  Recent calculations of accretion-induced collapse of an oxygen-neon-magnesium
white dwarf into a neutron star [Piro & Thompson 2014] allow for a potentially
detectable transient electromagnetic signal. Motivated by these results, I
present theoretical rates and physical properties of binary stars that can
produce accretion-induced collapse. The rates are presented for various types
of host galaxies (e.g. old ellipticals versus spirals) and are differentiated
by the donor star type (e.g. large giant star versus compact helium-rich
donor). Results presented in this thesis may help to guide near-future
electromagnetic transient search campaigns to find likely candidates for
accretion-induced collapse events. My predictions are based on binary evolution
calculations that include the most recent updates on mass accretion and secular
mass growth of white dwarfs. I find that the most likely systems that undergo
accretion-induced collapse consist of an ONeMg white dwarf with a Hertzsprung
gap star or a red giant companion. Typical rates are of the order ~1-5 x 10^-5
1/yr and ~10^-4-10^-5 1/yr in large spiral galaxies and old ellipticals,
respectively. The brightest electromagnetic signals are predicted for evolved
giant type donors for which I find rates of the order ~2.5 x 10^-5 1/yr (large
spirals) and ~1.3 x 10^-5 1/yr (old ellipticals).
