MST FAQ

• Does the MST program require a specific undergraduate degree for admission?
  • No. The MST welcomes applicants from all disciplines. Most applicants have an undergraduate degree in accounting.
• Are there prerequisite courses?
  • Five accounting courses are required:
    Financial Accounting
    Managerial Accounting
    Intermediate Accounting I and II
    and an undergraduate US tax course. 
    
    You’ll find more details on how to complete the prerequisites on our website. You must complete all five courses and submit your transcript to the Lucas Graduate School prior to orientation. The deadline for fall classes is August 1, and the deadline for spring classes is December 15. 
    
    If you already have an undergraduate degree in accounting from a US institution, you have satisfied the prerequisite courses. If you have earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from an institution outside of the United States, you will still need to complete a course in Tax (comparable to Tax Factors of Business and Investment Decisions) at an institution located in the United States.
• Do I need to take the GMAT? 
  • The GMAT or GRE is just one part of your profile. Scores at the 50th percentile in both the quantitative and verbal sections of the exam are considered competitive. We highly encourage you to prepare for the exam, take it as early as possible and retake it if you do not score competitively. Information regarding waivers is on the prospective student page. 
• Is there a minimum GPA for admission?
  • No, but a preferred GPA of 3.0 or above is competitive for admission to the MST program. An absolute minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for graduate admission at SJSU. 
• 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. 
• Can I get into a graduate program with a three-year bachelor's degree from India?
  • Unfortunately, no.
    However, here are some general guidelines: If you continue your education in India, you might consider continuing your education in the same or related field from an accredited university and earn a master's degree in India. The 2 year master's degree plus the 3 years bachelor's in India is equivalent to the four years bachelor's degree in the U.S. We will also accept an additional year of coursework culminating in the Postgraduate Diploma from an accredited university that is in the same or closed related field as your 3 year bachelor's degree.
    
    Note: Years of study must culminate in that degree's equivalency to the 4 years of comprehensive study in the U.S. Within the Indian educational system, we consider this culmination to be either the masters degree or the Post Graduate Diploma from an accredited university, therefore, you cannot simply take more courses without a resultant PG diploma or masters degree. If you earn the masters degree or postgraduate diploma in India we will need the provisional and final degree certificate upon graduation.
    
    If you remain in the United States, it is recommended that students with a three-year degree apply for undergraduate admissions at a four year regionally accredited college or university as an upper division (junior or senior level) transfer student and complete a bachelor's degree. Depending on how many transfer units are awarded, it should take about two years of full-time study to earn a U.S. bachelor's degree. If you decide to do this, please make an appointment with an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor at the college you plan to attend who works closely with international transfer students. To meet with an admissions counselor at San José State, go to Student Outreach and Recruitment to view the pre-admission counseling hours.
• Does the Lucas Graduate School offer scholarships for MST students?
  • You can find MST scholarship information on the Prospective MST Students page. In addtion, once you’re enrolled, the Lucas Graduate School’s MST programs coordinator will alert you about scholarship opportunities as they arise. You may also visit the SJSU Financial Aid and Scholarship office page for 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 application. Please refer to their website for important filing dates.