Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the requirements of the university as listed in the University catalog. In addition, applicants must have successfully completed an introduction to federal income taxation course, an introduction to financial accounting course, and an introduction to computers course. (Prerequisite courses may be taken at any accredited institution of higher education.) Furthermore, applicants must submit two letters of recommendation from supervisors or professors. GMAT is not required.

Given the small class size, admission to this program is highly selective. The ideal candidate would be a midcareer professional committed to pursuing a career in taxation. In addition, the candidate would exhibit ability to collaborate and work effectively with others. The candidate also must demonstrate previous academic success and a potential to excel in the rigorous program.

A typical successful applicant is a CPA or Enrolled Agent, who has a GPA of 3.4 in the last 60 units, and has five years of work experience in the tax field. International applicants must demonstrate a minimum TOEFL Paper-Based score of 550, a minimum Computer Based score of 213 or a minimum Internet-based score of 79/80; or, a minimum International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 or higher; or, a minimum score of 58 with the Pearson’s Test of English (PTE).

For more information, please contact the Program Coordinator, at mstaxation@csun.edu or (818) 677-3952.

“Following the advanced income tax course, I started to think about the rationale behind the law and how I can help clients beyond mechanical input on their returns. After working in the tax field for 20 years, I have gained a new perspective on my profession through this program.”

—Shuling Wu, CPA, MST (2011), Senior Staff Accountant, Perry, Hay & Chu, LLP

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M.S. in Taxation