California State University-Los Angeles Master of Science in Accounting: 2027 Review

Score

67.1 of 100

Cost (20%)

9.6 of 10

Completion (15%)

9.3 of 10

Flexibility (15%)

0.0 of 10

Credential Alignment (10%)

10.0 of 10

Track Record (10%)

6.3 of 10

Program Reputation (10%)

6.9 of 10

Credits

33

Format

On Campus

Time to Finish

24 months

Accreditation

AACSB (confirmed on the official list)

See exactly how we score on the methodology page. We checked the school's figures on October 8, 2026.

Cal State LA lets you pick Taxation, Financial and Public Accounting, or Accounting Information Systems, and it accepts every undergraduate major. A required ethics course and a closing case-study course keep the 33 units practical.

The Master of Science in Accounting sits in the College of Business and Economics at California State University-Los Angeles, a public university in Los Angeles. You'll earn the degree on campus. Six required courses form the base, and your chosen option fills out the rest.

• Career changers from any major: the school accepts a bachelor's degree in any field, so history or biology graduates can apply.
• Future tax specialists: the Taxation option points your electives at that work from the start.
• Students drawn to systems and controls: Accounting Information Systems is both an option and a required course.
• Would-be certified public accountants (CPAs): the school says graduates are prepared for the CPA exam.
• Students who want a professional network: the Beta Alpha Psi chapter has been on campus since 1961.

Six required courses make up 18 units. ACC 5240A Accounting Information Systems covers accounting systems and internal controls. ACC 5240B Auditing looks at audit opinions and assurance work in public practice. ACC 5260 Financial Accounting Theory digs into advanced concepts behind financial statements. ACC 5340 Professional Accounting Ethics works through real dilemmas for preparers and auditors. ACC 5750 Leadership and Professional Skills for Accountants builds communication, negotiation and teamwork.

ACC 5995 Case Studies and Research in Accounting has you solve real-world problems with what you've learned. Five option courses add 15 units in Taxation, Financial and Public Accounting, or Accounting Information Systems. You can also join the Accounting Society, the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) or Beta Alpha Psi.

You can volunteer with the campus Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) free tax preparation program, which began in 1983.

You'll complete 33 units. The advising roadmap spreads them over two years, 18 units in year one and 15 in year two.

Cal State LA charges about $420 per credit, according to the school's reported tuition.

Classes meet on the Los Angeles campus. The program describes its scheduling as flexible. Industry-focused events, guest lecturers and award-winning student events add to coursework, and the accounting department offers advisement and career placement services.

The College of Business and Economics holds AACSB accreditation. The program prepares you for the CPA exam. It also lets you work toward Fraud Examination and Internal Auditing certifications. The department chair is a Ph.D. and CPA, and an advisory board that includes firm partners works with the department.

Where this degree can lead: Accounting Degree Jobs.

Graduates quoted on the school's own testimonial page praise the faculty. One graduate from a non-business background says professors' years of industry experience gave a practical view of the field. Another values faculty who gave extra feedback and advice inside and outside class.

An international graduate says professors push you to dig deeper into accounting and to serve the community, and calls the staff friendly and willing to help. The university newsroom reported in February 2025 that Best Value Schools has placed its accounting program at the head of its California category for five consecutive years.

• Which of the three options has the most course choices this year?
• Which firms sit on the department's advisory board, and do they recruit from this program?
• What events and guest lecturers are planned for this term?
• How does the VITA tax program fit around graduate course loads?
• Which prerequisite courses would I take first if my bachelor's isn't in accounting?

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