Master of Science in Accounting

• Admission Requirements
• Academic Policies
• Program Sequence

The Master of Science in Accounting program prepares graduates for careers in public accounting, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. This program is a fifth-year professional program. The objective of the program is to provide students with greater breadth and depth of understanding in accounting and business than is possible in an undergraduate program. The program employs a rigorous approach that requires students to demonstrate conceptual, analytical, and communication skills. Graduates are prepared to research various databases related to critical accounting problems and to exercise judgment in making accounting-related decisions by drawing on their integrated, comprehensive body of accounting and business knowledge.

Admission Requirements

The MSA program is designed primarily for undergraduate accounting majors who seek additional academic training and/or credit hours to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant examination and to become certified in California.

CPA firms view themselves as “professional service firms.” This role requires highly visible, articulate business professionals with diverse backgrounds. Students may apply to the master of science in accounting program during their senior year or after completing a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with an overall grade point average of 3.000 or higher. Students must also submit a GMAT score. A student with exceptional credentials or academic promise will on occasion be considered for admission, even though the GPA or score on the GMAT is somewhat below the desired admission level. An undergraduate accounting major or completion of the following requirements (or their equivalents) is required before enrollment in the program.

Academic Policies

Course Waiver

MSA students may petition for a waiver of up to four units toward the 30 required units if they have completed a graduate business course from an AACSB accredited school with a minimum grade of B.