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The program provides a high-quality education that integrates accounting principles and methods with real-world, practical training from leading-edge professionals. In addition, the program commits a significant portion of resources for the development of a well-rounded professional through liberal studies education. The program is committed to helping the adult undergraduate student gain strong practical skills and knowledge in accounting principles, income tax and auditing standards. Students will learn the technical aspects of accounting and appreciate the economic consequences of accounting rules and practices. Skills acquired will advance students’ ability to analyze problems and clearly communicate solutions consistent with ethical standards. Students must complete a minimum of four courses (12 units) from the “Required Courses” list.

Work Toward a CPA, CMA, or CIA

BSA courses can be taken to qualify and prepare for examinations in professional certifications. For the CPA, the degree will satisfy 120 semester hours of the educational requirements to obtain a CPA license. Courses will also satisfy educational eligibility for the CPA Exam. Students will need at least 27 additional units to reach the 150-hour milestone required by the American Institute of CPAs. The BSA will satisfy the educational requirements for the CMA, and may do the same for the CIA certification.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The degree requires completion of 120 units as follows: 36 units of general education and liberal studies coursework, 54 units required for the major, and 30 units of elective courses, including courses taken toward minors. (See Declaring Minors below for more information.) Each course listed carries three semester units of credit, unless otherwise noted. A cumulative gradepoint average of 2.00 “C” or higher is required in all courses taken at Golden Gate University.

All degree-seeking undergraduate students must complete their English, mathematics, and critical thinking requirements within their first 27 units at Golden Gate University, unless they have already earned credit for the equivalent courses from another institution and have had those courses accepted in transfer by Golden Gate University. If either Math or English requirements for the degree have not been satisfied, newly enrolled students must take placement tests to ensure proper placement in the appropriate Math or English course. Students may also choose to waive the placement tests and enroll in the first course in either series, which are ENGL 10A and MATH 10. (See the course descriptions below to identify courses that have prerequisite course requirements.)

General Education - 36 units

Lifelong Learning and Self Development - 3 units
UGP 10
Gateway to Success (to be taken in the first term of the program)
Communication and Critical Thinking - 9 units
CRTH 10
Critical Thinking
ENGL 60
Research Writing
AND
one of the following:
COMM 35
Speech Communication
COMM 40
Understanding Communication
Quantitative Reasoning - 3 units
MATH 20
Applied Intermediate Algebra
Liberal Studies - 21 units
ARTS 50
Contemporary Arts & Culture (or any other ARTS course offered)
HIST 50
Contemporary American Economic History (or any other HIST course)
HUM 50
Examining the Humanities (or any other HUM course)
LIT 10
Foundations of Literary Study (or any other LIT course)
PHIL 50
Professional & Personal Ethics (or any other PHIL course)
SCI 50
Science, Technology & Social Change (or any other SCI course)
SOSC 50
American Government in the 21st Century (or any other SOSC course)
OR
 
PSYCH 10
Introduction to Psychology (or any other PSYCH course)

Major Requirements

Foundation Courses - 24 units

ACCTG 1A
Introductory Financial Accounting (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 1B
Introductory Managerial Accounting (*MSADA foundation course.)
ECON 1
Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 2
Principles of Macroeconomics
ENGL 120
Business Writing
FI 100
Financial Management
MATH 30
College Algebra
MATH 40
Statistics

*Students who intend to pursue the Master of Science in Accounting Data & Analytics (MSADA) must earn a “B” or better in these courses in order to satisfy the program’s foundation requirement.

Accounting Courses - 30 units

ACCTG 100A
Intermediate Accounting I (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 100B
Intermediate Accounting II (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 102
Accountants Professional Responsibilities and Ethics
ACCTG 103
Advanced Accounting: Consolidations
ACCTG 105
Cost Management
ACCTG 108A
Federal Income Tax I
ACCTG 111
Auditing (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 119
Accounting Information Systems
ACCTG 145
Law of Contracts, Sales & Commercial Transactions
ACCTG 159
Accounting Research & Communication (Capstone course to be taken in final term of program.)

*Students who intend to pursue the Master of Science in Accounting Data & Analytics (MSADA) must earn a “B” or better in these courses in order to satisfy the program’s foundation requirement.

Elective Courses - 30 units

Select ten additional upper- or lower-division courses from any subject for a total of 30 units. Note: courses used to complete minors also count toward this requirement.

Note: Students may elect to complete an accounting internship by enrolling in ACCTG 198 to satisfy general electives requirements. Students interested in the internship course should speak with their advisor.

OR

Path2CPA and Elective Courses - 30 units

The Path2CPA option makes the journey to an advanced degree quicker and less expensive. Students can earn a Master of Science in Accounting Data & Analytics (MSADA) or Master of Science in Taxation in as little as one year after completing GGU’s Bachelor of Science in Accounting or Bachelor of Science in Business with Accounting Concentration. The Path2CPA option can also satisfy the 150-hour education requirement for CPA licensure. Pursuing this option eliminates the requirement to apply for either of these Master’s programs and no GMAT/GRE test score is required.

The Path2CPA electives include up to four designated graduate-level courses and seven 3-unit upper or lower-division course from any subject. The graduate-level courses will be included in the unit totals and GPAs for both applicants’ undergraduate Accounting and graduate-level Accounting or Taxation degree programs. Students whose cumulative GPAs in the graduatelevel courses fall below a 3.00 GPA will be conditionally admitted to either of these Master’s programs.

Choose one pathway program:

Master of Science in Accounting Data & Analytics (MSADA)

Choose up to 4 courses (12 units) from the following:

ACCTG 336
Introduction to Data Analytics for Accountants
ACCTG 351C
Analysis of Financial Information for Accountants 
ACCTG 377
Financial Accounting and Reporting
ACCTG 378
Business Environments and Concepts
ACCTG 379
Accounting and Tax Regulations
ACCTG 380
Auditing and Attestation
3 UNITS:
One (3-unit) upper or lower-division undergraduate-level course from any subject.
(NOTE: ACCTG 377, ACCTG 378, ACCTG 379, and ACCTG 380 are graduate-level CPA Applied Accounting Graduate Certificate program courses that prepare students for the Certified Public Accounting examinations.)
Master of Science in Taxation

Choose up to 4 courses (12 units)* from the following:

TA 318
Advanced Federal Income Taxation
TA 329
Tax Research and Decision Making
6 UNITS:
Two graduate-level Taxation elective courses

AND
3 UNITS:
One (3-unit) upper or lower-division undergraduate-level course from any subject.

OR:
Select one course (3-units) from the graduate Accounting courses listed below:

ACCTG 377
Financial Accounting and Reporting
ACCTG 378
Business Environments and Concepts
ACCTG 379
Accounting and Tax Regulations
ACCTG 380
Auditing and Attestation
(NOTE: ACCTG 377, ACCTG 378, ACCTG 379, and ACCTG 380 are graduate-level CPA Applied Accounting Graduate Certificate program courses that prepare students for the Certified Public Accounting examinations.)
*Only one course (3-units) of non-Taxation subject courses can be applied to the Master of Science in Taxation program as elective credits.

Declaring Minors

To be eligible to declare minors, students must have already completed the required coursework, or be able to complete it in their final terms without requiring waivers, substitutions, or directed study courses, unless they are approved in advance by the department chair, program director, or dean.

Students may declare minors when they have completed the required coursework, or after the “Last Day to Drop Course without Tuition Charge” (per the Academic Calendar) for their final terms.

Students may declare up to two minors in a given degree program. Students seeking to declare more than two minors will be required to appeal to the dean for approval. Students’ diplomas will list the minors that they had successfully completed at the time their degrees were conferred. Students may not declare additional minors after their degrees have been conferred.

The following minors are available for this major:

  • Business Minor
  • Data Analytics Minor
  • Finance Minor
  • Human Resource Management Minor
  • Information Technology Minor
  • International Business Minor
  • Law Minor
  • Literature Minor
  • Management Minor
  • Marketing Minor
  • Operations and Supply Chain Management Minor
  • Organizational Leadership and Human Skills Development Minor
  • Psychology Minor
  • Public Administration Minor

Accounting Minor

The minor in accounting prepares students for a career in the areas of financial and managerial accounting, internal and externalauditing, and taxation. It satisfies the education requirements for the CPA and CMA examinations. Beyond technical accountingskills, students will graduate with practical skills and a sound foundation in economics, law, finance, management, informationsystems, quantitative methods and communications. Students who wish to engage in an accounting internship are encouraged toinclude ACCTG 198 in the general electives required for the program.

Required Courses - 15 units

Select five of the following:

ACCTG 1A
Introductory Financial Accounting (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 1B
Introductory Managerial Accounting (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 100A
Intermediate Accounting I (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 100b
Intermediate Accounting II (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 102
Accountants Professional Responsibilities and Ethics
ACCTG 105
Cost Management
ACCTG 108A
Federal Income Tax I
ACCTG 111
Auditing (*MSADA foundation course.)
ACCTG 159
Accounting Research and Communication (Capstone course to be taken in final term of program.)
*Students who intend to pursue the Master of Science in Accounting Data & Analytics (MSADA) must earn a “B” or betterin these courses in order to satisfy the program’s foundation requirement.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students who complete the Bachelor of Science in Accounting, including the general education program, will be able to:
  • Examine data and argument, as informed by interdisciplinary approaches to business management and organizational leadership.
  • Demonstrate effective communication skills.
  • Recognize the need for information in professional and business contexts and to responsibly access, evaluate and apply information using a variety of research tools and methods.
  • Develop strategies for organizational challenges using an understanding of business functional areas, management theory, principles, ethical reasoning and innovative approaches.
  • Prepare financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
  • Employ critical thinking skills and current technologies to analyze financial data, as well as, the effects of differing financial accounting methods on the financial statements.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of current auditing standards and acceptable practices, as well as, the impact of audit planning, risk, and rendering an opinion on the engagement.
  • Apply cost accounting methods to evaluate and project business performance.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of taxation.
  • Recognize and understand ethical issues related to the accounting profession.

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