The Accounting Fundamentals Certificate, offered by the Lucas Graduate School of Business , is an intensive program providing a broad foundation of concepts and practices in financial reporting, managerial accounting, accounting information systems and corporate taxation. Over the course of one semester, it covers essential topics needed both for a career in accounting and for graduate study. The program is taught in its entirety during the summer, with each course taught in either two- or five-week sessions. The program is designed for both non-matriculated students and those satisfying entrance requirements for both the MS in Accountancy program. As this certificate is comprised of fundamental accounting knowledge and skills, students entering MSA program without an undergraduate degree in accounting will be required to complete this certificate before enrolling in MSA classes.

University Advanced Certificate Requirements​

Advanced certificate programs offer post-baccalaureate students coursework leading to a specific, applied, focused goal. In order to be eligible for admission to an advanced certificate, students complete an intake form or apply through CalState Apply and submit an official transcript(s) (noting the completion of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited and/or recognized institution from a foreign country). To be admitted, students must have a minimum of 2.5 undergraduate GPA.

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all advanced certificate coursework, and no course with a grade less than “C” may be counted toward the certificate. A maximum of 4 units of coursework with a grade of “C” can count toward an advanced certificate. A maximum of 4 units of coursework may be repeated. Undergraduate lower division courses are not applicable to advanced certificates.

Generally, a maximum of 33% of advanced certificate units (e.g., 3 units for a 9-unit certificate) can be completed in non-matriculated status at SJSU with approval from the department or school. In some cases, an advanced certificate may be completed entirely in non-matriculated status if the student has received approval from the department or school and the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs in the College of Graduate Studies.

A maximum of 30% of any graduate degree program units (e.g., 9 units for a 30-unit Master’s degree) can be completed from another institution and/or units from Open University (including advanced certificate courses) at SJSU with approval from the department or school.

The choice of grading requirements may have implications for transferability to degree programs (University Policy S16-17). 

The advisor/director of the program is responsible for verifying a student’s satisfactory completion of the academic requirements established for the program and for forwarding a copy of the certificate audit completion form to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations. The Office of the Registrar records the completion of the program on the student’s transcript.