MSA FAQ

• Does the MSA program require a specific undergraduate degree for admission?
  • The MSA welcomes applicants from all disciplines.
• Are there prerequisite courses?

  • The MSA requires six prerequisite courses completed with an average grade of B or better within the five years prior to enrollment. The first prerequisite course is Introductory Financial Accounting, which must be the equivalent of three semester hours and completed at an institution in the United States. The acceptable course offered at SJSU is Financial Accounting, BUS 20. Many local community colleges offer Financial Accounting on site and online. You may explore these options under the BUS 20 listing at: http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/artic/all-course-to-course.html

    You may complete the remaining five prerequisite courses in the summer Certificate in Accounting Fundamentals. These five courses are all upper division and you may not complete them at a community college. If you do not have an accounting background, you should plan to complete a course in financial accounting by May 1. 

    
    If you are selected for admission to the MSA for fall but still need some or all of the prerequisite courses, your offer of admission will be conditional. The condition will be that you successfully complete the required courses in the Certificate in Accounting Fundamentals offered in the summer term.

• Is an internship required?
  • No. However, Bus 220K is an optional three-unit practicum scheduled during the spring semester. The course is an integral part of the MSA program because it provides you with an invaluable internship and practical experience. Therefore, all students admitted to the MSA program should be eligible to work in the United States.
• How do I secure an internship?
  • The MSA program staff will support and assist you in finding an internship. But, ultimately, your skills and the impression you make during the interview process will help you land an internship. The MSA program cannot guarantee that all students will be offered an internship.
• Is there a minimum GPA required for admission?
  • A preferred GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale). The absolute minimum GPA is 2.5 to be admissable to SJSU. 
• GMAT/GRE information
  • The GMAT and GRE are optional. Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 are strongly encouraged to take the GMAT or GRE to demonstrate their readiness for graduate work. Scores at the 50th percentile in both the quantitative and verbal sections of the exam are considered competitive. If you take the GMAT or GRE we recommend that you prepare for the exam, take it as early as possible, and retake it if you do not score competitively.
• Can the English language proficiency examination be waived?

  • Graduate Admissions may waive the examination if you have:

    Received a bachelors or masters degree from an accredited US institution.
    
    Received a bachelors or masters degree from an accredited institution for which English is the official and primary language of that country.
    
    Completed three years of full time coursework in an accredited U.S. institution.

• What do I need to do if I earned my degree outside the USA?
  • Graduate Admissions requires a World Education Services document-by-document evaluation for all transcripts and degrees earned outside the United States, (Basic or ICAP). This applies to all applicants with international credentials, both domestic and foreign, with the exception of Canada. WES is a non-profit organization that conducts research on international education and trends and provides expert credential evaluation services. You can find an application and directions on the WES website. 
• When will I hear about admission?
  • The Lucas Graduate School of Business has a process of rolling admissions. Once your application is complete it is reviewed by the program director and the interview is scheduled. Typically, all interviews are complete by mid-April and all students are provided an admission decision by late April. 
• What is the graduate business professional fee?

  • Without the graduate business professional fee, the College of Business would not be able to continue to maintain its current AACSB accredited business programs (i.e. MBA, MSA, MSF). As part of the College of Business, the Lucas Graduate School of Business is one of approximately 560 institutions worldwide - less than 6% of all business schools - accredited by the prestigious AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). In addition, the school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the California State Board of Education.
    
    Who made the decision to implement the graduate business profession fee?
    The decision to implement the graduate business professional fee was made by the California State University Board of Trustees on May 13, 2009. All CSU business schools that are either AACSB accredited or in the accreditation process will be impacted.
    
    Which degree programs at SJSU College of Business are affected?

             Early Career MBA
             MS in Accountancy  
             MS in Finance 

    How much is the graduate business professional fee?
    $270 per unit (which equals a semester hour) in addition to the current registration fees. For example, a 3-unit course would result in $810 of GBPF fees.  This fee changes in correlation to SJSU student fees.All courses that apply to the completion of the degree program will be subject to the fee
    
    When will this fee take effect?
    The Graduate Business Professional Fee took effect beginning with the Fall 2009 semester.
    
    Does the fee apply to international and out-of-state students?
    Yes, all students including international, in-state and out-of-state residents are subject to the Graduate Business Professional Fee.
    
    How will the revenues generated from this fee be used?
    Some of the ways the fee may be used include: To maintain AACSB accreditation. To attract and retain much-needed tenure-track faculty members to teach in the graduate program. To support diversity recruitment. To provide financial assistance to eligible students. To offer graduate assistantships.
    
    How will the fee benefit the students?
    Students will receive: Continued access to the business programs which meet the quality standard of AACSB with respect to the curriculum, faculty, and services. Increased availability in financial assistance and student assistantships. Additional support in student services. 
    
    What if I can't afford this fee?
    Apply online with the ‘Free Application for Federal Student Aid’ or FAFSA. SJSU Financial Aid Office will determine eligibility for each student, giving the professional fee increase full and significant consideration. How quickly the office is able to determine your eligibility is based in large part on the completeness and accuracy of the information you provide in FAFSA. All students determined to be eligible:
    

    (a) Can apply for State University Grant, Stafford Student Loans, and other scholarships;
    (b) Between 25-33 percent of the fee revenue will be set aside for financial aid. FEE DEFERRALS - students who have completed the financial aid application process are given registration fee deferrals in coordination with the Bursar's Office. A fee deferral is temporarily assigned to each student account to hold classes and delay the payment of registration fees beyond the scheduled payment due dates pending disbursement of the financial aid funds. This will prevent your enrollment from being cancelled. 

• Does the Lucas Graduate School offer scholarships for MSA students?
  • Once you’re enrolled, the Lucas Graduate School’s MSA programs coordinator will alert you about scholarship opportunities as they arise. You may also visit the Financial Aid and Scholarship section of our website more information on SJSU scholarship opportunities as well as the types of financial aid available to graduate students. To be considered for financial aid students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  Please refer to their website for important filing dates.