School of Business Administration, Portland State University

The Five Year Master's Degree in Accounting & Finance

The accounting and finance programs at Portland State University are well recognized for the outstanding caliber of its faculty, students and curriculum. Graduates of the accounting program at PSU regularly achieve the highest pass rate (in Oregon) on the Certified Public Accounting Exam, and are among the most sought after accounting recruits in the region.

The Five Year Master's Degree in accounting and finance at PSU is a new program that offers qualified students the opportunity to complete a bachelor's degree in accounting or finance and a master's degree in accounting and finance in fewer than five years, with enough credits to sit for the CPA exam in spring of the 5th year.

How the Program Works

Qualified students are provisionally admitted to the Master's of Science in Financial Analysis (MSFA) at the end of their 3rd year, assuming they have achieved and maintain the required cumulative GPA (3.3) and have successfully completed the Intermediate Accounting series (with a B- or better grade).

"Provisional admission" allows students to begin graduate level coursework in their senior year (within 45 credits of graduation) at the same time they are completing requirements for the bachelor's degree in accounting or finance. A maximum of 12 graduate credits are held in reserve until the bachelor's degree is completed, and are then applied to the MSFA requirements (these graduate credits cannot be applied to the undergraduate degree and all graduate credits must be graded B or higher).

In the summer between the 4th and 5th year, students may study abroad for three weeks in the South of France, and earn 9 credits toward the MSFA. Upon their return, these students would need only two terms (fall and winter) to complete the MSFA, and would graduate in March of the 5th year, giving them sufficient time to prepare for the CPA exam before beginning their careers in Fall.

Criteria

Students must be provisionally admitted to the MSFA to take any graduate coursework, and then are fully admitted to the MSFA program after completion of the Bachelor's degree requirements.

1. Students are eligible for provisional admission to the MSFA at the end of their junior year if:

• They have been admitted to the PSU undergraduate School of Business
• They have a 3.30 PSU cumulative GPA, and a 3.30 GPA in their accounting/finance coursework
• They have earned a "B-" or better in Intermediate Accounting I & II
• Complete MSFA application is submitted by April 1

2. Students are eligible for full admission to the MSFA program at the end of the senior year if :

• They have maintained a 3.30 PSU cumulative GPA and a 3.30 accounting/finance GPA
• They have received the Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance
• They have earned a "B-" or better in Intermediate Accounting I & II, and all graduate coursework.

The Freshman Advantage

Outstanding high school graduates interested in the Five Year Master's Program may be invited to join the Accounting Prep Program, which offers advising and co-curricular opportunities to better prepare students for the Five Year Master's Program. Students who participate in the Accounting Prep Program are an elite group of students who reflect the highest standards in academic achievement and professional conduct.

Open to incoming freshmen who graduated with a 3.5 GPA or better from high school, and who have demonstrated community service involvement, the Accounting Prep Program includes the following:

• Quarterly sessions with the Accounting Prep Program advisor
• Early admission to the Accounting Professional Seminar, where students network with accounting professionals in the community
• Participation in the PSU chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the national accounting student organization.
• Early consideration for accounting scholarships
• The opportunity to serve as an Accounting Ambassador, participating in orientations, New Student Week activities, Executives in Residence events, and special events

Sample Program structure for Accounting majors:

 

Year 1:
	Pre-business orientation class	1 credit
	University Studies requirements	15 credits
	Pre-business coursework	32 credits
	Accounting requirement/political science	4 credits
	Total	52 credits
Year 2:
	University Studies requirements	12 credits
	Pre-business coursework	8 credits
	Bachelor of Science requirements	12 credits
	Accounting requirement/political sci & ethics	8 credits
	Accounting Professional Seminar	2 credits
	General electives	4 credits
	Total	46 credits
	Admission to undergraduate business school
Year 3:
	University Studies requirements	12 credits
	Undergraduate business core requirements	20 credits
	Accounting coursework (300-level)	16 credits
	Total	48 credits
	Provisional admission to Master's of Science
	In Financial Analysis (April 1 deadline for application)
Year 4:
	Senior Capstone	6 credits
	Senior level accounting coursework	20 credits
	Undergraduate business core requirements	8 credits
	Beginning Master's coursework	11 credits
	Total	45 credits
	Waive BA 495
	(The bachelor's degree MUST be awarded before the student can take additional graduate coursework)
	Graduation: June Commencement for Bachelor's degree
Year 5:
	Summer study abroad in Marseilles, France*	9 credits
	Graduate accounting and finance coursework	29 credits
	Total	38 credits
	Graduation: March, with participation in June Hooding and Commencement for Master's degree
	*Optional. Students may study abroad or take summer classes at PSU, or take the summer off and resume Master's classes in Fall. In all cases, and assuming full-time status, students complete the Master's degree no later than June of the fifth year.

Contact Us

If you would like more information about this program, please contact:

Pam Mitchell
Graduate Programs Administrator
503-725-4733
pamm@sba.pdx.edu

Or, you may contact:

Maureen O'Connor
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
503-725-4728
maureeno@sba.pdx.edu

© 2003-5 Portland State University SBA