The Master of Science in Accountancy is a flexible 30-unit degree program designed for both accounting and non-accounting undergraduates who aspire to a profession in accounting. Coursework includes advanced financial reporting, auditing, taxation, IT auditing and financial statement analysis. Students with an undergraduate degree in accounting enroll in a course of study to earn a masters degree that fulfills the 30 additional units required for CPA licensure. Ambitious, highly motivated people with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, sciences or business will need to complete the intensive Certificate in Accounting Fundamentals summer program before they can be admitted into the MSA degree program.
For more information, see the Lucas Graduate School of Business website at http://www.sjsu.edu/lucasgsb/programs/msa
Purpose of the MSA Program
The MSA program prepares students for a career in public or corporate accounting by providing them with a strong foundation for both public accounting certification (CPA) and career advancement.
Educational Objectives
Students with an MSA degree should understand the accounting principles and procedures involved in measuring, recording, summarizing and reporting financial and nonfinancial data for business organizations; taxation concepts; auditing and control procedures; and the ethical and legal challenges in an accounting career. They should communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, evaluate information technology, and demonstrate analytical proficiency.
Benefits of the MSA
The program is designed for people with undergraduate degrees in accounting who want to further their studies in accounting while acquiring an additional 30 units needed for CPA licensure. It also allows liberal arts /sciences/business undergraduates who are interested in changing careers an entrance into the accounting profession. The course work and optional internship provide opportunities to build a framework for a successful and rewarding career in public or corporate accounting.
Admissions Requirements
University Admissions
Applicants must submit a complete graduate application by applying through the CSU Cal State Apply system at calstate.edu/apply and meet all the university admission requirements. Applicants apply separately to the department to obtain admission into the MSA program.
Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage at GAPE.
Requirements for Admission to Classified Standing
To be fully accepted into the MSA in classified standing, an applicant must have:
- A four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited an accredited college or university in the United States or from a recognized institution if the degree was earned outside of the United States.
- A GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of course work (Professional Development and Certificate Program course work cannot be included in this calculation);
- A Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) exam. Scores at the 50th percentile in both the quantitative and verbal sections of the exam are considered competitive. Conditional on the approval of the MSA Director, SJSU students who achieve a 3.5 GPA in upper division prerequisite courses 2 through 6 below may be granted a waiver from the GMAT/GRE requirement; and
- Taken an English proficiency exam if the applicant graduated from a postsecondary institution in a country where English is not the principal language. Accepted exams include the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a preferred score of 90, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a preferred score of 7.5, and the Pearson Test of English (PTE) with a preferred score of 75.
In addition, a personal interview may be conducted for each applicant.
Requirements for Admission to Conditionally Classified Standing
If not accepted into classified standing, the applicant may qualify for conditionally classified status. Ambitious, highly motivated applicants with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, sciences or business will need to complete the intensive Certificate in Accounting Fundamentals program during the summer semester before matriculation into the MSA degree program. The individual admission letter will explain required terms and conditions for attaining Classified standing.
Program of Study Requirements
To receive the Master of Science in Accountancy, students must complete 30 semester units of prescribed course work. Specific program policies include the following:
Prerequisites
The curriculum requires completion of two lower division and five upper division prerequisite courses (3 semester hours or equivalent) within the past five years with an average grade in the courses of “B” (3.0)or better prior to the start of the program. All upper division prerequisites must be completed at an accredited four-year university in the U.S. The seven prerequisite courses are:
- Introductory Financial Accounting (lower division course, gateway to upper division courses 2-6)
- Intermediate Financial Accounting I
- Intermediate Financial Accounting II
- Accounting Information Systems
- Management Accounting and Control Systems
- Taxation of Individuals and Flow-Through Entities
- Statistics (lower division course)
Students may be conditionally admitted into the program pending completion of the prerequisite courses. Students must, at a minimum, submit completion and/or verification of enrollment in Introductory Financial Accounting and Statistics by the published GAPE document submission deadline. One way to fulfill the rest of the prerequisites is to enroll in the Certificate in Accounting Fundamentals at SJSU to complete courses 2-6 with an average of B in the summer preceding Fall enrollment in the MSA program.
Course Requirements
The 30 semester units of coursework include three core courses (9 units) required of all students, two core courses (6 units) from a list of designated topics, a culminating experience course (3 units), and four elective MSA courses (12 units). Electives may be taken from offerings in the MST and/or MBA programs with approval from the MSA director.
Internship
The courses in the MSA program are designed to prepare students for internships with public accounting firms, governmental agencies, and corporations. From January through March, students may enroll in an internship course, BUS 220K . Students in this course gain practical work experience, participate in firm training programs, and attend roundtable meetings to discuss topics such as professional ethics, working in the professional environment, communication effectiveness, marketing professional services and planning for professional growth.
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement
The University requires that all graduate students complete the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) as a condition for advancement to candidacy. Please refer to the SJSU catalog section titled “Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement ” for details. For graduate courses that meet the GWAR, please refer to the Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations website at www.sjsu.edu/gape.
At SJSU, students must pass the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). For information on the GWAR, please see http://info.sjsu.edu/gcw.html.
Culminating Experience
Plan B (Project)
All students must complete a comprehensive project integrating business functional and interdisciplinary areas. The MSA culminating experience is incorporated into BUS 220N - Management of Organizations and Projects and into BUS 220A - Financial Statement Analysis for Accountants . An individual written project report is required, and may take the form of a field study, business plan, research project or business simulation.
Maintenance of 3.0 GPA
Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better on all graduate-level course work. Students who receive grades of C-, D, F, or U in any business graduate course must repeat that course to achieve a grade of C or better.
Other University Requirements
Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures . Students must comply with all other graduate requirements contained in this catalog.
Pre-requisite Courses
Any of the prerequisite courses may be waived through evidence of recent prior equivalency (within the last five years with a grade of “B” or better)
- Introductory Financial Accounting
- Intermediate Financial Accounting I
- Intermediate Financial Accounting II
- Accounting Information Systems
- Management Accounting and Control Systems
- Taxation of Individuals and Flow-Through Entities
- Statistics
