CQUniversity
Master of Professional Accounting Accelerated
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 18 months
- Course Type: Master's
Acquire valuable skills in accounting, finance, software applications, economics, statistics and business law.

Course overview
The Master of Professional Accounting Accelerated is an ideal course for current business professionals seeking a career change into accounting and financial management.
Designed in consultation with industry, the course structure recognises your previous undergraduate degree in business or a related discipline. It allows you to fast-track your studies, completing a professional accounting qualification in as little as 18 months' full-time study.
You will gain highly sought-after skills in accounting, finance, computer software applications, economics, statistics and business law. With a focus on providing practical skills, you will have opportunities throughout the course to gain hands-on experience with Microsoft Excel, Access and the world-leading SAP enterprise system software.
Prepare to enter a rapidly changing industry forecast to experience strong growth (National Skills Commission, joboutlook.gov.au). Designed with flexibility in mind to suit current professionals, study online and choose between full-time and part-time modes.
Key facts
What you will study
You are required to complete these 12 core units:
- Accounting in Australia
- Foundations in Accounting
- Accounting Systems and Information Assurance
- Company Accounting
- Auditing and Ethics
- Foundations of Management Accounting
- Economics for Managers
- Managerial Finance
- Australian Commercial Law
- Corporations and Business Structures
- Taxation Law of Australia
- Statistics for Managerial Decisions
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To be eligible for entry into this course, you must hold one of the following:
- A completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent bachelor's degree, or a higher AQF equivalent qualification in business or a *related field.
- A completed AQF equivalent bachelor's degree in accounting from an overseas institution or organisation that does not meet accreditation with an Australian accounting registration body for associate membership purposes.
- A completed CQUniversity Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting.
*As this course is designed for students who do not already hold a completed accounting degree, a related field does not include accounting.
English language requirements
Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion of one of the following criteria:
- A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent).
- An AQF diploma-level qualification.
- Bachelor's level qualification study for at least two years full-time with a minimum overall GPA of 4.0 completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or the United States of America.
If you do not satisfy any of the above criteria, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores below:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic): The overall band score was at least 6.0, with a minimum of 5.5 in each subset.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Requires 550 or better overall and a minimum TWE score of 4.5 (Paper Based Test), or 75 or better overall and no score less than 17 (Internet Based Test).
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): Requires an overall score of 54 with no sub-score less than 46.
- Occupational English Test: Grades A or B only in the four components.
English test results remain valid for no more than two years between the final examination date and the commencement date of study. They must appear on a single result certificate. Each student will be assessed individually.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You may be able to get credit for your course based on prior formal, non-formal or informal learning. To apply, you will need to provide supporting documentation outlined by the university. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
If you are a business graduate or a graduate from a related discipline looking to redirect your career, this course is for you. It is suitable for graduates in business or a related discipline interested in employment in accounting and financial management-oriented careers. Potential fields of employment include:
- Financial accounting
- Management accounting
- Taxation
- Auditing
- Finance
- Banking management
- Administration
- Consulting
- Business advisory services
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate mastery of the coherent knowledge of accounting and related disciplines by applying practical professional communication skills to analyse and interpret complex accounting issues.
- Use analytical and research skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex accounting problems.
- Use appropriate project skills to design, evaluate and implement proposed solutions to accounting problems.
- Communicate effectively in complex contexts with professionals and non-professionals.
- Exercise a high level of professional judgement to identify and respond to ethical issues in various contexts.
- Work independently, as a team leader and as part of a team to acquire new knowledge or identify and solve accounting-related problems.
- Reflect on feedback from others to improve performance.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative first-year tuition fee in 2025: $31,369.5 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The indicative first-year fee is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one academic year for a full-fee paying place. For a graduate certificate, this is usually four units studied full-time over one term or part-time over two terms.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- The number of units studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of units.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.