Bachelor's Accelerated Master's (BAM) 4+1 Program

MS Accounting and MS Taxation Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's Program

Excellence and Opportunity

The bachelor’s-accelerated master’s (“BAM”) programs in Accounting and Taxation allows current CU Boulder undergraduate students to complete the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in four-and-a-half to five years, and at a significantly reduced tuition rate.

"I chose Leeds Bachelor's-Accelerated Master's in Accounting (BAM) because I knew this was a career I wanted to get."

- Doha Shahba
  (MSACCT‘24)

Program Details

  • Option to switch between MS Accounting or MS Taxation program after coursework begins
  • The program is designed as a 4 + 1 program for current Leeds Undergraduate students pursuing accounting, finance or both as their emphasis.  
  • Electives tailored to specific interests
  • Option to pursue ALTERYX certification
  • Required prerequisite courses: Corporate Financial Reporting I and II (Acct 3220 and 3230), Individual Income Tax (Acct 3440) , Cost Accounting (Acct 3320)

Students will be able to take a maximum of four MS courses (12 credit hours) while they are still working on their undergraduate degree, some of which will also count towards the undergraduate degree. Upon graduating with their undergraduate degree, students will gain access to the remaining MS coursework. 

For more information on the BAM Program structure and related administrative procedures, please visit the Office of the Registrar's Concurrent & BAM Degree webpage or view the full BAM policy

Careers in Accounting

Whether you’re seeking a career locally, nationally or globally, you’ll be a valuable asset to companies, public accounting firms, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies of every size and in nearly any place. And Leeds' students find jobs with companies like Plante Moran, EY (Ernst & Young), KPMG, Deloitte, PwC (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) and Armanino.

Our graduates land competitive jobs as an Accountant, Auditor, Assurance, Budget Accountant, Controller and Consultant.

More About MS Accounting Careers     

Careers in Taxation

Whether you’re seeking a career locally, nationally or globally, you’ll be a valuable asset to companies, public accounting firms, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies of every size and in nearly any place. And Leeds' students find jobs with companies like Plante Moran, EY (Ernst & Young), KPMG, Deloitte, PwC (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) and Armanino.

Our graduates land competitive jobs in as an International Tax Associate, Business Tax Associate, Tax Associate, Tax Consultant, Core Tax Associate and Federal Tax Associate
 

More About MS Taxation Careers     

CPA Exam Eligibility

Our Master’s in Accounting program prepares you to be eligible for the CPA exam through courses that strategically target topics on the exam. Leeds students aren't just prepared—our graduate students consistently receive top scores in the state. We have had 3 Elijah Watt Sells winners in the past 7 years. 

Students planning to obtain their CPA are responsible for ensuring they meet their state’s requirements for exam and licensure.

To receive your CPA license, you will need the following four components: 

At least 120 credit hours (equivalent to a bachelor’s degree) are required to sit for the CPA exam, and you’ll need to complete an additional 30 credit hours to qualify for licensure. You will also need to ensure that your credits meet your state’s required hours within the areas of accounting, auditing, and business. Every jurisdiction has its own educational requirements to sit for the CPA exam and to become licensed as a CPA. These requirements are subject to change and may affect the educational requirements for examination and licensure. Due to the changing nature of the education requirements, it is recommended that students review the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy website where they are seeking employment for updated licensure requirements. A list of state board websites can also be found on the Denver State Authorization page.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is responsible for the creation of the uniform CPA exam. The exam is given in four sections: Financial Accounting and Reporting, Auditing and Attestation, Regulations, and Business Environment and Concepts. You are allowed to take the exam one section at a time and in any order. All sections of the exam must be completed within an 18-month testing period with a score of 75 percent or higher.

While experience requirements vary by state, CPA applicants in Colorado are required to complete 1,800 qualifying work hours within a period of 1-3 years in order to obtain licensure. Your experience must also be verified by a licensed CPA who oversees the work.

In some states, CPA applicants are required to complete an ethics course or exam in order to obtain their CPA license.

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The Curriculum

MS Accounting Faculty

Meet our award-winning faculty, recognized for their innovative teaching approach and their cutting-edge research in top academic journals.

Kit Maxwell

Assistant Teaching Professor

ACCOUNTING

Kit is an instructor of accounting at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  He is a certified public accountant. From 2002 to 2004 and 2005 to 2017, Kit worked at Deloitte & Touche LLP, where he was a partner from 2007 until his retirement in 2017. From 2004 to 2005 he was the corporate controller of a publicly traded real estate investment trust. From 1993 to 2002 Kit worked at Arthur Andersen & Co. He is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in business administration, with an emphasis in accounting.

Jeremiah Contreras

Assistant Teaching Professor • Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar

ACCOUNTING

Jeremiah joined the business school accounting faculty in 2017. He holds an MBA, a BS in Accounting, and is an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Colorado. Jeremiah's professional background includes auditing with KPMG, serving as a corporate controller for a global professional services firm, and working as a consultant in business management and systems.

Jeremiah’s passion lies in empowering students with accounting and critical thinking skills, instilling a commitment to strong ethics in their personal and professional lives, and preparing them for future leadership roles.

Jeremiah has been at the forefront of incorporating new AI technologies into business school education across various disciplines. He has developed innovative curricula that prepare students for the evolving landscape of AI in business, ensuring they are equipped with both traditional business knowledge and cutting-edge technological skills.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Jeremiah is a father of two who enjoys the Colorado lifestyle, often exploring the outdoors with his family and their dog Cooper.

Nikki Skinner

Assistant Professor • Craig and Cynthia Smith Faculty Scholar

ACCOUNTING

Nathan Marshall

Associate Professor • Tisone Memorial Fellow & KPMG Faculty Fellow • Accounting PhD Program Director

ACCOUNTING

Nathan Marshall is an Associate Professor in the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research largely focuses on the intersection of financial accounting and the capital markets, with a particular emphasis on the communication, dissemination and processing of corporate information and the role of information intermediaries in this process. Broadly speaking, Nathan's research speaks to the following topics: (i) corporate communication of performance information; (ii) information intermediaries and the processing of information; and (iii) the discretionary decisions of information intermediaries. Prior to beginning his academic career, Nathan was a manager at the litigation consulting firm The Kenrich Group in Chicago, Illinois. He worked as a litigation consultant for six years, primarily calculating and quantifying corporate damages from contractual disputes. Nathan also worked as a credit analyst for Standard Federal Bank prior to his consulting work. Nathan is a certified public accountant in the State of Illinois.

MS Taxation Faculty

Meet our award-winning faculty, recognized for their innovative teaching approach and their cutting-edge research in top academic journals.

Susan Morely

Teaching Professor

ACCOUNTING

Susan Morley is a senior instructor and teaching professor at the Leeds School of Business. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and obtained a Master of Science in Taxation and a Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Sloan Speck

Associate Professor of Law

TAXATION AND TAX POLICY

Sloan Speck will join the University of Colorado Law School faculty in fall 2015 as an Associate Professor. Professor Speck's research interests are in tax law and policy, with an emphasis on corporate and international tax, legal and business history, and the ways in which taxation informs and structures the relationship between state and society.

Nicole Lazzeri

Assistant Teaching Professor

ACCOUNTING

Nicole Lazzeri is an instructor at the Leeds School of Business. She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Accounting and she obtained a Masters in Taxation from the University of Denver Graduate Tax Program.

After earning her Master’s degree, Nicole became a CPA and worked for Ernst & Young in the tax practice in Denver. She also worked in the tax practice for other local accounting firms.  She then went to an international corporation and built and managed the tax department before pursuing her passion to teach.

Jeremiah Contreras

Assistant Teaching Professor • Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar

ACCOUNTING

Jeremiah joined the business school accounting faculty in 2017. He holds an MBA, a BS in Accounting, and is an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Colorado. Jeremiah's professional background includes auditing with KPMG, serving as a corporate controller for a global professional services firm, and working as a consultant in business management and systems.

Jeremiah’s passion lies in empowering students with accounting and critical thinking skills, instilling a commitment to strong ethics in their personal and professional lives, and preparing them for future leadership roles.

Jeremiah has been at the forefront of incorporating new AI technologies into business school education across various disciplines. He has developed innovative curricula that prepare students for the evolving landscape of AI in business, ensuring they are equipped with both traditional business knowledge and cutting-edge technological skills.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Jeremiah is a father of two who enjoys the Colorado lifestyle, often exploring the outdoors with his family and their dog Cooper.

Meet the MS Accounting and Taxation Team at Leeds

Leeds' team of dedicated professionals help you maximize your experience in the MS Accounting and Taxation programs. Our student success team and career development coaches provide highly curated support to ensure you have everything you need to succeed.

 

Application Deadlines

Spring 2026 Start

International Deadline: October 1, 2025

Domestic Deadline: December 1, 2025

Summer 2026 Start

International Deadline: February 2, 2026

Domestic Deadline: April 1, 2026

Fall 2026 Start

International Deadline: March 4, 2026

Domestic Deadline: June 1, 2026

The 2026 application is not yet available. If you are interested in applying for 2026, please fill out the form below so we can notify you when our 2026 application has opened. 

2026 Application Interest Form