Diploma of Accounting

The Diploma of Accounting at Southern Cross School of Business is a one-year qualification for people who want to work in bookkeeping, accounts administration or payroll, or who want a pathway into further accounting study. You learn the practical side of accounting: how to process financial transactions, prepare and lodge business activity statements, maintain ledgers, reconcile accounts, produce financial reports and handle payroll. The course also covers the rules that sit behind the numbers, the accounting standards, tax obligations and compliance requirements that Australian businesses deal with every day.

How the course is structured

As a diploma, this sits at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework, below a bachelor degree. It is normally delivered over two or three study periods across the year, with each unit of study carrying a set number of credit points. Assessment is competency-based: you are graded on whether you can actually perform the task, not just recall the theory. Expect a mix of classroom teaching, computer lab work using accounting software such as MYOB or Xero, and simulated workplace tasks where you work through a set of transactions from source documents to final reports.

Because this is a vocational qualification, there is a strong emphasis on applied work. You might be given a fictional small business and asked to complete its quarterly BAS, reconcile its bank account and prepare its profit and loss statement. Group work and role plays are common, particularly for client communication and payroll scenarios. Some providers arrange work placement or industry projects; check the official course page to confirm what Southern Cross School of Business offers.

What you gain

By the end, you should be able to keep a full set of books for a small organisation, prepare financial statements and tax returns, use accounting software confidently, and explain financial information to people who are not accountants. You also build the accuracy and attention to detail that employers in this field expect. If you continue to a bachelor degree, you may receive credit for some units, which shortens your study, confirm the exact credit arrangements with the receiving institution.

Who it suits

This diploma suits school leavers who want a practical qualification before deciding on a degree, career changers moving into accounts or payroll, and international students seeking a shorter course that leads to work in Australia. It is also a starting point for people already working in administration who want to formalise their skills. English requirements for international applicants are set out on the official page; the Student visa also has its own English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs. Once you hold a Student visa, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. Graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on the visa rules at the time. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, and you should confirm fees, intake dates and English equivalents directly with the provider.

• Accounts clerk or assistant accountant, maintaining ledgers, processing invoices and preparing reports for small to medium businesses, accounting firms and not-for-profits.
• Bookkeeper, managing day-to-day financial records for sole traders and small companies, often using cloud accounting software.
• Payroll officer, calculating wages, superannuation and deductions, and lodging payroll tax and super obligations.
• Accounts payable or receivable officer, managing supplier payments and customer invoicing in larger organisations.
• BAS agent or tax assistant, preparing business activity statements and supporting tax return preparation in accounting practices (registration requirements apply for BAS agents).
• Financial administration officer, handling budgeting, reporting and compliance tasks in government departments, banks and insurance companies.

These roles exist across every Australian industry, with the strongest demand in professional services, retail, construction, health care and public administration. The diploma also provides a pathway into further study such as a bachelor degree in accounting, which can lead to CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand membership.