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USD's online master's accounting degree ranked best in U.S. by OnlineU

The onlineMaster of Professional Accountancy (MPA)degree offered by the University of South Dakota's Beacom School of Business has been ranked the best in the nation byOnlineU. USD's program was selected due to its affordability and the high proportion of graduates who pass the CPA exam," the school said in a statement.

OnlineU, a directory that ranks U.S. online colleges, put Beacom's MPA degree at No. 1 on its2015 Top Online Accounting Degrees,which only includes schools that have a CPA exam pass rate of 50 percent or higher and are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB-International). 

"With its exceptionally high CPA pass rate of 86.96 percent, the University of South Dakota is a great place to earn an online accounting degree. USD’s accounting programs are affordable, at less than $7,000 for tuition," OnlineU wrote in its summary of USD's program. 

Kathryn Birkeland, MPA coordinator at USD, stated that, "while the Master of Professional Accountancy program has been online for a few years, the on-campus program has been offered since 1975. Online students take courses with the same top-tier faculty that has mentored successful graduates for decades. The online courses include a high-level of interaction with faculty and classmates." 

The online program requires 30 credits of graduate work and can be completed in as little as two calendar years depending on a student's background coursework. Each student has an academic advisor to create a customized timeline for completion. The program can be used to meet the 150 credit hour and coursework requirements for students to be eligible to sit for CPA exam in most jurisdictions.

For more on USD's MPA program, head to the University's site here.

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