Master of Professional Accounting

The Master of Professional Accounting at the National Academy of Professional Studies is a two-year postgraduate degree in accounting, built for people who want to work as accountants in Australia. It covers the core areas that accounting graduates are expected to know: financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, taxation law, business law and corporate finance. You also study the professional and ethical standards that apply to Australian accountants, and the reporting rules that listed and private companies follow. Because it is a professional accounting master's, the content is closely tied to what the professional bodies expect of a graduate entering practice.

Like most Australian master's degrees, it is structured around units of study, each with a credit point value. You will typically enrol in a set number of units each semester or trimester, depending on how the academy timetables its teaching periods, and you need to accumulate the total credit points the course requires to graduate. Assessment is a mix of exams, assignments, case studies and group work. Some units may include a capstone or applied project where you work through a real accounting problem from start to finish. Where the course includes work-integrated learning or a professional placement, that experience sits inside the degree and counts towards your credit points.

The skills you build are practical. You learn to prepare and interpret financial statements, apply Australian accounting standards, analyse a business's financial position, work through tax problems, and use accounting software. You also practise explaining financial information to people who are not accountants, which is a large part of the job. Group assignments and presentations build the communication and teamwork skills that accounting firms look for when they hire graduates.

This course suits two groups in particular. The first is people with a bachelor's degree in another field who want to move into accounting and need a qualification that covers the accounting major they missed. The second is international students who want an Australian accounting qualification and the post-study work opportunities that come with it. If you are already an accountant, the degree can extend your knowledge into areas you have not formally studied. Entry normally requires a bachelor's degree, and international applicants need to meet the academy's English requirements, which sit around IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall for coursework postgraduate study. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa, so check both. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, and you should confirm current fees, intake dates and unit details on the official course page before applying.

• Graduate accountant or assistant accountant in public practice firms, from small local practices to mid-tier and larger firms
• Tax accountant or tax compliance officer in accounting firms and corporate tax teams
• Audit assistant or internal auditor in audit firms, government agencies and large organisations
• Management accountant or financial analyst in private companies, not-for-profits and government departments
• Financial officer, accounts officer or bookkeeper in small and medium businesses
• Budget analyst or business services accountant in the public sector
• Roles in banking, insurance and financial services where accounting knowledge is required

Accounting is on Australia's skilled occupation lists, and graduates often work towards membership of a professional accounting body while gaining the practical experience those bodies require. International graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia after you finish. While you hold a Student visa, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight when your course is in session.