California has many opportunities for accounting careers, and there are many excellent, accredited accounting degree programs in California to give you the training to be competitive for those careers. The state boasts some of the top universities in the country, and those include some of the top accounting degree programs. The wide variety of programs gives you the options you need to make just the right choice to meet your career goals and training needs. If you are looking to begin your accounting career or just to continue your accounting education, you should consider some of these accredited accounting degree programs in California.
Sacramento State University
College of Business Administration
The College of Business Administration at Sacramento State is committed to producing business leaders that will not only lead tomorrow’s companies but will also demonstrate dedication to their communities. The school has graduated about 40,000 students from its undergraduate and graduate degree programs since it attained accreditation in 1963. The school includes a small graduate body of right around 200 students, depending on the year. Some years have peaked around 300 students for total enrollment. There are close to 100 full-time and part-time faculty members, creating a low student-to-faculty ratio.
Master of Science in Accountancy
The Master of Science in Accountancy program at Sacramento State was ranked 75th out of 236 programs on a list of the Best Grad Schools for Accounting for 2014, making it one of the best accredited accounting degree programs in California. Sacramento State’s program ranked second among California programs. The curriculum is aligned with the CPA exam, and the program is designed to train certified public accountants for the current business climate, including the latest updates in finance law and accounting practices. The program is entirely online, and it includes streaming video, instant messaging, and other online tools to facilitate content delivery and communication. The program can be completed in as little as 18 months.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
Serena Hoffman, MS/ACCY Advisor
Graduate Business Advising Center
Tahoe Hall, Room 1037
College of Business Administration
California State University, Sacramento
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819-6088
Phone: 916- 278-6772
Email: cba-gbac@saclink.csus.edu
Website: http://www.cba.csus.edu/graduate/MSA.html
San Diego State University
College of Business Administration
The College of Business Administration has been open at San Diego State University for almost 60 years, and it has been ranked one of the top 10 business schools in California by U.S. News & World Report, as well as one of the 50 best public business schools in the country. The school offers several Masters of Business Administration programs, as well as programs in accounting and information systems technology. The school’s goal is to provide training that leads to immediate employment upon graduation and to foster career development in the changing economic and entrepreneurial landscape.
Master of Science in Accountancy
The Master of Science in Accountancy prepares students for passing the CPA exam in California and trains them with the practical skills they will need to advance professionally, including working in a team, conducting research, and serving as leaders. Students can choose from one of three specializations when pursuing their MSA: Accounting Information Systems, Taxation, and Financial Reporting. The program can be completed in one to two years, depending on what courses students have taken before they are admitted. Those who did not study accounting in their undergraduate education may be required to take additional course work, which could lengthen the time to completion.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
SDSU Master of Science in Accountancy
SDSU College of Business
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-8221
Phone: 619-594-8073
Email: gradbusiness@sdsu.edu
Website: http://cbaweb.sdsu.edu/msa
Master of Business Administration/Accounting
Students who are interested in management careers or in opening their own accounting practice may be interested in earning a joint Master of Business Administration and accounting. The program combines a traditional MBA with an accounting degree, providing students with the skills they need to run a business and to manage the finances of the organization. The curriculum focuses on both leadership training and financial principles. The program has ties to businesses in the community to give students working opportunities in the both the business and financial fields.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
SDSU College of Business
EBA 448
San Diego, CA 92182-8221
Phone: 619-594-8073
Email: gradbusiness@sdsu.edu
Website: http://cbaweb.sdsu.edu/mba
San Francisco State University
College of Business
The College of Business at San Francisco State University is focused on creating leaders who can work in a global business environment, and the school fosters study and working relationships with businesses and schools primarily in Asia, as well as some other locations around the world. The school awards just over 200 graduate degrees each year, keeping the study body small for increased faculty interaction. The school is committed to creating business relationships in the community and abroad to expedite the placement process for students after graduation and to create unique training opportunities.
Master of Science in Accountancy
The Master of Science in Accountancy is suitable for students who are continuing their accounting education or those who majored in something else as an undergrad and are looking to change career paths. However, those who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting may need to take additional coursework before they can begin the program requirements. Specialization is available for taxation, financial accounting, information systems, auditing or managerial accounting. Course requirements include a mix of core classes, career workshops, and advanced studies. Students are allowed great flexibility in designing their curriculum to focus on the area of practice they choose.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
College of Business
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
Science 300
San Francisco, CA 94132-4156
Phone: 415-338-1107
Email: acctg@sfsu.edu
Website: http://cob.sfsu.edu/cob/graduate-programs/msa.cfm
San Jose State University
Lucas Graduate School of Business
The College of Business at San Diego State University has been around since 1928, but it was renamed in 2006 to the Donald and Sally Lucas Graduate School of Business after the couple made a generous endowment. (It is shortened to the Lucas Graduate School of Business in communications.) The school offers seven graduate programs, including the MS in Accountancy. Each program is designed to meet the needs of both traditional, full-time students, as well as working professionals who need flexibility in their studies, such as taking classes part-time or at night.
Master of Science in Accountancy
The Master of Science in Accountancy is open to students who studied accounting as undergraduates, as well as those who are looking to change careers. Those who majored in accounting can finish the program in 30 credit hours, or about two years, but those who had other undergrad majors will take longer to finish the program since they will have to take course work to attain the foundational knowledge they need for the program. The program curriculum focuses on both accounting theory and practice, with the goal of producing well-rounded accounting professionals who are grounded in both concept and application.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
San Diego State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192
Phone: 408-924-3425
Email: lucas-school@sjsu.edu
Website: http://www.sjsu.edu/lucasschool/prospective-msa/
Master of Science in Taxation
The Master of Science in Taxation is available as either a full-time or part-time program. Full-time students can finish it in two years, while part-time students can design a class schedule around their work obligations, including taking classes at night. Classes are even scheduled around the busy tax season for financial professionals. The program is designed to give current accounting and financial professionals a specialization in taxation. Those who already have a degree in taxation can take advanced-level courses for a taxation certificate.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
San Diego State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192
Phone: 408-924-3425
Email: lucas-school@sjsu.edu
Website: http://www.sjsu.edu/lucasschool/prospective-mst/index.html
University of La Verne
College of Business and Public Management
The College of Business and Public Management at the University of La Verne provides a broad, general education with the goal of producing well-rounded leaders. The curriculum emphasizes conceptual learning in addition to practical application in the business environment. The school also focuses on creating partnerships with local government, academic and business organizations to create more opportunities for students to study and to gain practical experience.
Master of Business Administration/Accounting
Accounting is available as a concentration for the Master of Business Administration degree. The MBA program itself focuses on creating business leaders who can operate in a complex and global environment. The accounting specialization helps students gain insights into the financial aspects of managing a business, and it combines both theory and practice. The MBA program is intended for professionals who have at least three years of experience before beginning their studies, though some students may be admitted based on the strength of their academic background or shorter experience.
Accreditation
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
University of La Verne
College of Business and Public Management
1950 Third Street
La Verne, CA 91750
Phone: 909-593-4962
Email: cbpm@laverne.edu
Website: http://laverne.edu/catalog/program/mba-master-of-business-administration-concentrations/
University of San Diego
School of Business Administration
The University of San Diego’s School of Business Administration trains students to be global business leaders and offers many study abroad opportunities. The school has been recognized with several accolades, including many of its programs making it into the top 30 by Bloomberg Businessweek. In keeping with its global focus, the school has also established the Ahlers Center for International Business to further the international training for its future business leaders.
Master of Science in Accountancy
Bloomberg Businessweek ranked the accounting program at the University of San Diego #29 in the nation in 2013, making it one of the best accredited accounting degree programs in California. The program provides the training that students will need to be both accountants and financial managers, which blends leadership abilities with mathematical skill. The program takes two years to complete, and students have the opportunities to complete six credits in London, Paris or Rome to get international business experience. Students can also choose from three specialties for their MS in accountancy, including Corporate Reporting and Financial Management, Controllership and Accounting Information System Development, and Personal Financial Planning.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
University of San Diego
Loma Hall 339
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: 619-260-2975
Email: acctinst@sandiego.edu
Website: http://www.sandiego.edu/catalogs/graduate/business/MSinAccountancy.php
Master of Science in Taxation
The Master of Science in Taxation program stresses both conceptual learning and ethics in professional practice. Like the accounting program, the taxation program also focuses on producing professionals who can work in a global marketplace, and it prepares students for mid- to upper-level positions after graduation. Applicants are encouraged to have a degree in accounting, as well as to have completed course work in taxation. Though students can be admitted without having met these requirements, they will have to take additional course work before being allowed to begin the program, which will lengthen the time to graduation.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
University of San Diego
Loma Hall 339
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: 619-260-2975
Email: acctinst@sandiego.edu
Website; http://www.sandiego.edu/business/programs/accounting-tax/
University of Southern California
Marshall School of Business and Leventhal School of Accounting
The accounting and taxation degrees at the University of Southern California are offered jointly by the Marshall School of Business and the Leventhal School of Accounting. The Marshall School of Business puts a focus on entrepreneurship, while also encouraging innovative research and collaboration. The Leventhal School of Accounting was opened in 1979, approximately 59 years after the business school opened, as a way to raise the profile of the school’s accounting program with the goal of making it one of the best in the country. The school emphasizes strong research through the sponsorship of journals and symposia.
Master of Accounting
The Master of Accounting program at USC is an accelerated program that students can complete in one year if they attend full-time. The program was ranked No. 4 on a list of the Top 25 Graduate Programs by Public Accountancy Report in 2011, making it one of the best accredited accounting degree programs in California. The program curriculum is a blend of technical skill training, theoretical instruction, research-based learning, professional development and ethics training. Like many other schools, the program includes an emphasis on training for the global workplace.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
USC Leventhal School of Accounting
3660 Trousdale Parkway, ACC 101
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0441
Phone: 213-740-4838
E-mail: macc.mbt@marshall.usc.edu
Website: http://www.marshall.usc.edu/macc
Master of Business Taxation
The Master of Business Taxation program is closely aligned with the goals and curriculum of the accounting program. Though the curriculum focus is shifted to business taxation, the methodology and goals of the program are the same: To produce leaders for a global economy who are well-versed in practical application, theoretical concepts, and current research. The MBT can also be completed in as little as one year for students who are attending full-time. An MBT-working professionals program is also available that allows students to complete their degree while attending classes part-time.
Accreditation
- The Association to Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
USC Leventhal School of Accounting
3660 Trousdale Parkway, ACC 101
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0441
Phone: 213-740-4838
E-mail: macc.mbt@marshall.usc.edu
Website: http://www.marshall.usc.edu/mbt
Some of the best accounting programs in the country are in California. This information can help you to better understand your options for accredited accounting degree programs in California so that you can make the best choice for your professional development and career goals. Finishing your degree should be just the start of your long and distinguished career, and making the right choice for program can ensure that it is.
