Program Structure
If you join the Accounting Professionals (AP) Program, you will complete 6.5 months of MBA classes on the campus of Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa and then participate in up to two years of fully paid practical training with a U.S. company.
The AP program is designed to prepare students to sit for the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) exam offered by the Institute for Management Accountants (IMA). Students may ask for departmental approval to study for the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam.
The CMA exam focuses on knowledge and skills required for business planning, internal controls, internal reporting and decision-making. CMAs are highly respected and internationally-recognized professionals. CMAs typically begin their careers as cost accountants or business analysts. With more experience, they can become accounting managers, controllers, or chief financial officers.
During full-time studies, you will receive campus housing, meals, and cash advances of US $100 per month as part of the financial aid package. During the off-campus practical training, you will receive academic credit to complete your MBA requirements. Your remaining courses are taken through part-time distance education on a flexible schedule during evenings or weekends.
As you complete self-study review courses, you will arrange to sit for each of the four parts of the CMA exam or CPA exam. Passing the CMA exam or CPA exams is not an academic requirement of the MBA program, but you may be awarded academic credits for passing at least one part of either examination.
To aid you in your quest for a practical training position, the University has relationships with many of America’s leading businesses. You can apply for a position at any U.S. company. You can negotiate your salary with help from the University. Your salary during practical training will depend on your skills and experience. Annual earnings are likely to be in the range of $40,000–$60,000.
Upon completion of the Accounting Professionals MBA Program, you will have earned an MBA degree and gained valuable training with an American business organization.
The entry dates are January and August each year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Accounting MBA at this university and the MBA programs at other universities? There are three unique themes of the Accounting MBA: management accounting, the block system, and consciousness-based education:
- Accounting MBA students specialize in management accounting, a universal set of skills and knowledge applicable to all countries. Students prepare to sit for the CMA examination, which is an internationally-recognized professional certification administered by the Institute for Management Accountants.
- In the block system, students focus only on one subject at a time. This allows students to deepen their knowledge base.
- Our students participate in regular practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and learn the Science of Creative Intelligence (SCI) which provides students with an integrated understanding of nature’s organizing power.