Santa Clara University

AACSB Accreditation

As one of only five AACSB-accredited accounting departments in California, our department continues to be influential in the Silicon Valley business community. Our graduates hold leadership positions in the area's major accounting firms, as well as management roles in larger companies throughout the region. Alumni achievement has led many national firms to identify SCU as one of the top accounting programs in the country.

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is the most widely accepted and highly regarded accreditation agency for degree programs in accounting. AACSB accrediation signifies that our department must maintain international standards of excellence specifically designed for undergraduate accounting programs. Many universities find these standards difficult to meet. Our department is committed to continous improvement in curriculum, faculty, and student quality. For more information on AACSB Accreditation click here.

Employment Opportunities for Accounting Students

Accountants provide businesses and external suppliers of capital with financial information essential to intelligent business decision making. Accounting graduates, who are in very high demand, embark on careers in public accounting, industry, government, and nonprofit agencies. Each year, our accounting students are provided with many opportunities to meet potential employers in events organized by the student-led SCU Accounting Association and the SCU Career Center.

The largest and most prestigious international public accounting firms recruit each year on campus. Our students are also recruited by local and regional accounting and consulting firms, publicly-traded companies, and governmental agencies. Though most graduates continue to work in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, our students are recruited to work throughout California as well as in other states.

Internship and Externship opportunities

Many of our students work as accounting interns during the summer between their junior and senior years. These full-time internships often lead to full-time accounting positions after graduation. By the beginning of their senior year, over half of our accouting majors have already accepted full time positions upon graduation. Here are some recent statistics on the percentage of our students who have summer accounting internships immediately after their junior year with three major groups of employers:                                  

Faculty-Student Interaction

Most courses are taught by full-time professors. Class size is small so that professors can give each student personal attention. Our upper division undergraduate courses are each taught by different full-time professors so students can obtain cutting-edge insights and in-depth analysis from a variety of professors.

SCU Accounting Faculty

SCU Accounting Advisory Board

We periodically adjust our curriculum and topical coverage to meet the changing needs of the dynamic business community  in the Silicon Valley. The Accounting Advisory Board is a group of business leaders who advise us on the current state of the business environment and important trends in the profession. The Board is dedicated to helping us better prepare students for career challenges. For information on board composition, see our Accounting Department Advisory Board page.

SCU Accounting Association

The Santa Clara University Accounting Association (SCUAA) is a student-run organization that provides undergraduate accounting majors with professional and social activities designed to stimulate and develop the skills and relationships essential to an accounting career. For over 30 years, the SCUAA has been one of the most active student clubs on campus. The student officers are dedicated to helping students learn about the accounting profession and create networking opportunities for students to meet representatives from many organizations. Its popular "Meet-the-Firm's Night", held in Fall quarter, brings students and professionals together to discuss careers in accounting. For more information about this organization and its activities, visit our Student Accounting Association page.

SCU Accounting Scholarships

In May of each year, the SCU accounting department awards scholarships to accounting students in recognition of their academic and service achievements. These scholarships are funded primarily by business operating in the Silicon Valley. About half of the scholarships are granted to junior accounting majors and half to sophomore accounting majors. For more information on scholarships, visit our Scholarship page.