Admission Requirements
Graduate Business
Applicants seeking admission must have an earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or hold an equivalent degree from an institution of higher education outside of the United States.
All applicants must submit the application and official transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education. In addition, a personal statement, two letters of recommendation and current resume are required.
The personal statement is 500+ words that addresses the experiences that have led you to pursue a master's degree at this point in your life and what you see yourself doing professionally upon completion of your master's degree.
Recommendation letters should comment on the following areas:
- How long have you known the applicant and in what capacity?
- What do you consider the applicant’s strengths?
- In which areas could the applicant exhibit additional growth or improvement?
- How would you describe the applicant’s interpersonal skills?
International Admission: See directions in general admissions section.
MSA Admissions
Note: Applicants that intend to pursue the CPA license need to familiarize themselves with the information contained on the AICPA and State Board of Accountancy websites.
The Uniform CPA Examination protects the public interest by helping to ensure that only qualified individuals become licensed as U.S. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Individuals seeking to qualify as CPAs - the only licensed qualification in accounting - are required to pass the Examination.
As a CPA candidate, you must be thoroughly familiar with the entire Examination journey - from the time of application to sitting for the Examination and passing all four sections. You must learn how the process works, candidate responsibilities, the rules governing a candidate's progress, and Examination and licensure requirements.
The CPA license is issued at the state level. To become a licensed CPA, you must be declared eligible for the examination by the board of accountancy in one of the 55 U.S. jurisdictions. The accountancy board in the state in which you qualify as a CPA candidate determines the requirements governing applications for the Examination and licensure; the NASBA Candidate Bulletin provides candidates with requirements that apply to taking the Examination.
International candidates are eligible to qualify as U.S. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) as long as they meet Board of Accountancy eligibility requirements in one of 54 U.S. jurisdictions - the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam.
Effective July 1, 2017, NJ adopted new education requirements to become a CPA.
In order to sit for the CPA Exam in NJ, an applicant must possess:
- a bachelor's degree or higher in any field of study from an accredited school/university
- 24 semester hours in accounting and 24 semester hours in business
- a minimum of 120 semester hours
- An applicant no longer needs any specific courses in these areas (just 24 semester hours overall in accounting and 24 semester hours in business).
To be licensed in NJ, the applicant must:
- obtain 150 semester hours from an accredited school. These credits can be obtained within or beyond a degree program. The references to levels of school accreditation have been removed.
- obtain one year of experience (1,750 hours) working under a CPA whose active license is from NJ or from a state that is substantially equivalent to NJ. Currently all states are substantially equivalent. The experience must be in the areas of auditing or accounting.
Note: If an applicant is obtaining graduate credits, they will need 24 semester hours in accounting and 24 credits in business. Previously, only 15 semester hours in accounting were required from a graduate school program. Undergraduate and graduate credits are counted equally.
Evaluation of Applications
Admission is based primarily on the evidence an applicant has provided exemplifying the preparation necessary for the successful pursuit of graduate studies. This evidence consists primarily, but not exclusively, in the applicant's prior academic work, as well as their professional goals and accomplishments. The Program may request an interview as part of the admission process. Applicants will be promptly notified of their admission decision, once a complete application is received by the University.
Admission Decision and Enrollment
All admission decision processing takes place through the Graduate Admission Office and in concert with the program directors. Materials outlined above as required for the "completed application" may be waived by the program director or dean of the School of Business.
Ways to Apply
Complete the Online Graduate Admissions Application at www.saintpeters.edu or download a copy and mail it to:
Saint Peter's University
Attn: Graduate Admission
2641 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Jersey City, New Jersey 07306
Please feel free to call the Office of Graduate Admission at (201) 761-6470 with any questions.
Course Registration
Graduate business degree candidates can register for classes with the Graduate Business Programs Office or access SPIRIT Online at www.saintpeters.edu