Master of Professional Accounting

2022 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2022 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]
Year

2022 course information

Award granted Master of Professional Accounting
Course Map

This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2022.

Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.

CampusOffered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Cloud CampusYes
Duration

Depending on your professional experience and previous qualifications, the Master of Professional Accounting is typically 1, 1.5 or 2 years duration.

  • 1 year full time (2 years part time) - 8 credit points
  • 1.5 years full time (3 years part time) - 12 credit points
  • 2 years full time (4 years part time) - 16 credit points

Deakin courses can also be studied part time over a longer period.

CRICOS course code102876K Burwood (Melbourne)
Deakin course codeM742
Approval status

This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition

The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9.

Students who have commenced before T1 2021 (course M720 Master of Professional Accounting), please refer to the 2020 handbook, or the handbook archives, for the relevant course structure.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Expand your depth of knowledge and career opportunities by studying the Master of Professional Accounting. You'll graduate with the specialised skills and knowledge to practise as an accountant, specialising in your chosen field of business.

Are you ready to make your mark on the finance sector?

Whether you're looking to upgrade your existing qualifications or move into a new professional field altogether, Deakin’s Master of Professional Accounting enables you to make either possibility a reality.

Open to students from both accounting and non-accounting backgrounds, you’ll have the opportunity to complete the necessary studies to become an associate member of CPA Australia, to enter the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand to undertake the CA program, or to enter the IPA professional program.

Now is the perfect time to draw on your prior career experience and add layers of new knowledge to become a sought-after expert in your field. Some of the key areas you'll study include:

  • Auditing
  • Financial accounting
  • Management accounting
  • Accounting systems and analytics
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Law

 

Influenced by our advisory board, made up of members of peak professional bodies and active accounting professionals, the course content you’ll study is updated and maintained through extensive industry research, including the research developed by our IPA-Deakin SME research centre, which is dedicated to driving key insights for small-to-medium enterprises.

Learn from academics who leverage their specific expertise and up-to-date research to embed progressive learning throughout your course journey, giving you the ability to work on contemporary case studies with a real-world application.

As a graduate, you'll have the option to complement your primary studies in professional accounting with a specialisation in a wide range of business-related fields. Designed to meet industry demand for skilled professionals with a breadth of transferrable skills, a specialisation can help deepen your knowledge in a particular business field and benefit your future career.

Modern-day employers are seeking professionals with not only strong theoretical knowledge and expertise, but also a breadth of transferrable skills. So, whether you're wanting to build your finance skills or focus on IT, real estate or the arts, we offer the right specialisation to broaden your skill set. Some of your options include:

  • Artificial Intelligence for Business
  • Arts and Cultural Industries
  • Cyberlaw
  • Finance
  • Financial Planning
  • Human Resource Management
  • International Trade and Business
  • Management Consulting
  • Marketing
  • Project Management
  • Property and Real Estate
  • Supply Chain Management.

Not sure which specialisation to pursue? You won't have to decide until you've commenced the course, giving you the chance to explore the many options that may benefit your future career.

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

The course team and teaching staff have well-established links with relevant professional bodies both in Australia and overseas. Continuous effort is made to ensure the Master of Professional Accounting curriculum design and delivery keep abreast of industry needs and developments in the profession.

Deakin Business School is in the top 1% of business schools globally and holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring our graduates are employable worldwide.

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)
• 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 you to enter the Certified Management Accountants (CMA) study program.

Career opportunities


The Master of Professional Accounting is constantly reviewed, and where necessary revised, to ensure it meets the most up-to-date standards and expectations of professional accounting bodies.

With real-world skills and awareness of current trends, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running in your chosen field.

As a graduate of this course, you can seek employment in areas of accounting such as:

• financial accounting
• auditing
• taxation
• management accounting
• public sector accounting
• forensic accounting.

As a qualified accountant, you can choose to work in a range of different settings depending on your skills and preferences, such as:

• large firms
• small public practices
• all levels of government
• law firms
• banking and financial services
• not-for-profit organisations
• educational organisations
• self-employment.

Given the fundamental shift of accountants moving towards wide-ranging advisory roles, career opportunities are also becoming available in other vocations, including roles as:

• investment advisers
• market analysts
• tax consultants
• advisers in mergers and acquisitions
• corporate recovery and insolvency
• treasury banking
• e-commerce or information technology.

Participation requirements

Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.

Placement can occur at any time, including during the standard holiday breaks listed here: https://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/key-dates.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.

Mandatory student checks

Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.

Alternate exits

Graduate Certificate of Commerce (M516)
Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting (M506)
Graduate Diploma of Commerce (M616)
Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting (M696)

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose 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.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as photocopying or travel.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduate Learning Outcome Course Learning Outcome
Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities Integrate advanced theoretical and technical knowledge of current and emerging accounting concepts and practices in contemporary business contexts
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
   

 

Course rules

The Master of Professional Accounting is typically 8, 12 or 16 credit points. The exact number of credit points you study depends on how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) –your professional experience and previous qualifications –which can save you time and money.

To complete the Master of Professional Accounting, students must attain a total of 16 credit points, consisting of 11 credit points of core units and 5 credit points of electives, plus completion of the compulsory 0-credit point module, MAI010 Academic Integrity Module. Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point.

Specialisations

Faculty-wide specialisations

Refer to the details of each specialisation for availability.

Course Specific Specialisation

Course structure

Compulsory 0-credit point module

To be completed in the first trimester of study:-

MAI010Academic Integrity Module

Core units

MPA701Accounting 1, 2

MPF753Finance 1, 2, 4

MPT781/MPE781Economics for Managers 1,2

MLC707Business Law 1, 2, 4

MAA703Accounting for Management 1, 2, 4

MAA789Accounting Systems and Analytics 1,2

MLC703Principles of Income Tax Law 2,3,4

MAA705Corporate Auditing 2,3,4

MAA716Financial Accounting 1, 2

MAA753Professional Research and Analysis

MAA725Advanced Accounting Principles and Practice 1, 2

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.

 

Elective Units

The remaining 5 credit points may be selected from:

  • A faculty-wide specialisation (excluding Accounting specialisation)
  • postgraduate units offered by the University (subject to availability)
  • postgraduate Work Integrated Learning units:

MWL716Consultancy Experience

MWL705Business for Social Impact

MWL717Entrepreneurship Experience

MWL718Internship

From Trimester 2 2022:

The remaining 5 credit points may be selected from:

  • A faculty-wide specialisation (excluding Accounting specialisation)
  • postgraduate units offered by the University (subject to availability)

 

  • Recommended electives:
    • MWL716Consultancy Experience
    MWL705Business for Social Impact
    MWL717Entrepreneurship Experience
    MWL719International Consultancy Experience

Work experience

This course does not require students to complete compulsory work integrated learning units.


Other course information


Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

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.