Bachelor of Professional Accounting

The Bachelor of Professional Accounting at ASA Institute of Higher Education is a three-year degree built for people who want to work as accountants in Australia. It is registered on CRICOS as course 102219K, so it is available to international students on a Student visa. You will study financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, taxation, business law and corporate finance, along with the economics, statistics and communication skills that accountants use every day. Assessment is a mix of exams, assignments, group projects and practical tasks, not one big final test at the end.

Australian bachelor degrees are structured around units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You normally enrol in several units each semester or trimester, and you need to pass a required number of credit points to graduate. The degree usually takes three years of full-time study, and many students spread it over a longer period if they need to work or manage other commitments. Some courses include a capstone unit in the final year where you work through a realistic accounting scenario, and some include a professional placement or work-integrated learning unit. ASA Institute of Higher Education will confirm the exact unit list, credit point rules and any placement requirements on its official page.

By the time you finish, you should be able to prepare and interpret financial statements, apply Australian accounting standards and tax rules, use accounting software, analyse business performance and explain financial information to people who are not accountants. You will also practise the kind of written and verbal communication that accounting firms expect. These skills are what employers look for when they hire graduates into accounting and finance roles.

This degree suits school leavers who want a professional career with clear pathways, career changers who want a qualification that counts, and international students who plan to work in Australia after graduation. Accounting is on Australia's skilled occupation lists, and graduates often look at professional body membership and migration options. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after you finish you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Entry requirements, English proficiency and tuition are set out on the official CRICOS register and the institution's page, so check those before you apply.

• Graduate accountant or assistant accountant in public practice firms, from small local practices to mid-tier and larger firms
• Accounts officer, payroll officer or bookkeeper in private companies
• Assistant management accountant or financial analyst in corporate finance teams
• Tax assistant or graduate tax accountant in tax practices and advisory firms
• Audit assistant in audit and assurance teams
• Financial roles in government departments, not-for-profits and community organisations
• Accounting and finance roles in banks, insurance companies and other financial services businesses
• Pathways into professional body programs and further study, such as a master's degree or the CA or CPA programs