Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Accounting

Concentration in Accounting

The accounting concentration is designed to provide a solid foundation of accounting and business knowledge that prepares students for careers in accounting. Courses are structured to allow flexibility in preparing for a career path in public accounting, private industry, and government or nonprofit organizations. The program offers a wide variety of courses that can be used to qualify and prepare for examinations in professional certifications such as CPA, CIA, and CMA. Students should consult with an accounting advisor to determine minimum course requirements for these certifications. The accounting curriculum also provides the foundation for graduate study.

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Students have basic competencies in business-related disciplines.

    1. Students will demonstrate the discipline‐based knowledge in accounting, economics, finance, information systems, international business, management, marketing, operations, and statistics.

    2. Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate the knowledge of different functional areas into effective business solutions.

  2. Students demonstrate effective communication skills.

    1. Students will create well‐written documents on a business topic;

    2. Students will deliver an effective oral presentation on a business topic.

  3. Students demonstrate the ability to analyze business situations.

    1. Students will solve business problems using appropriate quantitative and analytical techniques and technologies;

    2. Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and analyze alternatives in a business context;

    3. Students will demonstrate the ability to articulate and defend a course of action.

  4. Students develop team skills that facilitate achievement of organizational goals.

    1. Students will work effectively in culturally and ethnically diverse teams demonstrated by the ability to contribute to the team’s performance, interact positively with teammates, keep the team on track, maintain high standards for team performance, and by having the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to help the team succeed.

  5. Students understand the ethical issues related to the operation of business, including sustainability.

    1. Students will identify key concepts in business ethics;

    2. Students will recognize the ethical dilemmas in specific business cases;

    3. Students will analyze how ethical issues can affect the interests of different stakeholders;

    4. Students will propose a business solution to the ethical dilemmas;

    5. Students will be aware of sustainability issues in business.

  6. Students understand the issues related to the operation of global business.

    1. Students will recognize the relevant global issues including legal, political, social, and cultural factors in specific management situations;

    2. Students will analyze the impact of global issues such as legal, political, social, and cultural factors in specific management situations;

    3. Students will demonstrate the ability to propose business solutions based on the analysis of global issues, including legal, political, social, and cultural factors.

Impaction

(The department is currently considering the removal of impaction status for this program.)

The undergraduate Accounting program is impacted at the upper-division level. This means that there are more students interested in studying accounting than the program can accommodate. Therefore, entrance into the program is a selective and competitive process. Eligible first-time freshman applicants can be admitted to the University as pre-Accounting.  These students and other continuing SF State students who want to major in Accounting should apply directly to the Accounting Department.

SF State Scholar Program in Accounting

Faculty Coordinator: Jung Hoon Kim, Ph.D.
Email: jhkim@sfsu.edu

The SF State Scholar Program in Accounting is a combined program that awards both the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA with Concentration in Accounting) and the Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA). Students will receive both BSBA and MSA degrees when they complete each degree requirements.

Once admitted, students may take up to four 800-level graduate courses during the undergraduate program and will take the remaining 800-level graduate courses after transitioning into the graduate program. Therefore, students can earn MSA degree in addition to BSBA degree by spending 1 additional year (with careful course planning). Moreover, students can save cost in pursuing MSA degree since students enrolling in 800-level graduate courses during the undergraduate program will be assessed at the undergraduate tuition and fee rate.

Accounting SF State Scholars are highly likely to satisfy all California CPA Exam and License educational requirements upon completion of the MSA program. For example, the “Accounting Study” educational requirement for CA CPA License is automatically fulfilled with MSA degree. Moreover, all courses taken during MSA program will count toward other CA CPA Exam and License educational requirements.

The application process is also simplified. For example, GMAT/GRE and recommendation letters are waived. Application instructions are announced at the beginning of each semester to all undergraduate students with accounting concentration.

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Concentration in Accounting — 69 Units Minimum

Except in cases of credit by examination, no more than 6 units of the core may be completed on a CR/NC basis.

Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in core Business courses required as prerequisites for other core Business courses.

Prerequisite Courses (9-12 units)

Select One:3-6
DS 110
Calculus with Business Applications
MATH 107
& MATH 108
Mathematics for Business Calculus I
and Mathematics for Business Calculus II
MATH 110
Business Calculus
ECON 101Introduction to Microeconomic Analysis3
ISYS 263Introduction to Information Systems3
or a passing score on the ISYS 263 CLEP Exam

These courses must be completed before enrollment in certain core courses. Most core courses have specific prerequisites that are listed within the course descriptions.

Note: DS 110, ECON 101, and ECON 102 (formerly ECON 100) fulfill General Education requirements.

Core Requirements (39 units)

Required Core Courses
ACCT 100Introduction to Financial Accounting3
ACCT 101Introduction to Managerial Accounting3
Select One:3
ACCT 307
Accounting Information Systems
ISYS 363
Information Systems for Management
Select One:3
BUS 300GW
Business Communication for Professionals - GWAR
DS 660GW
Communications for Business Analytics - GWAR
BUS 682Seminar on Business and Society 13
BUS 690Seminar in Business Policy and Strategic Management 13
Select One:3
DS 212
Business Statistics I
MATH 124
Elementary Statistics
DS 412Operations Management3
ECON 102Introduction to Macroeconomic Analysis3
FIN 350Business Finance3
IBUS 330International Business and Multicultural Relations3
MGMT 405Introduction to Management and Organizational Behavior3
MKTG 431Principles of Marketing3

Concentration Requirements (15 units)

ACCT 301Intermediate Financial Accounting I3
ACCT 302Intermediate Financial Accounting II3
ACCT 305Cost Accounting3
Select Two:6
ACCT 501
Advanced Accounting
ACCT 504
Government and Non-Profit Accounting
ACCT 506
Auditing
ACCT 508
Federal Tax Accounting I
ACCT 514
Fundamentals of Data Analytics in Accounting

Electives (6 units)

Select two courses not already used to satisfy the concentration requirements above:

ACCT 320Legal Aspects of Business Transactions3
ACCT 501Advanced Accounting3
ACCT 504Government and Non-Profit Accounting3
ACCT 506Auditing3
ACCT 507Information Systems Auditing3
ACCT 508Federal Tax Accounting I3
ACCT 509Federal Tax Accounting II3
ACCT 513International Accounting3
ACCT 514Fundamentals of Data Analytics in Accounting3
ACCT 517Accounting Ethics and Professional Responsibilities3
ACCT 518Accounting Fraud Examination3
ACCT 531Fundamentals of Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation3
ACCT 551Principles of Internal Auditing3

Note: ACCT 317 may be used as a University elective to satisfy the minimum units required for the degree.

General Education Requirements

Requirement Course Level Units Area Designation
Oral Communication LD 3 A1
Written English Communication I LD 3 A2
Critical Thinking LD 3 A3
Physical Science LD 3 B1
Life Science LD 3 B2
Lab Science LD 1 B3
Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning LD 3 B4
Arts LD 3 C1
Humanities LD 3 C2
Arts or Humanities LD 3 C1 or C2
Social Sciences LD 3 D1
Social Sciences: US History LD 3 D2
Social Sciences: US & CA Government LD 3 D3
Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) LD 3 E
Physical and/or Life Science UD 3 UD-B
Arts and/or Humanities UD 3 UD-C
Social Sciences UD 3 UD-D
SF State Studies
Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective.
American Ethnic and Racial Minorities LD or UD 3 AERM
Environmental Sustainability LD or UD 3 ES
Global Perspectives LD or UD 3 GP
Social Justice LD or UD 3 SJ

Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.

First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)

Find the correct roadmap (A, B, C, or D):

  1. Select the row that matches your English Course choice for A2.*
  2. Select the column that matches your QR Category (found at your student center under Math Alert).
  3. Click the Roadmap that lines up with your row and column.

For example, if you are taking ENG 104 as your first English course and your student center math alert says you are QR Category III, you should choose Roadmap D.

Pathway QR Cat I/II QR Cat III/IV
ENG 114 Roadmap A Roadmap C
ENG 104/ENG 105 Roadmap B Roadmap D

*Composition for Multilingual Students: If taking ENG 209 as your first English course, choose the ENG 114 row. If taking ENG 204 for your first English course, choose the ENG 104/ENG 105 row.

SF State Scholars

The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree. Students in this program pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. This program allows students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior year, reducing the number of semesters required for completion of a master’s degree.

This roadmap opens in a new tab.

General Advising Information for Transfer Students

  1. Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
  2. The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
    • a course in U.S. History
    • a course in U.S. & California Government

For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:

  • Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
  • Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.

Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.

Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).

Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.

Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.

Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.

Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs

Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.

Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.

Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.

All Students Must Meet the Transfer Eligibility Requirements Outlined Below for Admission.

For more information, visit the Undergraduate Admissions section.

  • Complete 60 or more transferable semester units or 90 or more quarter units.
  • Earn a college grade point average of 2.0 or better in all transferable courses. Non-local area residents may be held to a higher GPA standard.
  • Be in good standing at the last college or university attended.
  • Complete 30-semester units (45-quarter units) of General Education, including four basic skills courses:
    1. One course in oral communication (same as CSU GE Area A1)
    2. One course in written composition (same as CSU GE Area A2)
    3. One course in critical thinking (same as CSU GE Area A3)
    4. One course in mathematics or quantitative reasoning (same as CSU GE Area B4)
  • The four basic skills courses and a minimum of 60 transferable semester units (90-quarter units) must be completed by the spring semester prior to fall admission, or by the fall semester prior to spring admission. Earn a C- or better grade in each basic skills course.