About Accounting

Study Accounting to learn about the principles of accounting, intermediate accounting, auditing, cost accounting, microcomputer accounting, and income-tax procedure.

Skills that are covered include developing and maintaining a financial information system, applying uniform commercial law to common business transactions, generating and analyzing management reports, analyzing and explaining financial statements in oral and written communication, preparing individual federal and California income tax returns, and using standard business software.

Explore Potential Careers

The Accounting degree program prepares you for employment as a junior accountant or junior auditor.

Positions to which graduates have advanced after gaining experience and undertaking further study include those of accounting supervisor, senior accountant, and senior auditor.

Credit Program Options 

Click on the degree you're interested in earning to see a sample map of courses to take to complete your goal from start to finish. 

Please note that the course maps provided are just an example to help you get started. Please meet with a counselor to personalize the plan to you and your Academic goals. 

View College Catalog

Semester 1 

Course Number Course Title Units
ACCT 1 Financial Accounting 5
GNBS 119 Introduction to Business 3
MABS 60 Introduction to Computer Applications for Business 3
MATH 75 Mathematical Analysis for Business 3

Total Units: 14 

Semester 2

Course Number Course Title Units
ACCT 2 Managerial Accounting 5
ACCT 59 Federal Income Tax 3
MABS 101 Microsoft Excel 3
MGT 234 Communication for Business Management 3

Total Units: 14 

Semester 3

Course Number Course Title Units
ACCT 51 Intermediate Accounting 5
ACCT 55 Cost Accounting 3
ACCT 57 Accounting with QuickBooks 3
ACCT 59B California Income Tax 1
BSL 1 Business Law I 3

Total Units: 15 

Semester 4

Course Number Course Title Units
BSL 2 Business Law II 3
ACCT 52 or FIN 136 Intermediate Accounting or Personal Financial Planning 5 or 3
ACCT 54 or ACCT 58 Auditing or Accounting Ethics 3
CRER 62 or CRER 61 Successful Job Search Techniques or Orientation to Career Success 1

Total Units: 10 - 12 

Overall Total Units: 53-55 

View Requirements in College Catalog

Required Courses

Course Number Course Title Units
ACCT 1 Financial Accounting 5
ACCT 2 Managerial Accounting 5
ECON 3 Principles of Microeconomics 3
ECON 1 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
BSL 1 Business Law I 3
GNBS 119 Introduction to Business 3

Total Units: 22 

Math: Choose ONE of the following math courses

Course Number Course Title Units
MATH 75 Mathematical Analysis for Business 3
MATH 100A Short Calculus I 3

Total Units: 3 

Statistics: Choose ONE of the following statistics courses

Course Number Course Title Units
ECON 5 Introductory Statistics for Economics, Business and Social Sciences 5
LALS 5 Introduction to Statistical Methods in Latin American and Latino/a Studies 5
MATH 80 Probability and Statistics 5
PSYC 5 Statistics for Behavioral Sciences 5

Total Units: 5 

Overall Total Units: 30 

View Requirements in College Catalog

Required

Course Number Course Title Units
ACCT 1 Financial Accounting 5
ACCT 2 Managerial Accounting 5
BSL 1 Business Law I 3
ECON 1 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
ECON 3 Principles of Microeconomics 3
GNBS 119 Introduction to Business 3
MABS 60 Introduction to Computer Applications for Business 3

Total Units: 25 

Choose five units from the following

Course Number Course Title Units
ECON 5 Introductory Statistics for Economics, Business and Social Sciences 5
MATH 80 Probability and Statistics 5

Total Units: 5 

Overall Total Units: 30 

Transfer Options

The program coursework you complete at City College will satisfy lower-division requirements for related majors at several colleges and universities. Start planning your transfer by exploring Accounting programs at the following institutions: 

  • SFSU – BA in Business Admin, concentration Accounting
  • UC Berkeley – Accounting Program

Have questions about transfer? Visit the Transfer Center for help, transfer information, and/or to speak with college representatives. 

Preparing for the CPA Exam

For information about the CPA Exam, visit the .