Master of Accounting

1. Learning Goal

Graduates of this degree will be adept at identifying and analysing the thinking and developments of contemporary and emerging accounting and auditing issues.

Learning objectives to achieve this goal

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Describe contemporary accounting issues as reflected in national and international accounting regulator activities and pronouncements;
• Explain the key policy issues in auditing and assurance services; and
• Explain developments of contemporary accounting issues in relation to valuation, performance measurement and control systems, and corporate governance.

2. Learning Goal

Graduates of this degree will be capable of advanced critical and strategic thinking in relation to accounting and business analysis issues and problems.

Learning objectives to achieve this goal

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Adapt and apply strategic tools developed from the discipline of accounting and fields relating closely to accounting such as finance and economics in different decision making environments;
• Critically discuss the impact of IT on organisational change; and
• Analyse the implications of applying accounting and business techniques and approaches in a variety of management decision settings.

3. Learning Goal

Graduates of this degree will be technical and analytical in their use of relevant decision making frameworks and empirical research evidence, in addressing specific accounting and business system problems.

Learning objectives to achieve this goal

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Analyse and critique relevant accounting and auditing research and professional literature and consider ways of formulating research approaches which have potential to contribute to the existing literature;
• Describe and evaluate common performance measures used in a variety of organisational settings; and
• Critically evaluate the impact of accounting in contracting and agency settings.

4. Learning Goal

Graduates of this degree will be competent in identifying and critically evaluating accounting and business system issues emerging from strategic developments in practice and regulation.

Learning objectives to achieve this goal

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of budgeting practices in organisations;
• Identify and critically evaluate emerging corporate reporting issues from regulation and practice; and
• Discuss strategic issues in relation to the management of resources.

The Master of Accounting 16 Subject Program consists of sixteen semester-length subjects comprising eight core subjects and eight elective subjects over four semesters full-time or eight semesters part-time.

Students may be able to select other 600-level subjects from the offerings within the Faculty of Business and Economics. This will be subject to the student having the required pre-requisite subjects and the approval of the Program Director and subject coordinator.

Research Semester

Suitably qualified Master of Accounting students will be eligible to undertake a research-focussed program comprised of 4 x 12.5 point subjects in their final semester of study.

Entry to the research semester will be dependent upon students attaining a GPA of 80 in their prior Master of Accounting subjects and subject to the program director’s approval.

Students enrolled in the 16-subject program will need to have completed 150 points of study, including 8 core and 4 elective subjects to be eligible for entry.

Students enrolled in the 12-subject program will need to have completed 100 points of study, including 8 core subjects, to be eligible for entry.

Students who are admitted to the research semester will undertake 50 points of study in lieu of 4 elective subjects.

Course Stream Subjects

Assessment

Students must successfully complete 16 semester-length subjects (200 points) in order to qualify for the Master of Accounting.

1. The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue successfully the course using the following criteria:

• An undergraduate degree in accounting or its equivalent. Students who have successfully completed the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA) PY/CA Program or the CPA Australia CPA Program may receive a maximum of four credits for Master of Accounting subjects;
• The applicant’s submitted statement of intent in seeking entry; and
• Performance on the GMAT unless the applicant has met one of the approved conditions for GMAT exemption.

2. The Selection Committee may conduct interview and tests and may call for referee reports or employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

For the purpose of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

On successful completion of the Master of Accounting program graduates will be:

• Adept at identifying and analysing the thinking and developments of contemporary and emerging accounting and auditing issues;
• Capable of advanced critical and strategic thinking in relation to accounting and business analysis issues and problems;
• Technical and analytical in their use of relevant decision making frameworks and empirical research evidence, in addressing specific accounting and business system problems;
• Competent in identifying and critically evaluating accounting and business system issues emerging from strategic developments in practice and regulation. Critical thinkers particularly in relation to current issues in accounting;
• Clear in articulating accounting issues and ideas to a range of audiences in written and oral form;
• Able to synthesise and evaluate accounting data and other accounting information;
• Adept at problem identification and analysis in accounting and information technology;
• Collaborative in their work practice; and
• Proficient in conducting research, including identifying and formulating relevant research questions, accessing accounting data from a range of sources and applying this data in the pursuit of those research questions.

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to demonstrate the following skills:

• Critical thinking particularly in relation to current issues in accounting;
• Clarity in articulating accounting issues and ideas to a range of audiences in written and oral form;
• Synthesis and evaluation of accounting data and other accounting information;
• Problem identification and analysis in accounting and information technology;
• Work collaboratively in teams; and
• Research, identifying and formulating relevant research questions, accessing accounting data from a range of sources and applying this data in the pursuit of those research questions.

Students who have successfully completed the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA) PY/CA Program or the CPA Australia CPA Program may receive a maximum of four credits for Master of Accounting subjects

Students seeking accreditation with CPA Australia / Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia etc please see the Master of Professional Accounting or the Master of Management (Accounting) entries.

Students who include a Winter Semester subject as one of their final subjects in the Master of Accounting course may not be eligible to graduate from the program until after results are released in December of the same year.