Master of Professional Accounting

What is this course about?

CSU's Master of Professional Accounting program is designed to build upon previous non-accounting undergraduate studies and work experience, and to add conceptual depth by concentrating on studies in accounting and related disciplines.

The purpose of the Master of Professional Accounting is to provide a generalised professional accounting education to graduates of non-accounting disciplines and to satisfy the academic requirements of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and CPA Australia.

The Master of Professional Accounting is designed for students looking for a change in career, and opens the way to many vocational choices in areas of financial management, public practice, commerce and industry, government and semi-government organisations, and accounting education.

The 12-subject Master of Professional Accounting is available to students who have an undergraduate degree in a discipline other than accounting from a recognised tertiary institution, or a qualification deemed to be equivalent.

Applicants who do not have a Bachelor degree, but have a lower level qualification such as a TAFE Advanced Diploma, may enter the 16-subject Master of Professional Accounting by first completing the Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting or the Graduate Diploma of Accounting. Credit into the Master of Professional Accounting will be awarded for relevant subjects completed in the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma program.

This course is available by distance education from the Wagga Wagga Campus and face-to-face at the CSU Study Centres in Sydney and Melbourne.

Why study this degree?

The Master of Professional Accounting will prepare students to:

• undertake and evaluate the conceptual basis of accounting and financial decision making
• understand, evaluate and apply the principles of current accounting practice
• recognise and analyse the impact of the business environment on accounting theory and its application, including the regulatory requirements controlling the accounting process.

More reasons to study this degree

Find out where this course can take you

Course structure

Master of Professional Accounting

The Master of Professional Accounting consists of 12 subjects if the student has a previous undergraduate degree, or 16 subjects for students who do not have an undergraduate degree and enter the program through a pathway of the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting or the Graduate Diploma of Accounting.

Graduate Diploma of Accounting

The Graduate Diploma of Accounting consists of eight subjects. At least four subjects must be accounting subjects drawn from the list of core Master of Professional Accounting subjects  and no more than four subjects can be drawn from the list of restricted electives.

Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting

The Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting consists of four subjects and is designed to allow students to choose subjects from the list of core Master of Professional Accounting subjects to best meet their individual needs.

More information about the course structure

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject outlines and in course materials.

Why study this degree?

Flexible offering

As with all of CSU's courses, the Master of Professional Accounting and articulated programs are designed and delivered with study flexibility in mind. Our students choose between full-time and part-time study options to fit in with work and lifestyle commitments. You could choose to study just one subject in an academic session or, with approval, fast-track degree completion by undertaking three or four subjects per session.

This course is available by distance education from the Wagga Wagga Campus and face-to-face at the CSU Study Centres in Sydney and Melbourne.

The 12-subject Master of Professional Accounting has a minimum full-time duration of three sessions, however actual duration is dependent on subject availability and the session of commencement.

For distance education students, core subjects have compulsory residential schools that provide opportunities for intensive face-to-face learning.

Further study

After completing the Master of Professional Accounting, graduates may consider undertaking the Master of Accounting Practice. This highly specialised program will give graduates a competitive edge in their career. As part of the program, students will receive comprehensive tuition and support in the CPA Program professional level segments to prepare them for the external CPA Program examinations.

Professional recognition

These courses are accredited by CPA Australia, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia.

Graduates of the Master of Professional Accounting can expect career opportunities in a range of areas including:

• accounting
• assurance services
• taxation
• financial management
• commerce and industry
• government and semi-government organisations
• accounting education

Credit/pathways

Master of Professional Accounting (12 subjects)

Students may receive up to 50% (six 8 point subjects) credit into the Master of Professional Accounting program for related prior postgraduate studies. Credit will not be awarded for work experience.

Students with a completed Australian Bachelor level qualification or equivalent in business may be eligible for up to three subjects credit into the Master of Professional Accounting.

Applicants who have completed either the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting or the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting will be awarded credit for those subjects upon admission to the Master of Professional Accounting.

Master of Professional Accounting (16 subjects)

Students may receive up to 50% (eight 8 point subjects) credit into the extended Master of Professional Accounting program for related prior postgraduate studies. Credit will not be awarded for work experience.

Applicants who have completed either the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting or the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting will be awarded credit for those subjects upon admission to the Master of Professional Accounting (16 subjects).

Candidates may receive transfer credit for up to 50% of the course for prior study if they can demonstrate that such study was completed at a recognised higher education institution within the last 10 years at the postgraduate level. To apply for credit, candidates are required to submit with their application for admission a certified transcript of results and subject outline/curriculum of those subjects.

Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting

Students may receive up to 50% (four 8 point subjects) credit into the Graduate Diploma program for related prior postgraduate studies. Credit will not be awarded for work experience.

Applicants who have completed the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting will be awarded credit for those subjects upon admission to the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting or the Master of Professional Accounting.

Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting

Students may receive up to 50% (two 8 point subjects) credit into the Graduate Certificate program for related prior studies. Credit will not be awarded for work experience.

More information about credit and pathways.

Admission requirements

Students interested in enrolling must have:

• an undergraduate degree from a recognised tertiary institution and/or an equivalent professional qualification.
• a minimum of three years' work experience.

English language proficiency

Applicants will be deemed to have sufficient English proficiency if they:

• have completed all their formal studies in one or more of the following countries; or
• were born in one of the following countries and have completed at least one qualification in one of those countries; or
• have completed senior secondary study or at least one year of full-time University study in one of the following countries: American Samoa, Australia, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, United Kingdom, USA, Zambia
  or
• have successfully completed one year of full-time (or part-time equivalent) post-secondary study at an affiliate institution of the University, with English as the medium of instruction and assessment.

All other applicants must explicitly demonstrate proficiency.

Acceptable tests for English proficiency

Any of the following results, attained within the last two years, can be used to demonstrate English proficiency:

• an Academic IELTS (International English Language Testing System) overall score of at least 6.0, and with no score below 5.5;
• a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) paper-based score of 550 and TWE of 5.0;
• a TOEFL computer-based score of 213 and Essay Rating of 5;
• a TOEFL internet-based score of 80 for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs, and 90 for postgraduate research candidates with a minimum score of 25 in the writing section.
• a Combined Universities Admission Test (CULT) overall score of at least 65;
• a C pass in English at the GCE 'A' level examinations in either Singapore or the United Kingdom;
• completion of the International Baccalaureate diploma with English A2 at higher or sub. Level;
• a C pass in 'Use of English' in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE);
• completion of the UNSW Foundation Studies Certificate with a C pass in 'Use of English';
• completion of an AQF Certificate IV (including English for Academic Purposes);
• successful completion of at least one year of study in a course at Associate Diploma or Diploma level on the Register of Australian Tertiary Education;
• a score of 155 in the verbal component of the STAT test;
• a Pass grade in the Uniworld English College English for Tertiary Entrance course; or
• IRI Diploma of English.

An applicant who does not otherwise meet the University's requirements may be admitted on the recommendation of the Dean of the appropriate faculty.

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

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