Master of Professional Accounting

The Master of Professional Accounting at QUT is a two-year coursework degree for people who want to move into accounting, whether you're coming from a non-accounting bachelor degree or you're changing careers. You'll study financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, taxation, business law and corporate finance. The point of the degree is to give you the technical base and the professional judgement that accounting firms, government and industry expect from a graduate accountant.

Like most Australian master's degrees, this one runs on a semester structure, with units of study that carry credit points. You accumulate credit points across the two years and complete the required units. Some master's programmes include a capstone unit in the final semester where you work through an integrated case or a real client problem. QUT has strong links with accounting firms and professional bodies, and work-integrated learning is common in accounting degrees, so you may have the option of a placement or an industry project. Confirm the exact structure, unit list and capstone requirements on the official QUT course page.

Accounting is a field with clear professional accreditation pathways in Australia. The degree is designed to meet the academic requirements for admission to the professional accounting bodies, CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and the Institute of Public Accountants. That matters because it lets you register with a body and start the practical experience component of your qualification. Check the current accreditation status with QUT and the relevant body before you enrol, because accreditation can change.

The course suits people who want a structured, recognised route into accounting. You might be a recent graduate with a degree in another field, or someone already working who wants to retrain. It also suits international students who want an Australian qualification and post-study work rights. While you study, your student visa lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after you finish you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. English requirements for international applicants are typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for coursework postgraduate degrees, though some fields ask for higher. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 120798C. Always confirm fees, English requirements and intake dates on the official QUT page or the CRICOS listing.

• Accountant, working in public practice, corporate accounting, or government finance teams.
• Auditor, with audit firms, internal audit departments, or the Australian National Audit Office and state audit offices.
• Tax accountant, preparing returns and advising clients in accounting firms or as an in-house tax specialist.
• Management accountant, budgeting, forecasting, and performance reporting inside organisations.
• Financial analyst, in banking, funds management, or corporate finance teams.
• Business services accountant, in mid-tier and boutique firms serving small and medium enterprises.
• Chief financial officer (with experience), leading finance functions in private and public organisations.

Australian industries that hire accounting graduates include professional services firms, banking and financial services, government and public sector agencies, health, education, manufacturing, resources, and not-for-profit organisations. Many graduates go on to complete the practical experience requirements of CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.