Master of Professional Accounting

The Master of Professional Accounting at Adelaide University is a conversion degree for graduates who want to move into accounting. It runs for 1.5 years of full-time study and is built for people whose first degree was in something else, arts, science, engineering, commerce without an accounting major, and who now want the technical grounding and the qualification to work as an accountant in Australia. You do not need an accounting background to get in.

What you actually study

The coursework covers the core of the discipline: financial accounting, management accounting, corporate finance, auditing, taxation law, business law and accounting information systems. These are the subject areas the professional bodies expect you to have covered, and they are the reason a conversion master's exists rather than a short graduate certificate. You will work through how financial statements are prepared and read, how costs behave inside an organisation, how an audit is planned and evidenced, and how Australian tax law applies to individuals and entities. Later units usually let you go deeper into areas such as advanced financial reporting, forensic accounting or managerial decision-making, and many cohorts finish with a capstone unit that pulls the strands together through a real or simulated business case.

How the degree is structured

Like most Australian master's degrees, this one is organised into units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, delivered across semesters or trimesters. You accumulate credit points until you meet the requirement for the award. The 1.5-year length reflects the volume of units, it is longer than a one-year specialist master's because it has to teach the accounting fundamentals from the ground up. Assessment is a mix of exams, assignments, group projects and presentations. Some units include work-integrated learning or industry-based projects, which is how Australian business schools typically connect coursework to practice; check the official course page for the current unit list and any placement options.

Where it leads and who it suits

This degree is aimed at career changers and at international graduates who want an Australian accounting qualification. The professional accreditation matters here: accounting in Australia is regulated through CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), and a master's like this is normally structured so that graduates can seek associate membership and then complete the professional program and practical experience requirement. Confirm the current accreditation status and the exact units required with the university and the relevant body before you enrol, because the rules change.

Admission requires a completed bachelor's degree. International applicants need to meet the university's English requirement, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common standard for coursework postgraduate programs, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programs accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 115941K. While studying, a Student visa allows 48 hours of work per fortnight, and on completion you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Always confirm the details on the official page.

• Accountant, in public practice firms, from mid-tier to the Big Four, preparing financial statements and tax returns for clients.
• Auditor, internal audit teams in banks, insurers and government, or external audit at accounting firms.
• Management accountant, budgeting, forecasting and cost analysis inside corporations and not-for-profits.
• Tax accountant or tax adviser, working with Australian tax law for individuals, companies and trusts.
• Financial analyst, in banking, funds management and corporate finance teams.
• Business services accountant, the generalist role in suburban and regional accounting practices.
• Graduate roles in state and federal government, treasury, audit offices and revenue agencies.

Accounting is on Australia's skilled occupation lists, and the professional bodies, CPA Australia, CA ANZ and the IPA, provide the pathway from degree to full membership and, for some, to migration points. Typical employers include accounting firms of every size, the major banks, insurance companies, mining and resources companies, retailers, and public sector agencies in Adelaide and interstate.