Master of Professional Accounting
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Professional Accounting |
| Deakin course code | M720 |
| Course version | 3 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Business and Law |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2012 to 2020 |
| Campus | Burwood (Melbourne), Online. For students who commenced prior to 2020 only |
| Duration | 1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| CRICOS code | 073435B Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
Students commencing from T1 2021 onwards, please see new course structure M742 Master of Professional Accounting | |
Note: The final intake for this course version was 2020. Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive. | |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Alternative exits
- Course learning outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Deakin's Master of Professional Accounting covers engaging areas such as corporate and management accounting, commercial law, corporations law, accounting theory, economics, and finance. Open to graduates from both accounting and non-accounting background, you’ll be given the opportunity to complete the necessary studies to become associate members of CPA Australia, to enter the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand to undertake the CA program or to enter the IPA professional program.
The accounting profession has recently seen a trend of shifting roles from predominantly providing financial information towards wide-ranging advisory services. Graduating with a Master of Professional Accounting from Deakin opens the door to a huge variety of business careers. Today’s accountants are regarded as providers of business management information – a role perfectly suited to graduates of this professional accounting course.
Indicative student workload
As a student in the Faculty of Business and Law, you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Professional recognition
Completion of the appropriate selection of units within the Master of Professional Accounting grants eligibility for entry as an associate member of CPA Australia, and meets the educational requirements for entry into the CA program of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), Professional Accounting Program (PEP). Upon completion of appropriate program units, it is also possible to receive exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) towards the ACCA qualification. Completion of this qualification will allow students to enter the Certified Management Accountants (CMA) study program.
Students should carefully note the trimesters when units are offered to ensure that all required units can be completed in the appropriate time frame.
Students who wish to enter the CA, CPA programs or exemptions to the ACCA program are advised that it is their responsibility to ensure that they take the appropriate units required for entry.
Students who have completed prior undergraduate or graduate units in accounting or other core knowledge areas are advised to have their qualifications assessed by their preferred professional organisation to ensure they complete the correct units.
Please note: The eligibility of students for membership of any of the accounting accrediting bodies is subject to meeting the requirements of that body. Deakin makes no representations that individuals will meet those requirements.
Students should consult with a course adviser to identify any additional requirements for membership for each professional body, and also consult with the professional body.
Career opportunities
Graduates of this course would typically seek employment in areas of accounting such as financial accounting, auditing, taxation, management accounting, public sector accounting, forensic accounting or commercial law. However accountants can choose to work in a range of different environments depending on their own skills and preferences. They can choose to work in large firms, small public practices, industry, government, law firms, management consultancies, banking and financial services, not-for-profit organisations or educational organisations. Many also set up their own businesses.
Given the fundamental shift of accountants towards a wide-ranging advisory role, career opportunities are also becoming available in other vocations including working as investment advisers, market analysts, tax consultants, advisers in mergers and acquisitions, in corporate recovery and insolvency, treasury banking, e-commerce or information technology.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Certificate of Commerce (M516) | |
| Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting (M506) | |
| Graduate Diploma of Commerce (M616) | |
| Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting (M696) |
Course learning outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of current and emerging accounting concepts and practices in contemporary business. |
| Communication | Use advanced communication skills to justify and communicate complex accounting concepts and ideas to both accountants and non-accountants. |
| Digital literacy | Select and apply appropriate digital technologies to find, use, manage and disseminate complex accounting and business data, information and ideas. |
| Critical thinking | Use a specialised set of high order cognitive and critical analysis skills expected of accounting professionals in contemporary business to evaluate, synthesise and justify complex ideas and recommendations. |
| Problem solving | Develop solutions to real world and ill-defined problems faced by accounting professionals in business. |
| Self-management | Use acquired skills to undertake own work and learning and conduct independent research. |
| Teamwork | Collaborate and communicate in teams to interpret decision-relevant information and develop accounting and business advice and ideas. |
| Global citizenship | Engage ethically, professionally and productively in a professional accounting and business context in light of changing global perspectives. |
Approved by Faculty Board.
Course rules
To complete the Master of Professional Accounting students must pass 12 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
-
DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
-
12 credit points of core units
Students are required to meet the University'sacademic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University's vocabulary.
Course structure
Compulsory 0-credit point unit
To be completed in the first trimester of study:-
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Core Units
| MAA703 | Accounting for Management 1, 2, 4 |
| MAA716 | Financial Accounting 1, 2 |
| MAA725 | Advanced Accounting Principles and Practice 1, 2 |
| MAA753 | Professional Research and Analysis |
| MAA763 | Governance and Fraud |
| MAA789 | Accounting Systems and Analytics |
| MLC707 | Business Law 1, 2, 4 |
| MAA701 | Accounting [previously coded MPA701]1, 2 |
| MAF752 | Principles of Finance [previously coded MPF753]1, 2, 4 |
| MLC703 | Principles of Income Tax Law 2,3,4 |
| MPE781 | Economics for Managers 1,2 |
| MAA705 | Corporate Auditing 2,3,4 |
Notes:
1 Required by CPA Australia for Associate (foundation level) Membership.
2 Required by the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand for entry to the CA Program.
3For candidates who have completed an accredited degree in Australia, this unit may be taken as part of the CPA program. Other students must complete the unit before becoming an Associate Member of CPA Australia
4 For candidates who would like to obtain exemptions to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) program.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Research and research-related study
This course includes 1cp equivalent research-related study [MAA753 Professional Research and Analysis] in addition to associated learning embedded across a number of units where student achievement is demonstrated in specific assessment tasks.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.