Master of Applied Supply Chain Management/ Master of Professional Accounting (MASCM/MPA)

This is a combined master's degree that pairs supply chain management with professional accounting. You graduate with two qualifications in three years instead of doing them one after the other. Le Cordon Bleu Australia delivers it, and the accounting side is built around the units you need for professional recognition in Australia, while the supply chain side looks at procurement, logistics, operations and how goods actually move from supplier to customer.

How the degree is structured

Australian master's degrees are measured in units of study and credit points, and a combined master's like this one usually runs across standard study periods, semesters or trimesters depending on the campus calendar. You will complete core units in both disciplines, plus electives, and the two awards are nested so that shared or cross-credited units count towards both. Expect a capstone unit near the end, where you apply accounting and supply chain analysis to a real business problem. Assessment is a mix of exams, assignments, group projects and presentations. Confirm the exact unit list, credit point totals and study period structure on the official course page, because combined degrees can be sequenced in more than one way.

What you actually study

On the accounting side you cover financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, taxation, business law and corporate finance, the content that sits behind the CPA Australia and CA ANZ accreditation pathways. On the supply chain side you look at procurement and sourcing, logistics and distribution, operations planning, inventory and demand management, and the analytics used to forecast and control cost. The interesting part is where the two meet: cost accounting for logistics operations, supply chain finance, and the reporting and compliance issues that come with international trade. Work-integrated learning and industry projects are common in Australian business master's degrees, so ask whether placement or a workplace project is available in your intake.

Skills you build

You learn to prepare and interpret financial statements, manage a ledger and run an audit trail, and at the same time you learn to map a supply chain, cost it, and find where the money leaks. Graduates come out able to talk to both the finance team and the operations team, which is rarer than it sounds. You also build spreadsheet and accounting-software skills, data analysis, and the written reporting that professional bodies and boards expect.

Who this suits

It suits people who want an accounting qualification but do not want to spend a career only in a finance function. If you have an undergraduate degree in business, commerce, engineering or logistics, or you have worked in operations, procurement or warehousing and want the accounting credential to go with it, this combination makes sense. It also suits career changers who need a recognised accounting pathway and want a second specialisation that employers in retail, food service, hospitality, manufacturing and freight actually hire for. Le Cordon Bleu's background in hospitality and food service means the supply chain teaching often draws on those industries, which is worth knowing if that is where you want to work.

Studying in Australia

International students on a Student visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session. After graduating, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream lets eligible graduates stay and work in Australia, and a three-year master's gives you a longer post-study work period than a shorter degree. English entry is typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for coursework postgraduate study, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge C1 Advanced accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets its own separate English threshold for the visa. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 113970K. Check the official course page and CRICOS for current fees, intake dates and English requirements before you apply.

• Management accountant, costing, budgeting and performance reporting inside a company, including the cost of moving and storing goods.
• Financial accountant, preparing statements and meeting reporting obligations in commercial firms and not-for-profits.
• Auditor or assurance associate, working in an accounting firm checking clients' records and controls.
• Supply chain analyst, forecasting demand, tracking inventory and finding where a supply chain is losing time or money.
• Procurement or sourcing officer, negotiating with suppliers, managing contracts and controlling purchase costs.
• Logistics and distribution manager, running warehousing, freight and delivery operations.
• Operations analyst, improving processes in manufacturing, retail, food service and hospitality businesses.
• Tax accountant, preparing returns and advising on GST, income tax and compliance for Australian businesses.

Employers include accounting and advisory firms, food and beverage manufacturers, hospitality and catering groups, retailers, freight forwarders, third-party logistics providers, agribusiness exporters, and government supply and procurement teams. Professional recognition matters in this field: CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand assess individual units, so check with them that the units in your intake meet the requirements for associate membership and the CA program. Australian accounting bodies also have mutual recognition arrangements with several overseas institutes, which helps if you plan to work outside Australia later.