Master of Accounting and Law

2017 Deakin University Handbook

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Indicative student workload
• Professional recognition
• Alternative exits
• Fees and charges
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Course rules
• Course structure

Course overview

The accounting profession has recently seen a fundamental shift from a role that was seen as providing financial information and number crunching towards a multi-disciplinary advisory role. Similarly, many law firms increasingly favour graduates who display accounting and financial acumen.

Deakin's Master of Accounting and Law (MAL) course provides an advanced, integrated, and coherent set of multidisciplinary studies in a range of business and law disciplines, encompassing areas such as accounting, finance, commercial law and business taxation. Graduates will possess a skill-set covering accounting and related business law subjects, including superannuation, business taxation and financial services regulation.

The course offers graduates a pathway to gain entry to professional accounting bodies such as the CPA Australia, the Institute of Public Accountants, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Graduates with a Master of Accounting and Law will have multi-disciplinary skills with the ability to solve complex business issues in multiple markets.

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 Accounting and Law 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 (CAANZ), the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) and exemptions from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) towards the ACCA qualification.

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 and IPA 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, law or other core knowledge areas are advised to have their qualifications assessed by their preferred professional organization 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.

Alternative exits

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, your fee category and the year you started. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course rules

To complete the Master of Accounting and Law, students must complete the three day Law Orientation Program and attain a total of 16 credit points.  The 16 credit points consists of 15 credit points of core units and a 1 credit point elective unit chosen from a list.  Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point.

Students are introduced to research tools and techniques in core units of the course where they learn analytic skills and the practical application of those skills in professional contexts. They must also complete advanced level units and a capstone unit that require them to integrate the skills learnt over their course of study and produce applied pieces of research with reference to prevailing literature.

Course structure

Core units

Three day Orientation Program (Australian Legal System and Methods) ^#

Plus

*MPM701A is a Start Anytime unit

^ Previously coded MAA730

# Orientation program is compulsory for all students. The program will be recorded for Cloud students only. Campus-based students must attend.

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.
³ For 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 ACCA program.

Course structure

Elective units

Select a 1 credit point unit from the Accounting or Law elective list:

Accounting electives:

Law electives: