North Orange County and Los Angeles Gateway Cities students will soon have the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting in four years and earn a master’s degree in one additional year. The course of study is the result of a recent agreement between Cypress College, a community college of more than 16,000 students serving far western Orange County, and Cal State Fullerton’s Department of Accounting.

The partnership, which is similar to one established with Irvine Valley College and the Department of Accounting in March 2016, ensures that transfer students are prepared for the rigors of university accounting coursework, provides a better opportunity for entry-level vocational recruitment even at the freshman and sophomore levels, and makes lucrative accounting careers more accessible and affordable to low- to middle-income students.

“Our graduates are in high demand because of the rigors of our program,” says Vivek Mande, accounting professor and chair of the CSUF Department of Accounting. “Preparing students at the earliest stages means there is a greater chance of them succeeding. That’s something we all want.”

In the years to come, the Department of Accounting plans to continue to work with Southern California community colleges to develop similar partnerships. The agreement with Cypress College was two years in the making and stayed on track despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

New accounting students at Cypress College can apply for the program beginning in spring 2022 and be a part of the first cohort group in fall 2022.

“As the demand for accountants continues to increase, it makes sense to start reaching out earlier,” says Jenny Zhang, associate dean of the College of Business and Economics. “By partnering with community colleges, we can coordinate the curriculum between two institutions. We are working with faculty members at Cypress College to ensure that our teaching builds upon the foundation they have laid and they are aware of our expectations for transfer students. This more seamless transition helps ensure student success.”

Read more in this CSUF News article. Or reach out to the CSUF Department of Accounting at [email protected] or Cypress College’s business studies counselor, Robert Grantham, at [email protected] for more on the Cypress College program and how you can take part.