Accounting is offered as an option within the Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and as the Master of Science degree in Accountancy. Accounting is the process by which financial data are gathered, analyzed and communicated for use in business, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Accounting information is used to indicate the relative financial position of an organization at any given point in its business cycle and to indicate how well the organization has done in the past and how well it expects to do in the future The demand for qualified accountants exceeds the current supply. Projections indicate that accountants will continue to be in great demand because of society’s concern with financial accountability in both business and government. Recent statistics from the Institute of Management Accountants indicate that 60 percent of accountants are employed by industry, 25 percent in public accounting, 12 percent in government, and 3 percent in education. At Cal State L.A. about 30 percent of the undergraduate students in the College of Business and Economics are pursuing the accounting option. The Accounting Department is one of the largest academic departments on campus.

The undergraduate and MS Accountancy programs prepare students for careers in public accounting, private industry, government and education. Public accountants serve clients professionally in the areas of auditing, tax, systems, and consulting. Private industry career options include management accounting, internal auditing and systems. There also are many opportunities in government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Franchise Tax Board and the State Board of Equalization.

Cal State L.A. was the first public-supported educational institution in California to offer an academic program leading to a master’s degree in accounting. The Master of Science degree in Accountancy is designed to produce graduates who are qualified to successfully challenge the professional examinations for entry into their selected field. The degree also prepares students for doctoral study or research positions.

Beta Alpha Psi, the honor society for accounting students, which is open to selected students by invitation, and the Accounting Society, open to all accounting majors, introduce their members to all facets of the accounting profession. Our local chapter of Toastmasters International assists accounting majors in improving their oral communication skills. Franchise Tax Board Accounting majors may also join the campus chapters of Golden Key and Phi Kappa Phi national honor societies which are open to qualified students in all academic disciplines. In addition, numerous scholarships are available to students in all disciplines who meet established criteria.


For further information, contact the Department of Accounting at (323) 343-2830 or the Office of Outreach and Recruitment at (323) 343-3178. California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90032. University home page: www.calstatela.edu