Why Study at PSU
The MSFA was developed in response to a growing need in business for high-level decision makers who could integrate complex accounting and financial information to serve the needs of the business enterprise. Developed in close cooperation with the business community, the MSFA at PSU offers four key strengths:
Curriculum: Unlike Master of Accountancy programs, the MSFA reaches more broadly into the areas of finance and strategy to provide skills in analyzing business performance, leveraging financial analysis skills through effective communication, and applying ethical frameworks to financial decisions. Major program components include an applied financial analysis project at the conclusion of the program and the opportunity for international study through a 3-week intensive program in Marseille, France. See MSFA Curriculum for more information.
Students: The MSFA program annually attracts top accounting and finance students, drawn to PSU’s combination of student success, faculty strength and innovative curriculum. Entering scores on the GMAT and undergraduate GPAs parallel those of top management programs. PSU students pass the CPA exam at twice the national average, and for the last 14 years, PSU has had the highest CPA pass rate of any accounting program in Oregon. Thirty one PSU students have been awarded the Elijah Watt Sells Award over the last 15 years, an honor going to students achieving the top score on the CPA exam. See Graduate Quick Facts.
Faculty: One hundred percent of full-time faculty holds a doctorate degree, and are actively pursuing research in a wide array of contemporary business areas. One hundred percent of the faculty also has corporate work experience. See Faculty Research for more information.
Accreditation: The MSFA program at PSU is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the leading accrediting body worldwide and the accreditor of the 400 business schools eligible for U.S. News & World Report ranking. Additionally, PSU is one of only a few U.S. schools, and the only one in the Portland area, with a separate AACSB accreditation for its accounting program.
Location
The School of Business at Portland State is located in the center of downtown Portland, selected in 2000 by Money Magazine as the “Best Place to Live” in the United States.
For business students, the attractions are many. In addition to unmatched scenic beauty and recreation opportunities, Portland is home to many of the most creative and innovative companies in the U.S. Major industry sectors include:
- Sporting/Recreation: Led by Nike, Adidas America, Columbia Sportswear, and filled with a host of small, entrepreneurial goods and services providers for whom the Pacific Northwest defines “sport and recreation.”
- High Tech: Major players include Intel, Hewlett Packard, IBM, and a solar system of small to medium sized, successful high tech firms spawned from creative, entrepreneurial Tektronix employees in the late 70’s and 80’s
- Creative Services: Portland has a well-deserved reputation as a center for creative excellence, with some of country’s leading product design, architecture, advertising, web services, animation firms, including Wieden&Kennedy, Allied Works, Ziba Design, and Will Vinton Studios among others.
- Food Industry: Oregon’s gentle climate and abundant rainfall make agriculture and related food products a major economic source, with grains, fish, nuts, fruit, wine and dairy products major Oregon exports, particularly to Asian and domestic markets.
- Sustainability Economy: Portland is home to the leading edge of companies and organizations dedicated to building and supporting sustainable business practices, including EcoTrust, The Natural Step
Business Connections
Faculty within the MSFA program have well-established connections to key executives and managers within each of the industries noted above, thanks in part to PSU’s location in the heart of Oregon’s business community. As a result, industry professionals are a common feature in the classroom, as students, as lecturers and often as instructors for MSFA courses. They lend the “real world” edge that distinguishes the PSU MSFA program, and provide the opportunity for “applied” learning in the program.
Careers
Career Services are available to MSFA students from the beginning of the program, including personality inventory testing, career assessment counseling, resume writing workshops, interview skill building, job fairs and networking events. See Career Services for more information.
© 2003 Portland State University SBA
