Master of Professional Accounting (from Semester 2, 2013) 16 Unit program (MPAcc)
| Course Code | FC077 |
| Course Type | Postgraduate |
| Credit Points Required | 96 |
| CRICOS code | 077337E |
Description
The 16 unit Master of Professional Accounting is available for students commencing study from Semester 2, 2013 (July).
Students who commenced study prior to Semester 2, 2013 are enrolled in the 12 unit Master of Professional Accounting program.
The Master of Professional Accounting (16 unit program) is a two-year program of full time study (or four years part-time) designed to enable 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, the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills required for Associate Membership of professional accountancy bodies and as 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.
Minimum duration of degree
| Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|
| 2 years | 4 years |
Degree structure
To be awarded the Master of Professional Accounting, students will successfully complete a total of 16 units of study (96 credit points), consisting of the following:
- 13 core units of study (78 credit points), including seven foundational units (48 credit points)
- three elective units of study (18 credit points)
Core units of study
(i) Foundation units
- ACCT5001 Accounting Principles (must be completed in the first semester)
- BUSS5000 Critical Thinking in Business (must be completed in the first semester)
- BUSS5001 Firms, Markets and Business Management (new unit for 2013)
- CLAW5001 Legal Environment of Business
- FINC5001 Capital Markets and Corporate Finance
- INFS5000 Accounting Information Systems
- QBUS5002 Quantitative Methods for Accounting (new unit for 2013)
(ii) Advanced units
- ACCT5002 Managerial Accounting and Decision Making
- ACCT6001 Intermediate Financial Reporting
- ACCT6007 Contemporary Issues in Auditing
- ACCT6010 Advanced Financial Reporting (Capstone: must be completed in final semester)
- CLAW6002 Corporate Structures in Practice
- CLAW6026 Taxation Law and Practice
Elective units of study
- ACCT6002 International Accounting
- ACCT6003 Financial Statement Analysis
- ACCT6005 Management Control Systems
- ACCT6006 Advanced Managerial Accounting*
- ACCT6014 Designing Accounting Systems
- ACCT6015 Extended Performance Reporting
- ACCT6116 Corporate Collapse*
- ACCT6118 Public Sector Accounting*
- ACCT6120 Corporate Governance and Accountability*
- BUSS6500 Industry Placement ^
- CLAW6005 Regulation of Capital Markets *
- CLAW6030 China's Legal Environment for Business
- CLAW6031 International Financial Crime
- FINC6001 Intermediate Corporate Finance
- FINC6013 International Business Finance
- FINC6016 Financial Instruments and Markets
- INFS6012 Enterprise Systems Management
- INFS6031 Project Management and Accounting *
- IBUS5003 Global Business (new unit for 2013)
- QBUS6310 Business Operations Analysis
- WORK5003 Management and Organisations
- WORK6030 Performance and Rewards
* Not offered for 2013.
^ High-performing students who have completed at least 48 credit points of study in the program may be eligible to replace an elective with BUSS6500 Industry Placement, if selected for work placement on competitive merit.
Progression guides
The following table illustrates a suggested full-time learning sequence for the 16 unit Master of Professional Accounting program (commencing from Semester 2).
| Year / Semester | Unit of study 1 | Unit of study 2 | Unit of study 3 | Unit of study 4 | Total credit points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 Semester 2 | BUSS5000 | ACCT5001 | QBUS5002 | CLAW5001 | 24 |
Year 2 | ACCT6001 | INFS5000 | FINC5001 | BUSS5001 | 24 |
| Year 2 Semester 2 | ACCT5002 | CLAW6002 | CLAW6026 | elective | 24 |
| Year 3 Semester 1 | ACCT6010 (capstone) | ACCT6007 | elective | elective | 24 |
Please Note: The information listed in these programs of study examples are meant as a guide only. Students should always check the requirements for individual units of study. Students are advised to plan their degree based upon their individual needs and to contact the Student Information Office if they need any assistance in planning their progression in their degree.
Professional accreditation in accounting requirements
Subject to the successful re-accreditation review in 2012, completion of the core units of the16 unit Master of Professional Accounting satisfies the requirements of both ICAA and CPA Australia for accreditation under the direct program pathway. The foundation core knowledge areas that are required by the two main professional accounting bodies in Australia are as follows:
| Required knowledge area | Subject code | Subject's name |
|---|---|---|
Accounting information systems | INFS5000 | Accounting Information Systems |
Accounting systems and processes | ACCT5001 | Accounting Principles |
Accounting theory | ACCT6001 | Intermediate Financial Reporting |
Audit and assurance | ACCT6007 | Contemporary Issues in Auditing |
| Commercial law | CLAW5001 | Legal Environment of Business |
| Corporations law | CLAW6002 | Corporate Structures in Practice |
| Economics | BUSS5001 | Firms, Markets and Business Management for (new unit for 2013) |
| Finance | FINC5001 | Capital Markets and Corporate Finance |
| Financial accounting | ACCT6001 AND ACCT6010 | Intermediate Financial Accounting AND Advanced Financial Reporting |
| Management accounting | ACCT5002 | Management Accounting and Decision Making |
| Quantitative methods | QBUS5002 | Quantitative Methods for Accounting (new unit for 2013) |
| Taxation | CLAW6026 | Taxation Law and Practice |
For further information regarding accreditation with these professional accounting bodies, please refer to the accredited course information on their respective websites: