<p>What are some UCs/CSUs in California that have top programs in accounting/finance? Meaning that accounting firms will go there to recruit students and have internship programs. Please rank them! Also what private colleges have good accounting programs?? Please rank them too. </p>
<p>You will not find Accounting/Finance as a major in the UC system. You need to look at the Cal States:
All these schools have good programs and will list in order of difficulty for admission.
Cal Poly SLO
SDSU
CSULB
CSU Fullerton
CPP
CSU Northridge
Chico State
Sonoma State</p>
<p>I am not sure in regards of recruiting, but I know Cal Poly SLO, SDSU and CPP all have ties to many accounting firms.</p>
<p>Sac State and SJSU are also solid CSUs for biz/acct. Santa Clara UOP St Mary’s USD and LMU are privates to look into. </p>
<p>First, as stated above, most of the CSU’s have business schools and accounting majors or concentrations. Two more to add on the list are SFSU and CSUEB (Cal St. East Bay). </p>
<p>The UC’s do offer accounting concentration either thru the undergraduate business schools or the economics departments (business economics or management in the econ. dept.).</p>
<p>There 3 undergraduate business schools in the UC system: 1) UC Berkeley’s Haas; 2) UC Riverside; and 3) UC Irvine. I believe UCI’s is the only UC which admits freshmen to its business school. UCI started its undergrad bus. school a few years ago. Haas is the most difficult to get into and you would need to apply during your sophomore year as a UCB student for admission as a junior. You need about a 3.7 gpa from UCB to be admitted. Haas also admits junior transfers from community colleges (CC and you’ll need around a 3.8 gpa to get in). Haas might take transfers from other UC’s and other colleges, but because space is very limited and priority is given to UCB applicants and CC transfers, there are not many spaces available for other UC’s or other colleges transfers. Haas is rated as one of the top 10 best undergraduate business schools in the country.</p>
<p>Alternatively, you can acquire an accounting concentration thru the economics departments at UCLA, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara or UC Santa Cruz. I have not heard of UCSD to have such a program, but you should check their website. You might have to supplement the accounting courses with other business/accounting class thru extension programs or CC in order to meet the new CPA license requirements if you want to be a CPA (refer to the CA St. Board of Accountancy website). This also applies to Haas. Alternatively, you can meet the new requirements by getting a Masters in Accounting from UCI, UCI, USC or any colleges which offer it. A MBA from UCB or UCLA would be an overkill because these are top ranked MBA’s and students getting these MBA’s would not work in “lower” pay CPA firm jobs to get the CPA experiences. You might want to refer to some of my comments in the Graduate Business School section discussions.</p>
<p>The CSU’s mentioned above also offer finance major or concentration. The UC’s undergraduate business schools and economic departments offer finance concentration too.</p>
<p>I believe the order ranking of schools offering accounting in CA are:</p>
<p>1) UC Berkeley Haas;
2) USC Leventhal (the business school is also highly ranked nationally, a MACC is also available);
3) UCLA business econ (it might be a close 2nd place with USC);
4) I believe the UC’s are next, especially UCSB and UCD;
5) Cal Poly SLO; maybe Santa Clara Univ.
6 and below: the best ranked CSU’s, some private schools such as USF, Pepperdine, etc.</p>
<p>I don’t want to offend anyone but definitely most people would agreed with me regarding the top 4. Definitely, if you have aspirations to work in a large accounting firm, you would need top grades in college. The more elite your school, your grades can be a little less than someone from a less prestigious school. There are other factors considered, such as communication skills, presentation, appearances, etc.</p>
<p>USC is by far the highest ranked private college in CA for undergraduate accounting and finance. I don’t know much about other private colleges, but, in my opinion, I think Santa Clara Univ. is a distant 2nd for private colleges.</p>
<p>I would also rank the finance schools the same as above.</p>
<p>The large accounting firms (Big 4, next tier of international firms such as BDO, Grant Thornton, etc.) recruit from the UC’s and CSU’s for full time and intership positions. There are more positions going to UC grads than the CSU’s. In Northern CA, the large accounting firms like Haas. There are also new hires from USC, UCLA and other big name undergrad bus. schools from other parts of the country (i.e., Notre Dame, Cornell, Penn, etc.). In So. CA, the large accounting firms hire many from USC, UCLA and other big name schools from other parts of the country, including Haas. In both No. and So. CA, there are fewer positions available with large accounting firms for CSU grads. </p>
<p>I am guessing that you are contemplating a career in public accounting and I am posting this to provide a little clarity on the CPA license requirements, Prior to 2014, you needed 120 semester units or 180 quarter units to graduate with your Bachelor’s degree to qualify to take the CPA examination. The new requirements, effective 1-1-2014, require 150 semester units or 225 quarter units to be eligible to take the CPA examination. Effectively, these additional units are equivalent to an additional 1 year of full time student classes. The accounting units also increased from the previously requirements. This additional year of full time work can be fulfilled with a Masters of Accounting degree, MBA or Masters in Tax (MBT). Alternatively, if a Masters degree is not in your plans, you can fulfill the 1 year requirements by taking classes at a community college or extension college. You can get more specific information requirements in the following websites:</p>
<p>1) CA Dept. of Consumers Affairs, State Board of Accountancy;
2) The UC Berkeley Haas Business School;
3) USC’s Leventhal School of Accounting or Marshall; or
4) the business schools at UCR and UCI. </p>
<p>Wow. Thank you for all the information! As a senior deciding which college to apply to, these will help me a lot. 
</p>
<p>SDSU has a great business program and places CPA’s everywhere because they have really good professors with exceptional networking/alumni but, it is an impacted program, and to get in, your HS grades and tests scores have to be top notch. </p>