Leventhal School of Accounting

Graduate Degrees

Master of Accounting

The Master of Accounting program (M.Acc.) prepares graduates for careers in public accounting, industry and government. USC’s M.Acc. program is one of the first professional accounting curricula integrating undergraduate and graduate education in the nation. The objectives of the program include developing the sound conceptual, technical, analytical and communication skills that are required to succeed in the accounting profession. The program employs a rigorous case analysis approach that requires students to exercise their analytical abilities and develop effective verbal and written communication skills. The program also seeks to instill a deep appreciation and respect for the crucial role of the independent accountant in our free enterprise economy. This perspective provides the bedrock of the professional attitudes and responsibilities of CPAs today.

In this world of “re-engineering,” the term “public accounting firm” is becoming obsolete. CPA firms now view themselves as “professional service firms.” This dramatically changes the role of the CPA. The profession requires highly visible, articulate business professionals with the ability to interact on many levels within a client’s organization. This requires individuals with diverse backgrounds, making the profession ideally suited for those with accounting, business, liberal arts or sciences undergraduate degrees. Students may apply to the M.Acc. program during their senior year or after completing a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. An undergraduate accounting or business major is not necessary, nor is work experience a requirement.

Accounting Graduates

Accounting graduates and graduates in other disciplines who have demonstrated high academic performance in the completion of the required business and accounting courses should expect to complete their degree in two semesters with a total of 30 units. Of these 30 units, at least 15 units must be in accounting courses and at least 9 units must be in business courses other than accounting.

Required Courses (9 units) Units
ACCT 547* Enterprise Information Systems 3
GSBA 523T** Communication for Accounting Professionals 3
MOR 569 Negotiation and Deal-Making, or
BUCO 533 Managing Communication in Organizations 3

*Can be replaced with a graduate level accounting course IF student has successfully completed an equivalent course (determined by the Leventhal School of Accounting Master’s Program office).

**Requirement may be waived and substituted with a non-accounting graduate elective in the Marshall School IF student has completed an equivalent undergraduate course with high performance or successfully passed oral and written assessment tests (to be determined by the Leventhal School of Accounting Master’s Program office).

Elective Courses (21 units; minimum of 12 units of ACCT 5XX electives and a minimum of 3 units of non-ACCT 5XX electives) Units
ACCT 536 Advanced Cost Analysis and Management Accounting 3
ACCT 537 Management Control Systems 3
ACCT 544 Introduction to Strategic Tax Planning 3
ACCT 546 Auditing and Assurance Services 3
ACCT 549 Advanced Enterprise Systems and Technologies 3
ACCT 574 Accounting in the Global Business Environment 3
ACCT 581 Financial Statement Analysis 3
ACCT 585 Professional Responsibilities in Accounting 3
ACCT 588 Analysis and Implications of SEC Registration and Reporting 3
GSBA 568 The Economics and Marketing of a Professional Services Firm 3
BAEP 5XX Business Entrepreneurship electives 3
FBE 5XX Finance and Business Economics electives 3
IOM 5XX Information and Operations Management electives 3
MKT 5XX Marketing electives 3
MOR 5XX Management and Organization electives 3
Business Graduates

Business graduates should expect to complete their degree with a total of 45 units.

Required Courses (33 units) Units
ACCT 525x Intensive Accounting Principles and Practices 15
ACCT 535* Management Accounting and Control Systems 3
ACCT 546 Auditing and Assurance Services 3
ACCT 547* Enterprise Information Systems 3
ACCT 585 Professional Responsibilities in Accounting 3
GSBA 523T** Communication for Accounting Professionals 3
MOR 569 Negotiation and Deal-Making, or
BUCO 533 Managing Communication in Organizations 3

*Can be replaced with a graduate level accounting course IF student has successfully completed an equivalent course (determined by the Leventhal School of Accounting Master’s Program office).

**Requirement may be waived and substituted with a non-accounting graduate elective in the Marshall School IF student has completed an equivalent undergraduate course with high performance or successfully passed oral and written assessment tests (to be determined by the Leventhal School of Accounting Master’s Program office).

Elective Courses (12 units; minimum of 3 units of ACCT 5XX electives and a minimum of 3 units of non-ACCT 5XX electives) Units
ACCT 536 Advanced Cost Analysis and Management Accounting 3
ACCT 537 Management Control Systems 3
ACCT 544 Introduction to Strategic Tax Planning 3
ACCT 549 Advanced Enterprise Systems and Technologies 3
ACCT 574 Accounting in the Global Business Environment 3
ACCT 581 Financial Statement Analysis 3
ACCT 588 Analysis and Implications of SEC Registration and Reporting 3
GSBA 568 The Economics and Marketing of a Professional Services Firm 3
BAEP 5XX Business Entrepreneurship electives 3
FBE 5XX Finance and Business Economics electives 3
IOM 5XX Information and Operations Management electives 3
MKT 5XX Marketing electives 3
MOR 5XX Management and Organization electives 3
Non-Accounting/Non-Business Graduates

Non-accounting/non-business graduates should expect to complete their degree with a total of 54 units.

Required Courses (41-42 units) Units
ACCT 525x Intensive Accounting Principles and Practices 15
ACCT 535** Management Accounting and Control Systems 3
ACCT 546 Auditing and Assurance Services 3
ACCT 547** Enterprise Information Systems 3
ACCT 585 Professional Responsibilities in Accounting 3
GSBA 511* Managerial Economics (2-3), or
GSBA 514 Foundations of Business I and II 6
GSBA 523T*** Communication for Accounting Professionals 3
MOR 569 Negotiation and Deal-Making, or
BUCO 533 Managing Communication in Organizations 3

*Students can waive GSBA 511 based upon prior academic work of high quality.

**Can be replaced with a graduate level accounting course IF student has successfully completed an equivalent course (determined by the Leventhal School of Accounting Master’s Program office).

***Requirement may be waived and substituted with a non-accounting graduate elective in the Marshall School IF student has completed an equivalent undergraduate course with high performance or successfully passed oral and written assessment tests (to be determined by the Leventhal School of Accounting Master’s Program office).

Elective Courses (12 units; minimum of 3 units of ACCT 5Xx electives and a minimum of 6 units of non-ACCT 5Xx electives) Units
ACCT 536 Advanced Cost Analysis and Management Accounting 3
ACCT 537 Management Control Systems 3
ACCT 544 Introduction to Strategic Tax Planning 3
ACCT 549 Advanced Enterprise Systems and Technologies 3
ACCT 574 Accounting in the Global Business Environment 3
ACCT 581 Financial Statement Analysis 3
ACCT 588 Analysis and Implications of SEC Registration and Reporting 3
GSBA 568 The Economics and Marketing of a Professional Services Firm 3
BAEP 5XX Business Entrepreneurship electives 3
FBE 5XX Finance and Business Economics electives 3
IOM 5XX Information and Operations Management electives 3
MKT 5XX Marketing electives 3
MOR 5XX Management and Organization electives 3

Intensive Accounting Principles and Practices Course

Each summer the Leventhal School of Accounting offers an eight-week course, ACCT 525x Intensive Accounting Principles and Practices, that provides college graduates without an accounting undergraduate degree with the prerequisite technical accounting knowledge necessary for graduate work. Fifteen semester hours of credit will be received upon successful completion of the course. Second-year MBA students seeking accounting positions will also find this program useful. The technical accounting skills taught in this course may also enhance employability and career advancement for law students and graduate students in non-business areas of study. This course is not designed to be a preparation course or a review course for the CPA Exam. For further information regarding the intensive course, contact the Leventhal School of Accounting at (213) 740-4838.