPA) + GMAT]
      • Scholarships and fellowships will be offered to selected applicants who meet specified award criteria
    • April 1, 2026 – Priority Deadline 2 to apply for a 2026 summer term, Fall Semester 2026, Winter Intersession 2027, or Spring Semester 2027 and be considered for PSOA financial aid awards
      • Any remaining PSOA graduate assistantships will be offered to applicants with the highest admission scores
      • Any remaining PSOA scholarships and fellowships will be offered to selected applicants who meet specified award criteria

    Current GPAs as of the time of selection are used in evaluating candidates for PSOA financial aid award eligibility. Students from other institutions who have completed undergraduate classes since admission must have a new official transcript sent to the graduate school (gschool@olemiss.edu) by one of the priority deadlines to be considered for PSOA financial aid awards.

    Students in the concurrent Juris Doctor/Master of Accountancy and Juris Doctor/Master of Taxation programs are not eligible for PSOA financial aid awards. 

    PSOA Graduate Assistantship

    The PSOA awards approximately 50 graduate assistantships each year for fall and spring semesters.

    Graduate assistants perform 10 hours of service to the PSOA per week, with responsibilities that may include assisting faculty, tutoring, proctoring exams, and/or assisting in the PSOA office.

    In exchange for their service, graduate assistants receive a partial tuition scholarship (approximately 60-65% of resident tuition), a 100% non-resident fee scholarship, and a semesterly stipend of $3,250. For the 2025-26 academic year, the partial tuition scholarship is $3,746.25. Graduate assistantships do not include winter intersession or summer terms. Tuition for classes in those terms is based on the student’s residency.

    Graduate assistantships are offered to students with the highest admission scores [admission score = (200 x GPA) + GMAT]. We accept scores for the current and previous versions of the GMAT; scores are valid for 5 years. 

    Hearin Foundation Graduate Fellowship

    With the goal of improving the economic status of Mississippi, the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation has generously provided funding for fellowships awarded to students in our Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics (MADA) and Master of Taxation and Data Analytics (MTDA) programs.

    Eligible candidates are Mississippi residents who are admitted to the MADA or MTDA program and plan to work in Mississippi upon graduation from the master’s program.

    Students who are selected for the award receive a scholarship of $7,500 in fall and spring semesters, for a total award of $15,000, and fulfill a minimal service obligation, which generally consists of proctoring exams periodically during the semester. 

    KPMG MADA Scholarship

    Through our partnership with KPMG, we launched our Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics (MADA) and Master of Taxation and Data Analytics (MTDA) programs in 2018. 

    KPMG continues to support students pursuing data analytics degrees in the PSOA by providing funding for scholarships for students in our MADA program.

    Students who are selected for the award receive a scholarship of $7,500 in fall and spring semesters, for a total award of $15,000.

    Graduate assistantships are available in other units on campus. Application processes and eligibility requirements vary by position. Graduate assistantships that require 10 hours of service are recommended for PSOA master's students.

    PSOA graduate assistants are not permitted to serve in an additional graduate assistantship.

    Share Your Information

    What does a Master's in Accountancy and Data Analytics look like on the job market?

    $80k

    Median income for Accountants and Auditors in 2023.

    6%

    Projected employment growth for Accountants and Auditors from 2023 to 2033 (faster than the national average).

    $100k

    Median income for Financial Analysts in 2023.

    9%

    Projected employment growth for Financial Analysts from 2023 to 2033 (much faster than the national average).

    Jennifer Lea McClure

    Director of Master's Programs

    I'd love to hear from you if you're interested in pursuing a master's degree in the PSOA. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have questions about our MADA program. 

    Jennifer Lea McClure

    Director of Masters Programs Accountancy

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