Increased interest in specialized master's programs at business schools nationwide comes as professional certification boards toughen entry requirements. For example, students wishing to become certified public accountants in certain states, including Pennsylvania, must now have 150 hours of college credit to qualify for the CPA exam, more than most get in an undergraduate program. Applications for the Master of Finance program at MIT Sloan School of Management rose 3 percent for students entering this fall. A similar spike occurred at Temple's Fox School of Business, which introduced a new Master of Accountancy this fall.