The Department of Accountancy programs continue to be ranked among the elite in the nation by Public Accounting Report (where both our graduate and undergraduate programs are ranked in the top 20).
The Master of Science in Taxation (M.S.T.) degree offered by the NIU Department of Accountancy is designed to prepare students for advancement in the area of taxation in public accounting, law, government, and industrial organizations by enhancing their technical knowledge and professional skills. There are no specializations within the program. A student must maintain a 3.00 grade point average on a 4.00 scale to remain in good standing within the program.
The M.S.T. program is designed to serve the working adult. Most students in the program are part-time students who hold professional positions in accounting or law and have several years of work experience before entering the program. To accommodate these students, all courses are taught in the evenings at NIU's Hoffman Estates Educational Center.
Suzanne Youngberg, the M.S.T. Advisor, is a full-time faculty member of NIU's Department of Accountancy. She is responsible for evaluating applications to the program, advising students concerning their program of study, and answering questions about the program. If a student requires personalized academic advising, Suzanne can meet with the student in a place of mutual convenience (Hoffman Estates, the main campus in DeKalb, or by telephone).
Jim Young and Kate Mantzke have Ph.D.'s in accounting and both have worked as tax consultants for Big 4 accounting firms. Suzanne Youngberg [link to http://www.cob.niu.edu/personnel/PersonnelDetails.asp?id=m20sxy1] has worked for a variety of accounting firms and currently manages a successful tax practice in the western suburbs of Chicago in addition to her work as an instructor at NIU. Steven Blanc is a practicing tax attorney where he has represented clients in a multitude of federal and state courts. Other professors are experts in specialized areas of the tax law.
The computer facilities at the Hoffman Estates campus provide on-line access to on-campus databases necessary for research in taxation. Additionally, the library facility at the Hoffman Estates Education Center is connected to the DeKalb campus library and materials are available through courier deliver and interlibrary loan.
Although most of the students in the M.S.T. program already have positions, the services of NIU's Career Services are available to M.S.T. students both on the DeKalb and Hoffman Estates campuses.
While the NIU Department of Accountancy has a national reputation for quality and excellence, the program is very reasonably priced. The M.S.T. fee schedule for the 2008-2009 academic year is as follows:
| 2008-2009 Academic Year1 | In-State | Out-of-State |
| Tuition Regional Delivery Fee Total Tuition and Fees Plus: Technology Surcharge (≤ 6 hours) |
$ 762 / 3 credit class $ 945 / 3 credit class $1,707 / 3 credit class plus: $ 50 / semester |
$1,524 / 3 credit class $ 945 / 3 credit class $2,469 / 3 credit class plus: $ 50 / semester |
1All amounts are rounded. Tuition and fees are subject to change by the Board of Trustees at any time without notice. Program cost does not include textbook, ancillary expenses, and specific course fees.