Accounting and Finance

Financial acumen for strategic decision-making

leventhal building

The Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance at USC is a joint degree offered by the Leventhal School of Accounting and the Marshall School of Business. This degree requires at least 128 units including USC’s General Education requirements and provides students with a comprehensive foundation in both accounting and finance, equipping them for finance-oriented careers. The program emphasizes real-world applications, including financial statement analysis, financial reporting standards, and valuation techniques.

The degree cannot be combined as an additional major in either accounting or business administration. The degree is administered by the Leventhal School of Accounting.

A cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) is required for all courses taken at USC as well as all upper-division courses applied toward the major, regardless of the department in which the courses are taken.

ACFN Sample Course Plan

The course plan below is a sample of how undergraduate students may complete their academic programs of study. To create a personalized course plan that meets your goals and interests, please contact your Leventhal academic advisor.  Leventhal majors can find the name of their current advisor on Advise USC.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission, students must complete  BUAD 280 (Introduction to Financial Accounting) or BUAD 305 (Abridged Accounting) and BUAD 306 (Business Finance) or BUAD 308 (Advanced Business Finance). If these courses are not yet completed, please wait until they are either completed or in progress before submitting your application.

Recommended Coursework 

Required Accounting Courses (12 units)

  • ACCT 370 External Financial Reporting Issues Units: 4
  • ACCT 416 Financial Statement Analysis Units: 4
  • Complete 4 units from the following list:
    • ACCT 371 Introduction to Accounting Systems Units: 4
    • ACCT 405 Introduction to Sustainability Reporting Units: 4 
    • ACCT 451 Tax Analysis with Data Analytics Units: 4
    • ACCT 456 Auditing with Data Analytics Units: 4
    • ACCT 470 Advanced External Financial Reporting Issues Units: 4
    • ACCT 493 Leventhal Honors Research Seminar Units: 2
    • ACCT 494 Leventhal Honors Research and Thesis Units: 2
    • ACCT 499: Special Topics; Units: 1,2, 3, or 4

Required Finance Courses (12 units)

  • FBE 421 Financial Analysis and Valuation Units: 4
  • Complete 4 units from the following list:
    • FBE 423 Introduction to Venture Capital and Private Equity Units: 4
    • FBE 431 Financial Policies and Corporate Governance Units: 4
    • FBE 432 Corporate Financial Strategy Units: 4
    • FBE 460 Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructuring ​Units: 4
  • Complete 4 units of upper-division elective course work - not including the courses completed to satisfy the above requirements - offered by the Finance and Business Economics department in the Marshall School, specifically 300- or 400-level courses with a prefix FBE that are available for credit toward the major.

FAQs

What are the gateway courses that must be completed before I can change to this major?
  • BUAD 280: Introduction to Financial Accounting or BUAD 305: Abridged Core Concepts of Accounting Information (if eligible/applicable) 
  • BUAD 306: Business Finance or BUAD 308: Advanced Business Finance
- Hide
What other resources/experiences can help students determine if this major is the right fit?
  • Leventhal Faculty/Professors
  • Marshall Finance (FBE) Faculty/Professors
  • Marshall/Leventhal Student Organizations
  • Marshall and/or Leventhal Career Services
- Hide
For what careers or industries could this major prepare students?
  • Investment Banking
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  •  Venture Capital
  • Commercial Lending
  •  Private Equity
  •  Corporate Finance
- Hide
Why would students choose this major?
  • The program equips students with a comprehensive understanding of both accounting and finance, preparing them for a variety of finance-related careers. 
  • Emphasizes finance theory and practice, and the methods and analysis of financial information.
  • The upper-division courses are designed with financial statement analysis in mind, not financial statement preparation.

 

- Hide
Does the Accounting & Finance degree lead to CPA eligibility?

No, the Accounting & Finance degree does not specifically fulfill the educational requirements for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure. If your goal is to become a CPA, we recommend pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Accounting, which is designed to meet the educational criteria for CPA eligibility in California. For other states or territories, please review the specific requirements for CPA licensure in those jurisdictions.

- Hide

For International Students

This major is a STEM program.

This major has been approved by the university to be STEM-eligible. This allows students who have completed this degree to apply for the STEM OPT Extension. Please note that this extension is not guaranteed but is approved by federal departments beyond the university’s purview. We strongly advise students to carefully read the Office of International Services instructions (here and here) which explain the STEM OPT extension eligibility and proceed accordingly.