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Beginning in fall 2020, students entering С����Ƶ's prestigious accounting program will have a more affordable path to earning both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in only five years.

Qualifying students can now receive a $2,000 scholarship that’s renewable each year while they complete their undergraduate accounting degree. Then, they will receive a 30% discount on their graduate program in accounting, business administration, finance or information systems.

The students must enroll in the 4+1 accelerated program as freshmen to be eligible for the new financial incentives.

“For highly motivated students, this new program provides a smart opportunity for them to benefit from Rider’s outstanding business programs both more quickly and at a reduced cost," says Dr. Eugene Kutcher, interim dean of Rider’s Norm Brodsky College of Business.

Rider's business and accounting programs, on the graduate and undergraduate level, hold dual accreditation by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This distinction is held by less than 2% of programs worldwide.

For several years, Rider’s Norm Brodsky College of Business has offered entering first-year students multiple pathways to complete an accelerated degree. One gives students the opportunity to earn an AACSB-accredited undergraduate business degree in as little as three years — and a graduate business degree in just one year.

“While these programs are demanding, I have seen many students realize the benefit of such hard work by graduating faster and entering the workforce sooner," says Dr. Margaret O’Reilly-Allen, the chair of Rider’s accounting department.

Rider's undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting are regularly recognized in national rankings for their excellence in preparing graduates for success in the field, including with the Big 4 accounting firms as well as large regional firms and major corporations.

Last September, Adriana Tirado ’19 began in the University’s graduate accounting program after earning a bachelor’s in accounting from Rider in only three years.

"My professors were absolutely incredible,” Tirado says. “They gave me guidance and direction and really helped out and cared.”

As an undergraduate, she completed two internships, at Wilkin & Guttenplan in East Brunswick, N.J., and Mercadien in Lawrenceville, N.J. Before beginning the graduate program, Tirado completed a third internship, with KPMG.

"What I learned in the classroom gave me a great foundation and all of my internship experiences helped me grow my knowledge and apply it to a work environment," she says. “I’ve learned more than I ever could have imagined interning with KPMG. I’m so fortunate to have the opportunity to work at this company."

This year, Rider graduate business programs are marking a half-century milestone. They have helped students reach their potential as business leaders for 50 years, since Rider launched its first graduate business program, the Master of Business Administration, in 1968 and graduated its first class in 1970. Rider launched its Master of Accountancy program in 1996 and introduced the Executive Master of Business Administration in 2005. The University's business graduate programs also now include corporate finance and information systems.

"For many years, Rider students have received an exceptional value and benefit in choosing to study business and accounting here," Kutcher says. "This new offering allows them to receive an exceptional education while also saving money and beginning their careers sooner. We're very proud to continually look for creative ways to better serve our students."