Lehigh University debuts one-year master's program for non-accounting majors

Lehigh University has introduced a one-year, master’s of science in accounting program for non-accounting majors that will launch this May, according to The Brown and White, the university's student paper.

The program is aimed at students who don't have accounting degrees but possess a basic knowledge of economics and accounting. Students will complete 36 credits and an eight-week paid internship in public accounting during the spring semester and stay on Lehigh's campus throughout the summer and fall semesters. The school states that graduates of the program will ultimately have the knowledge to sit for the CPA Exam.

“The reason why we’re doing this ... is to try to use the resources we have to benefit a greater population, tapping into a population of students that we haven’t traditionally served,” said Bryan Cloyd, professor and chair of Lehigh's accounting department, in a statement.

“The public accounting firms are looking for folks — not just accounting majors — they’re actually hiring in some other disciplines,” said Dave Hinrichs, professor and director of the school's MSA program, in a statement. “So they appreciate that not everyone has to be a pure accountant.”

The program's application deadline for U.S. students is April 15, 2020. The deadline for international students is March 15. There will also be an MSA virtual information session for interested students held on March 2. For more information on the program, head to Lehigh's site here.