The MSA accounting definitely does not prepare you for CPA, unless your program is CPA focus. You can take any master that contains enough accounting credits to fulfill the 150 crs. Such as management, CIS, computer science, marketing, etc. Or simply make up the missing credits.
I would only recommend taking MSA accounting for BA/BBS accounting if you really like accounting and have specific classes you want to take to adv your career, like Forensic, hedge funds, tax, auditing, etc. You don't need another degree that tells you a little bit of everything in accounting. Do note that non-accounting major bachelor degree people will be sitting with you together to take the class, and sometimes bachelor degree students to crossover and take master class for the 5 year path. You want to do something meaningful (I guess).
I took my MSA to explore different specialities in accounting, and do get a second round of “career fairs”.
Personally I took the test first before I go for my MSA, so classes were too easy for me and I felt like I was tutoring half of my classmates a lot of times. Many were newly graduated from college, and young. The teacher questioned why I was in MSA… The classes definitely won't go over CPA exam questions.
I think you should ask yourself WHY did you want to take MSA. Career? CPA? Education? If your only reason to take MSA is to fulfill the CPA exam, then I would recommend taking the test first (if the score doesn't expire). The test is the most painful part, and school is easy when it's online, remote, never have to show up in-person.
New York - NYC
Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.
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