MS Accounting
With options in Taxation, Financial Accounting and Information Systems, a Master of Science degree in Accounting (MSA) from Cal State LA’s College of Business and Economics will help you accelerate your career in accounting. Our program’s customizable options and flexible scheduling allow you to target your career path and be prepared for what lies ahead in an ever changing profession.
With options in Taxation, Financial Accounting and Information Systems, a Master of Science degree in Accounting (MSA) from Cal State LA’s College of Business and Economics will help you accelerate your career in accounting. Our program’s customizable options and flexible scheduling allow you to target your career path and be prepared for what lies ahead in an ever changing profession.
Program Features
- Graduates are prepared for the CPA exam and
- Work towards professional certifications including Fraud Examination and Internal Auditing
- High demand options
- Industry-focused events
- Guest lecturers and award-winning student events
Program Requirements
All students applying to the MS Accounting program must have the following:
- Minimum three years work experience
- Two letters of Recommendation
- Professional résumé
- Statement of purpose
- Unofficial transcripts
For a detailed list of requirements for admission into our graduate programs, including requirements for international students, please visit our requirements page here.
Roadmap
Curriculum
Core Courses
A total of 33 units are required for the completion of this degree. The core courses make up 18 of those units.
ACCT 5240A - Accounting Information Systems (3 units)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course focuses on the study of accounting systems and internal controls. The course covers the tools necessary to understand and evaluate accounting systems. Independent research in accounting systems is required.
ACCT 5240B – Auditing (3 units)
Prerequisites: Acct 4240A or ACCT 5240A, graduate standing. Students gain an understanding of audit and assurance services, emphasizing financial statement audit opinions by independent auditors, auditing concepts and practices used in assurance services used in public practice.
ACCT 5260 - Financial Accounting Theory (3 units)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Advanced analytical concepts implicit in contemporary accounting practice; current developments in accounting techniques; specific applications to major aspects of financial statements. Some sections maybe mediated using interactive technology.
ACCT 5750 - Leadership and Professional Skills for Accountants (3 units)
Prerequisites: BUS 3050, Graduate standing. Through practice and multiple assessments, this course focuses on the knowledge and development of managerial skills needed to advance in the accounting profession. The skills emphasized in the course include: written and oral communication, critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, managing change and conflict, negotiation, networking and delegating.
ACCT 5340 - Professional Accounting Ethics (3 units)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course introduces students to common ethical dilemmas in the accounting profession along with ethical solutions. It emphasizes the ethical decision-making process for preparers and auditors of the financial statements.
ACCT 5950 - Case Studies and Research in Accounting (3 units)
Prerequisite: ACCT 5750. This course allows students to apply accounting theories and practices learned in previous accounting courses to analyze and solve real world accounting problems through case studies and research.
Option Courses
Option Courses make up 16 of the 33 units required to graduate. The following list shows the number of options this program has.
- Accounting Information Systems
- Financial and Public Accounting
- Taxation
For more information please visit the University Catalog.
