This degree is no longer offered. You may be interested in other courses in Accounting
Master of Professional Accounting (Specialisation)
PostgraduateTAS-PAS-MAS2021
Course information for 2021 intake
Add to your degree and become an accountant
Designed for people without a background in accounting, students may be able to apply for associate membership of CPA Australia. Understand how to communicate with accountants and clients. Choose a specialist area of interest.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Total subjects
- 16
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Master of Professional Accounting (Specialisation)
About this degree
Graduates who successfully satisfy the requirements of this degree should be able to:
Research, critique and integrate advanced technical, specialist, and theoretical knowledge with recent developments in commerce;
Utilise clear and concise oral and written communication skills to justify business advice and ideas in diverse collaborative contexts involving both accountants and non-accountants;
Anticipate and solve complex problems and through this process demonstrate information literacy, judgement, and the ability to apply theoretical and technical knowledge;
Apply interpersonal and collaborative skills when making decisions and working with people from diverse backgrounds;
Seek and reflect on feedback to improve personal, professional, and ethical conduct and initiate learning opportunities for self and others;
Reflect on issues of social responsibility and sustainability in the business context.
This degree was designed for people without an accounting qualification looking to get into the field, or those who need to up-skill to meet professional accounting requirements.
Students who successfully complete the first eight subjects of the Master of Professional Accounting (Specialisation) are able to apply for associate membership with CPA Australia. Being a CPA is internationally-recognised as a mark of high professional competence.
In this degree you’ll have the opportunity to choose one of three specialisations:
Advanced Accounting
Take your accounting skills to the next level. This specialisation is ideal for students who intend to take their CPA exams in future after building up some work experience rather than completing them as part of your degree.
Business management
Diversify your skill set with additional business management topics including entrepreneurship, sales, and people management.
Marketing
Complement your accounting skills with a range of marketing topics including sales, digital marketing, and business-to-business marketing.
Recommended study pattern
The Master of Professional Accounting (Specialisation) consists of 12 core units, plus four units in your chosen specialisation.
Core Units
- BFA503 - Introduction to Financial Management
- BFA507 - The Accounting Framework
- BFA601 - Business and Corporate Law
- BMA735 - Management Ethics
- BFA605 - Financial and Corporate Accounting
- BEA603 - Economics and Statistical Analysis
- BFA714 - Australian Tax Law
- BMA799 - Strategic Management
- BFA504 - Accounting Systems and Processes
- BFA713 - Audit and Assurance
- BFA612 - Management and Cost Accounting
- BFA715 - Accounting Perspectives and Research
Specialisations
Advanced Accounting
- BFA742 - Advanced Financial Accounting
- BFA743 - Strategic Management Accounting
- BFA744 - Financial Risk Management
- BFA745 - Global Strategy and Leadership
Business Management
- BMA547 - Organisational Behaviour
- BAA539 - Strategic Entrepreneurship
- BMA583 - Managing People and the Employment Relationship
- BMA701 - Leadership and Change Management
Marketing
- BMA604 - Consumer Decision Making
- BMA605 - Business to Business Marketing
- BMA609 - Sales Management and Personal Selling
- BMA610 - Digital and Social Media Marketing
Award requirements
To meet the requirements for this degree, students complete a total of 16 units, comprising 12 core units plus 4 units in a chosen area of specialisation.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $43,232
The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
Wherever you are, the University of Tasmania brings its island campus to you through a growing range of online programs across art and design, business, education, health, science, sustainability, technology, and more. It’s never too late to switch things up. Kickstart that career you’ve been dreaming about, or upskill for the one you’re in. You’ll also become a part of the world's leading university on climate action.
Learn more about UTAS.
Explore UTAS courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 19
Entry requirements
For admission to this degree you need to have:
- the equivalent of an undergraduate or master degree in a non-accounting discipline (international applications are subject to assessment for equivalency), or;
- a four subject Graduate Certificate in Accounting, or equivalent, from an approved tertiary institution
Applicants may also be eligible for this degree by showing approved relevant work experience or other special circumstances (e.g. post secondary qualifications) as approved by the dean or delegated authority.
For students who are not native English speakers, an IELTS score with an overall Band of 6 and no band less than 6; or a TOEFL (iBT) overall score of 72 (no individual skill must be lower than: Reading 16; Listening 16; Speaking 18; and, Writing 22) or a PTE Academic overall score of 50 with no score lower than 50, or provide evidence that you have studied for 2 years full-time with English as the sole medium of instruction and examination. These tests must not be more than 24 months old.
If you are a national of, and are currently residing in a country where English is the official language, and have completed your highest level of studies (senior secondary or tertiary) in that country, you are exempt from the above two year validity period. The University of Tasmania will recognise your previous studies as meeting the English language entry requirement.
Advanced Standing is the recognition of prior studies, from either another institution or another course at this University, that may count towards the requirements for the degree you are applying for at the University of Tasmania. For more information visit the UTAS website
Career opportunities
This course offers participants from different academic and experiential backgrounds the opportunity to specialise in accounting for professional recognition purposes. Accounting is often cited as the language of business. People with accounting skills are in high demand in the business and corporate world embracing areas such as finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, banking, and information systems, and such skills are increasingly important to groups performing an overview function such as directors.
Our graduates have exceptional career outcomes. 90% of our postgraduate business and management students find full-time employment within 4 months of graduating (Source: 2017 Graduate Outcomes Survey).
Professional recognition
To become members of CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand and the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), students without an undergraduate or masters degree must complete a professionally accredited 16 subject master level degree. This degree is accredited with the professional accounting bodies in Australia. Graduates of the MPAS will satisfy the educational requirements for associate membership of CPA Australia, the entry requirements at the ICAA and membership of the IPA.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Accountants | $75K to $93K | Up 8% |
| Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers | $93K to $120K | Up 37.6% |
| Finance Managers | Over $120K | Up 24.7% |
| Financial Investment Advisers and Managers | Over $120K | Up 25.4% |
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Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.