The University of Southern California Accounting Degree Programs Won’t Take You To Disneyland


The University of Southern California accounting degree programs are well and truly a cut above the rest. It sees them ranked in the top five schools according to the US News and World Report.

University of Southern California: Facts & Figures

How about these for facts? Since 1912, USC is the only university in the world to have a gold medal-winning athlete in every summer Olympics, and if USC were a country, it would rank 12th on the list of the most Olympic gold medals won. Clearly, USC has some pretty handy credentials when it comes to its sporting achievements. 

Founded in 1880 in what is now the University Park district, just 2 miles from downtown Los Angeles, California’s oldest private research university originally commenced with just 53 students and 10 teachers. 

The university is now home to some 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and the largest contingent of international students in the country. This global link has been fostered through the university leveraging its relative proximity to the Asia Pacific region and Los Angeles’ status as one of the world’s true global cities, with numerous international relationships and programs established. 

The university is also well known for its School of Cinematic Arts, the oldest and largest film school in the country. So you never know; if you go to USC you might end up rubbing shoulders with the next George Lucas or Ron Howard, who are both USC alumni.

Leventhal School of Accounting

The University of Southern California accounting degree programs operate through Leventhal which resides within the highly rated Marshall School of Business, which also offers degrees in Business Administration. 

The main Marshall School building, Popovich Hall, was built in 1999 and is one of the most technologically advanced business school buildings in the nation. 

So, along with having access to state-of-the-art video-conferencing and experiential learning facilities, you can be pretty confident you’ll get a decent Wi-Fi signal in your study rooms.

Leventhal Accounting Undergraduate Program

The Leventhal offers a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree, with applications required to be made through Marshall. 

Undergraduates don’t miss out on being able to tap into USC’s international connections, with the curriculum placing a high emphasis on global business practices. One of the courses even has an interactive project with students from a Chinese university, using Skype.

Leventhal Accounting Master’s Program

Given the esteem in which USC’s accountancy school is held, its Master’s Programs are - not surprisingly - tough to get in to. 

Of the 1,600 applications each year, only about 160 students are accepted, with around a quarter of these being USC undergraduates. So, you’ll need to be a top 10% student to have any chance; but the good news is that if you do get in, Levanthal Master’s graduates have a 90% career placement rate. Completion of any of the graduate programs qualifies students to sit for the Uniform CPA exam.

Four Master’s programs are offered: Master of Accounting (MAcc), Master of Business Taxation (MBT), the part-time Master of Business Taxation – Working Professionals and the Progressive Degree. 

The Progressive Degree offers outstanding USC undergraduates simplified admission to a MAcc or MBT without going through the regular application process, and the opportunity to earn two degrees in five years or fewer. 

University of Southern California Accounting Degree Programs: Summary

In summary, there’s a lot to like about USC, and in particular The Levanthal School of Accounting. 

The campus’s location near downtown LA means it offers countless social, recreational and gastronomical options. The university’s reputation has been built over 130 years, and it has produced numerous alumni of significance, including many of the region’s eminent business leaders. 

Plus, its accounting program takes an international viewpoint, and is a highly sought after destination for students from all corners of the globe.

In the accountancy degree Olympics, the University of Southern California accounting degree programs are clearly one of the favorites in the gold medal race.