Professional Accounting

This section outlines the course rules and other requirements for the Professional Accounting programs offered by the University of Sydney Business School.

Please note: Students commencing the Master of Professional Accounting may be eligible for a reduction in the volume of learning for certified prior business study or professional business work experience.

Note: The Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting is offered as a course exit point only to students who complete four units of study for the master’s degree or graduate diploma. It does not accept direct admissions.

Master of Professional Accounting

The Master of Professional Accounting is a two-year program of full time study (or four years part-time).

Graduates with a recognised bachelor’s qualification, graduate certificate or graduate diploma in any field (and at a standard acceptable to the University of Sydney Business School) will have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills required for Associate Membership of professional accountancy bodies. The degree is a foundation for a successful and rewarding career in professional accountancy.

The foundation of the program exposes students to the broad organisational, regulatory and market context in which accountants operate.

Building upon these foundations, students pursue advanced learning in accounting within the contexts of both professional practice and the theoretical paradigms that underpin such practice.

The program reinforces technical excellence in these fields within a framework that emphases core professional competencies in:

• critical thinking
  problem-solving and strategic decision-making
• professional communication and persuasion
• information systems applications and
• management and ethical awareness and reasoning.

• While designed specifically for those from a non-business degree background, the program is also open to those with a prior bachelor’s qualification or higher in a business-related field.

Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting

The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting is based on the master’s program but requires the completion of fewer units of study. It is an option for students who do not want to commit to a full master’s program in the first instance, but who still wish to gain a solid grounding in their chosen field. In most circumstances, students progress to the Master of Professional Accounting (16 unit program only) on satisfactory completion of the graduate diploma at a standard acceptable to the Business School.

Course structures and progressions

The course structures and progressions are set out as follows:

• Master of Professional Accounting
• Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting