FLINT, MI -- The University of Michigan-Flint's business school is adding a master's program in accounting to its offerings.

The Master of Science in Accounting will be a 150-credit-hour program designed for students to become certified public accountants.

"There is a potentially large market for programs like our Master of Science in Accounting for students who are preparing for the certified public accountant exams," said School of Management Associate Dean Yener Kandogan in a news release.

"Most universities lack a comprehensive set of graduate-level accounting courses to assist their students in their preparations. Our MSA program is designed to meet this demand and will be taught by faculty holding Ph.D. degrees in Accounting as well as CPAs."

The MSA in accounting is open to students with a bachelor's degree in accounting, another business discipline or those in non-business fields.

The program will be taught in the university's online method, called NetPlus.

The program blends online instruction with peer-to-peer and peer-instructor, in-person interaction.

The program's electives can be taken in NetPlus or traditional formats.

"Our faculty has been teaching in the MBA program in this format for over a decade and has developed quite an expertise in this delivery format," said Kandogan. "I believe this will be an attractive feature of this program, allowing students from longer distances to take part."

Weekend classroom sessions are held every six weeks on campus. Students typically enroll in two courses during fall, winter, spring and summer terms to complete the program in fewer than two years.

Blake Thorne covers K-12 schools and higher education for The Flint Journal. Contact him at bthorne1@mlive.com or 810-347-8194. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.