Navigating the Complex Tax Landscape Makes You Indispensable: How an MS in Taxation Can Advance Your Career

Every institution — from corporations to non-profits and government agencies — faces the challenge of staying up to date with ever-changing tax laws and regulations. An organization’s ability to navigate its tax terrain successfully can predict the extent to which it thrives or struggles. This could mean that people with tax expertise become indispensable employees.

This article offers expert insights from a tax professional and educator to help you decide if a Master of Science degree in taxation (MS Taxation) is the best way for you to advance your career. We also explain why an online MS Taxation program is a convenient way to achieve your educational goals.

How an MS Taxation Degree Advances Careers

Pursuing an MS Taxation degree is an excellent way to gain in-depth knowledge and navigate the complexities of tax law. Graduates of master’s programs focused on taxation often become specialists in tax planning, consulting, and strategy. They’re equipped to help companies navigate tax compliance while identifying tax savings and efficiency opportunities.

The fully online master’s program from the Carl H. Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati (UC) helps you develop perspective and insight on existing tax law, providing you with education and tools to stay ahead of new tax law changes in the US.

Who Should Pursue an MS Taxation Degree?

Kim Girling has taught taxation in UC’s online MS Taxation program for more than five years. Before joining the university, Kim began her career as a tax specialist at Johnson & Johnson. She later joined UC as an Accountant working for the payroll department.

During her time at UC, Kim completed an MBA with a tax concentration certificate. Later, a colleague, Barry Holland, who also taught a tax course for the MS Tax program and was in the same MBA program, encouraged Kim to begin teaching in the MS Taxation program. One thing led to the other, and soon, UC’s Margaret Reed, PhD, hired Kim into the MS Tax program.

Kim says UC’s program is well-suited for CPAs, corporate accountants, financial planners, business professionals, educators, and consultants. She says most students have some foundational knowledge and choose UC’s program to gain specialized expertise in tax law and advance their careers.

“The pandemic changed the demographic of students looking to earn an MS in Taxation,” Kim said. “Pre-pandemic, most students were CPAs. In recent years, the program has attracted a more diverse group of students, including those with MBAs and varying levels of tax background.”

While UC’s program embraces professionals from diverse backgrounds, a degree in taxation is highly specialized and is not for everyone. Successful candidates possess specific personal qualities and a solid professional foundation. Kim suggests students have a working knowledge of tax concepts through professional experience or education to ensure their success in the program.

10 Skills For Being a Good Fit for an MS Taxation Program

The tax landscape is ever-evolving, and the demand for skilled professionals who can navigate its complexities has never been higher. Whether you’re a seasoned financial advisor looking to deepen your understanding of taxation or someone considering a career move into the tax field, mastering a set of key skills is essential.

Here are 10 qualities that will help you stand out in the dynamic field of tax law — a specific niche that’s often quite distinct from other roles in accounting and finance:

1. Analytical Skills. Tax professionals dissect complex tax laws, regulations, and financial data. You’ll need strong analytical abilities to interpret tax codes and solve intricate tax-related problems.
2. Attention to Detail. Tax work involves meticulous attention to the details found in data and documentation. Even the smallest of errors can have significant consequences.
3. Ethical Integrity. Tax professionals handle sensitive financial information. Upholding ethical standards, maintaining confidentiality, and avoiding conflicts of interest is vital.
4. Strong Communication Skills. Tax consultants often interact with clients, colleagues, and government agencies. When you communicate clearly, you ensure accurate information exchange and effective collaboration.
5. Curiosity and Adaptability. Tax laws evolve constantly. Be ready to stay informed about changes and adapt to new regulations. Your curiosity drives continuous learning.
6. Affinity for Numbers. Taxation involves calculations, percentages, and financial modeling, so a solid grasp of mathematics is beneficial.
7. Legal Understanding. While a formal education in law isn’t mandatory, a familiarity with legal concepts helps. Some tax professionals pursue law degrees or collaborate with attorneys.
8. Professional Background. Training in accounting, finance, law, and business provides the necessary context for work in taxation. Many tax professionals start in accounting, while finance professionals with investment, risk, and financial planning knowledge can transition into tax roles.
9. Industry Experience. Practical experience through internships, part-time jobs, or volunteering in tax-related roles is highly beneficial.
10. Problem-Solving Skills: Taxation involves analyzing data, interpreting laws, and finding solutions. If you enjoy solving intricate puzzles, tax work offers plenty of mental stimulation.

See the MS Taxation program’s admission requirements for students.

MS Taxation Program Offers Convenience, Flexibility, Support

Online master’s degree programs allow working professionals to earn the degree while managing their professional and personal responsibilities. UC’s MS Taxation program offers unparalleled flexibility and convenience for working professionals. There are no requirement to attend in-person classes — and we welcome you to an on-campus graduation ceremony, if you’d like.

When you enroll in the program, UC pairs you with personal advisors, including a Student Success Coordinator. Their focus is to partner with you from the moment you enroll to when you graduate. Student Success Coordinators are committed to ensuring your success — and a rewarding student experience — throughout the program.

What Else Sets UC’s MS Tax Program Apart?

While convenience, flexibility and support are popular features of UC’s taxation master’s program, they aren’t the only things that set it apart.

Take rankings, for example; here’s what to know about third-party commendations for this program:

• UC’s online MS Taxation program was ranked #21 by U.S. News & World Report for Online Graduate Business programs in 2021.
• The program is accredited by the AACSB, a well-known hallmark of excellence. Fewer than one-third of US business school programs and only 15% of business school programs worldwide meet the rigorous standards of AACSB accreditation.

Faculty Expertise and Responsiveness Matters

The convenience and flexibility of UC’s online master’s in taxation program are well supported by talented, responsive faculty members. Your instructors are leading tax experts, CPAs, lawyers, academics, and professionals with Fortune 500 and international accounting experience. Their real-world understandings inform their ability to interpret and teach tax law in ways you and your fellow students can understand and apply.

Kim cites the responsiveness of the faculty as the MS Taxation most important feature, saying, “The great communication skills from instructors are the game changer for the online program.”

Kim describes her and her fellow faculty members’ jobs as knowing how to interpret tax law in ways students can relate to. She says this includes helping students understand the concrete, black-and-white nature of laws and statutes and what is allowed in interpretation. “It’s not multi-colored,” Kim said.

You can feel confident knowing your instructors, like Kim, have earned their professional credentials and academic degrees while working in the field of taxation and tax law. They understand what it means to be a working student and want to make your experience in the program doable and enjoyable.

Consider the Good You Will Do

Professionals with tax expertise bring highly specialized skills to their organizations and teams, and their skills have tremendous practical relevance. Taxation affects everyday life beyond the workplace. Taxation funds goods and services, public works and infrastructure, and various social programs — things we encounter, use, and benefit from each day.

Working in the tax space isn’t just about numbers and regulations. It’s also about understanding and interpreting laws and developing strategies to help others in ways that ultimately contribute to the economic stability of society itself.

An Easy, No-Obligation Next Step

Enrolling in the MS Taxation program from the Carl H. Lindner College of Business can be a big boon in your career advancement. It offers you specialized and coveted tax-related knowledge in a flexible format with expert faculty and student support, coupled with nationwide networking opportunities.

If you’re ready to learn more about the MS Taxation program and the benefits of becoming a UC student, send a message to an Enrollment Services Advisor. If you’d like to speak directly with someone, call (833) 556-7877 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern.