MBA in Accounting | PennWest California

Build your career by the numbers with an MBA in accounting from PennWest California.

Choose accounting as the focus of your Master of Business Administration degree, and you can:

Expand your knowledge of accounting principles and practices.
Build the technical, research and communication skills required for success in accounting.
Prepare for a career as an accountant, budget analyst, tax specialist or auditor.

PennWest California’s MBA program incorporates cross-disciplinary core courses that enhance your foundational business knowledge and build decision-making and leadership skills. Specialized courses offer advanced education in areas such as auditing, federal income tax and financial accounting, and electives let you to tailor your degree to match your career interests and goals.

If you intend to sit for the CPA exam and become a certified public accountant, please consider our Master of Accountancy program.

Flexible options

PennWest California’s 36-credit MBA: Accounting program includes a mix of online and on-campus courses.

Online courses are asynchronous, so you have access to learning at any time, no matter where you may be.
You may attend on-campus courses in person or virtually, through multimodal web conferencing technology. This “distance learning” option gives you the flexibility to fit classes into your busy schedule or complete your degree entirely online.

You can earn the MBA: Accounting degree in 15 months of full-time study, or on a part-time schedule.

Students wishing to study on-campus or through a combination of on-campus and online coursework (multi-modal) must begin their MBA program in the Fall semester.

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MBA Programs and Master's in Accounting

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Program Highlights: MBA in Accounting

PROFESSIONAL TOOLS: As an accounting student in PennWest California’s MBA program, you’ll work closely with industry professionals to develop the technical and research skills that employers value. You’ll learn to use accounting-specific tools such as the FASB Accounting Standards Codification^® software and various tax research databases – hands-on skills that may give you a competitive edge in the job market.

CAREER OUTLOOK: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that “globalization, a growing economy and a complex tax and regulatory environment” are driving a strong demand for accountants and auditors. Technology may take over some routine accounting functions in the coming years, the BLS reports, but accountants will continue to be valued for their advisory and analytical skills.

MBA VS. M.ACC: What is the difference between an MBA in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy degree? While both programs focus on accounting, the MBA instills a broader range of business and leadership skills, while the specialized M.Acc. concentrates on accounting principles and practices, and on preparing for the exam required to become a Certified Public Accountant.

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$70,500

Median wage for accountants and auditors in 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

6^%

Projected job growth for accountants and auditors between 2018 and 2028, greater than the average for all jobs.

Degree Benefits

PennWest California’s MBA degree and its accounting concentration provide the skills needed to maintain accurate and well-organized financial records; examine financial statements for accuracy and legal/regulatory compliance; compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns for corporations, organizations and other entities; and suggest strategies for managing financial risk, reducing costs, increasing revenues and enhancing profits. The program also builds skills in quantitative reasoning and analysis, managerial decision-making and business leadership.

Graduate Outcomes

Graduates of this graduate-level accounting program are prepared for careers as staff or corporate accountants, accounting clerks, specialists in accounts payable/receivable, budget analysts or financial analysts. The program’s focus on developing leadership skills and a cross-disciplinary perspective positions graduates to move ahead in their accounting or auditing careers.

MBA: Accounting Curriculum, Admission Requirements and Related Programs

Curriculum

Course	Credits
Core Courses
MBA 700 Business Foundations	3
MBA 710 Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis	3
MBA 720 Leading the Enterprise	3
MBA 730 Managerial Decision Making	3
MBA 740 Business, Government and Society	3
MBA 750 MBA Capstone	3

Course Options (Specialized Courses)
ACC 710 Financial Accounting	3
ACC 715 Advanced Federal Income Tax	3
ACC 720 Advanced Financial Accounting	3
ACC 730 Advanced Auditing	3
Business Electives (500-level or higher ACC, BUS, ECO, ENP, FIN, HRM, MGT, MIS or MKT)	6

Total	36

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Admission Requirements

Regular Admission Requirements

Regionally Accredited Bachelor's degree with a GPA of 3.00 or higher (Students with a GPA below 3.00 may apply for conditional admission)
Official transcripts from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution

Conditional Admission Requirements

Conditional Admission may be granted with the following modifications of the Regular Admissions Requirements:

Regionally accredited Bachelor’s degree with a GPA of a 2.99-2.60 will be conditionally admitted with the stipulation of earning a 3.0 GPA in the first term
Regionally accredited Bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.59 and below will be reviewed for a decision once the following documentation has been received:

Those that have graduated 20+ years ago and are working in a related field, may submit their resume for review. Those that have not, must complete the GMAT with a 550 or better for consideration.

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION

Applicants who have provided unofficial documentation of test scores, transcripts or lack of letter(s) of recommendation may be admitted provisionally.

This policy also applies to undergraduate students who apply for graduate admission pending bachelor degree completion. Upon receipt of all official documents, a student will be changed from Provisional Admission to either Regular Admission or Conditional Admission. Provisional Admission students may take classes for one term but will not be eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

HOW TO APPLY

Complete the Graduate School Application
Submit the nonrefundable $35 Application Fee
Submit official transcripts by mail or email to:
- School of Graduate Studies and Research
  PennWest California
  Box 91
  250 University Ave.
  California, PA 15419
- Email: GRADadmissions@calu.edu
  Phone: 724-938-4187

Related Programs

Other MBA Concentrations:

Applied economics: Learn to apply economic theory and analysis skills to address issues in business, public policy and behavioral analysis.
Business analytics: Explore trends in information technology and transform data into meaningful tools that drive business strategies.
Healthcare management: Develop tools and skills pertinent to business careers within a variety of healthcare settings.
Management: Enhance personal leadership competencies and build skills that can be used to solve problems and generate results.