Master of
Professional
Accounting

Accelerate your career with a
professional accounting qualification

Master of Professional Accounting

Duration

2 Years Full Time
(6 Trimesters)

Duration

Master of Professional Accounting

Full Time	Part Time Equivalent
2 Years (6 Trimesters)	Up to 6 Years

Master

CRICOS code: 113891J

Australian Qualification Framework: 9

Available at

Perth

Study modes

Entry requirements

Fees

FEE-HELP Available

Start dates

Professional Accreditation

CPA (Australia)

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

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Overview

ACAP’s professionally accredited Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge to forge a successful career in the accounting profession. Students will develop their professional skills across a range of core areas including but not limited to management accounting, financial reporting, economics, data analysis and company law. Students will apply their critical and innovative thinking to solve real-world problems ethically and with a keen awareness of corporate governance and social responsibility.
Students will undertake 12 units aligned to the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and CPA Australia (CPA) competency areas and complete 4 units of an elective stream in either small to medium business management (SMB) or business management and administration (BMA). The MPA program fulfils the requirements of the major professional bodies CPA and the CAANZ. An accredited MPA from ACAP is recognition that your course meets the highest professional standards in accounting.
In addition, a work integrated learning unit forms the culmination of learning in this course, and students will have an opportunity to further their knowledge in a hands-on environment through a work placement or an industry-focused project.

What you'll learn

Accelerate your career potential with applied learning and practical skills. Explore with an applied focus:

Advanced accounting and finance knowledge and skills
Management and business decision-making
Business, company and tax law
Business reporting
Data analytics
Fintech
Project management and teamwork
Cognitive skills and critical thinking
Global outlook

Professional accreditation

ACAP’s Master of Professional Accounting is fully accredited by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and CPA Australia (CPA). This accreditation confirms that the course meets the profession’s standards and gives you a qualification that’s trusted both in Australia and overseas – helping you feel confident and well-prepared for your career.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the MPA will be prepared to take on strategic and senior project management and leadership roles in accounting across a diverse scope of industries. Graduates will have high-level knowledge of current accounting theories, practices and processes and will be able to identify and develop sustainable solutions that address a range of challenges.

Graduates will also have developed strong communication and management skills to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and apply strategic thinking and high-level technical skills to complex business issues.

Essential Information

Course structure

This course is made up of 12 Core Units and 4 Elective Units

The course duration is 2 years full time or up to 6 years part time. For more information on the recommended course sequence click here and for the course structure click here.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

This unit provides a comprehensive overview of accounting and the associated systems and processes used across the profession. You will be introduced to accounting, in both theory and practice, looking at the principles that drive how accounting numbers are recorded and the ethical considerations that underpin these principles. In this unit, you will develop a sound understanding of how business decisions are made and how businesses record and report on the results of those decisions. You will critically evaluate a business from financial, environmental, and social viewpoints and draft plans for a more sustainable future. This unit provides the foundation for further study in both financial and managerial accounting.

To be successful in this unit you will need to engage with and prepare a range of assigned materials prior to class. You will be required to read and reflect upon assigned texts and other resources and be ready to apply your learning from these when you come to class. This preparation includes the completion of self-study problems in the Moodle online class space.

Learning outcomes:

Explain and evaluate the different business structures entities use to conduct business in a range of contexts.
Analyse the role and purpose of accounting standards and evaluate the accounting principles and concepts that underlie current accounting and financial reporting practices.

Analyse and record business transactions using both manual and computer-based methods.
Explain and critically evaluate the nature, role, and importance of ethics in business.
Critically analyse financial data and statements to evaluate business performance.
Communicate findings clearly and concisely utilising a range of presentation formats including oral, written and multimedia.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

In an age of big data, statistical analysis is increasingly more important for accounting professionals. Statistics can be used to control, forecast, value, and assess business risks. This unit provides you with an introduction to statistical tools and quantitative methods useful in understanding the types of data encountered in business. You will develop the ability to collect, analyse and interpret accounting and business data to solve business problems. Upon successful completion, you will be able to identify and apply suitable statistical methodologies for describing data and drawing inferences from that data.

Learning outcomes:

Critically assess the role and application of statistical analysis in different business contexts to inform decision-making and solve problems.
Identify and apply commonly used quantitative methods and techniques to collect and analyse financial and non-financial data.

Demonstrate the application of advanced knowledge and skills to analyse and make informed judgements utilising a range of business data types, models and tools.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: ACT4002 Accounting for Managers

Unit Description:

Financial accounting is the means by which an organisation’s financial situation is reported and communicated. This unit provides you with an understanding of the regulation of financial reporting in Australia, and the skills needed to measure and report. This unit examines the fundamentals of financial accounting with a focus on entities operating under Australian accounting standards, the conceptual framework and key accounting standards. It also examines the political and international pressures shaping the standard-setting process in Australia. Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to identify, understand, and apply accounting standards to a variety of practical situations.

Learning outcomes:

Identify and apply relevant international Financial Reporting Standards to all transactions and events undertaken by professional accountants.
Research and critically assess the appropriateness of business/organisational policies that inform the preparation of financial statements, demonstrating the value and importance of high-level professional judgement.
Prepare, critically analyse and interpret general purpose and other financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with relevant national and international standards.
Explain and critically evaluate financial and non-financial reports to inform decision-making across a range of business contexts.
Research and apply relevant accounting theory to evaluate current national and international developments in financial information reporting and professional practice.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

This unit introduces a range of key concepts across both macroeconomics and microeconomics. You will develop an understanding of the various economic interrelationships, across both domestic and international environments, and apply this knowledge to analyse and offer solutions to complex real-world problems. This unit covers the concepts of demand and supply, market structures, macroeconomic models, monetary and fiscal policy and current issues in economic management.

Learning outcomes:

Understand and explain economic systems and the concept of resource allocation.
Evaluate and explain the core principles of microeconomics including markets, market structures and market failures.
Evaluate and explain the core principles of macroeconomics including economic activity, inflation, and employment.
Analyse and evaluate the role of government in both micro and macroeconomic settings.

Evaluate the conditions for domestic and international trade.
Interpret, critically evaluate, and reflect on economic commentary in the media.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

Accounting and finance are essential elements of any business, no matter its size. This unit provides you with a comprehensive introduction to business finance and examines the fundamentals of financial management. You will learn the analytical skills required to make informed financial decisions and build your knowledge of fundamental corporate financial decision-making topics including:

goals of financial management
ethics
sources of financing

investment decision-making
dividend distribution.

This unit will equip you with specialised skills for solving real-world financial problems at both the individual and corporate levels.

Learning outcomes:

Apply mathematical formulas, equations and processes to solve and/or inform solutions to a range of financial problems.
Describe and evaluate the principles and objectives that underpin the key financial structures and environments of a given organisation.
Analyse and evaluate the financing options, including funding and capital structures, appropriate to a range of identified organisations.

Explain how capital theory informs organisational decision-making in relation to investments, distribution, risk and management concepts and practices.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

Knowledge of the law is important for accounting professionals as it forms the basis of all business transactions. This unit provides you with an understanding of the aspects of the Australian legal system that govern commercial transactions and relationships. This unit is structured into two parts: business law and company law. Business law introduces you to the laws of property, torts, contracts and trade practices, and intellectual property. Company law focuses on the types of business structures, the structure and regulation of corporations in Australia, responsibility for company management and governance, members’ rights, and insolvency.

Learning outcomes:

Demonstrate broad knowledge of the Australian legal system and identify and apply specific legislation relevant to business organisations and accounting practice.
Critically evaluate legal options for the establishment of new business entities and communicate clear recommendations to a client in a range of complex corporate contexts.

Ethically apply advanced knowledge of Australian contract and corporations’ law to a range of commercial transactions, reporting obligations and risk mitigation activities.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit points AND ACT4002

Unit Description:

Management accounting practice is concerned with the effective and efficient use of organisational resources to build a customer base and create shareholder value. This unit provides you with a contemporary approach to management accounting control practices. The focus of this unit is on cost accounting, budgets and behavioural implications, performance measurement systems, and managerial incentives. It demonstrates how a management accounting system can assist managers in decision-making, planning, and control.

Learning outcomes:

Apply principles of management accounting to enhance business strategy, ethics and organisational governance in a business context.
Apply an advanced understanding of budgeting processes to prepare detailed budgets and forecasts that inform decision-making in a range of business management contexts.

Identify and implement appropriate quantitative methods to evaluate and inform a range of business planning and control activities and prepare analytical reports to support management decision-making.
Apply the relevant principles and procedures to critically evaluate business cash flow and working capital requirements and the performance of products, people and business segments across a given organisation.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit points

Unit Description:

In the digital economy era, businesses are necessarily dependent on digital information systems (IS) to gain a competitive advantage. This unit provides an introduction to the use and management of information systems in a contemporary accounting setting. With a focus on contemporary issues, this unit covers a range of topics including systems mapping, internal control systems, database concepts, data analysis, cyber security, enterprise information systems and the increasing use of digital technologies and reporting.

Learning outcomes:

Apply advanced knowledge of current and emerging digital accounting information systems to business and accounting practices in a range of contexts.

Critically evaluate the role and function of information systems to support the identification, reporting and management of risk for efficient and effective business management processes.
Research and critically assess how a range of digital information systems are used to analyse data and enhance the efficiency and effective communication of data analytics utilising a range of applications and tools.
Analyse the adequacy of information technology processes and controls and identify improvements that could be made to enhance professional accounting activities.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit points and ACT4004 Financial Accounting and Reporting

Unit Description:

Group reporting helps to portray the financial situation of a parent entity along with its investments so that decision-makers can evaluate the economic entity as a whole. This unit builds on the foundation of ACT4004 Financial Accounting and Reporting and examines the preparation of external financial reports by corporate groups, including sustainability reporting. Upon successful completion, you will be able to apply the techniques of group accounting including consolidation accounting, equity accounting and the line-by-line method for jointly controlled operations.

Learning outcomes:

Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in the application of International Financial Reporting Standards and other relevant standards to all corporate transactions and events undertaken by professional accountants.
Research and critically assess the appropriateness of corporate accounting policies that inform the preparation of financial statements, demonstrating the value and importance of high-level professional judgement.
Prepare, critically analyse and interpret general purpose and other corporate financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with relevant national and international standards.
Explain and critically evaluate financial and non-financial reports to inform decision-making across a range of corporate accounting contexts.
Apply principles of accounting theory to evaluate current national and international developments in financial information reporting and corporate accounting practice.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit points and ACT4004 Financial Accounting and Reporting

Unit Description:

Auditing and assurance are the final links in the financial reporting chain. This process allows investors and other stakeholders to have faith in the reliability of the financial reports presented to them. This unit examines the practice and scope of auditing and assurance services, with an overview of the audit process as practiced in Australia with a primary focus on the audit of general-purpose financial reports of publicly listed companies. You will explore the entire audit process, from understanding the client’s operations, to risk assessment and planning, designing and executing audit procedures, reaching an audit opinion and communicating findings.

Learning outcomes:

Demonstrate sound knowledge of auditing and assurance processes to explain the nature, requirements, standards, objectives and phases in performing an audit of general-purpose financial statements.
Appropriately apply International Standards on Auditing and all other relevant laws, regulations and professional requirements for an audit of general-purpose financial statements.
Critically assess the risks of material misstatement in financial statements and evaluate the overall impact on the identified audit strategy.

Identify and integrate quantitative methods appropriate to an audit engagement in a range of business contexts.
Identify audit evidence, including the relevance and sufficiency of that evidence, to inform judgments, make decisions, and reach well-reasoned conclusions.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 72 credit points.

Unit Description:

The transition from study to work is a key step in your learning journey. This unit provides two pathway options for you to synthesise what you have learnt in the MPA thus far with authentic opportunities in real-world industry contexts.

OPTION A: Work Placement

Students who demonstrate a strong commitment to their studies throughout their MPA journey – including meaningful engagement with their peers and educators; a high level of professional knowledge and skills; and an ability to apply their knowledge and skills consistently and effectively in a range of contexts – will be invited to participate in a work placement option for this unit. Work placement includes 50 hours of supervised professional accounting experience in an approved host organisation. Exposure to and participation in an accounting work environment will provide you with valuable insights and experience working in the profession and provides an excellent opportunity for you to build and foster industry connections.

OPTION B: Industry-Focused Project

In this final project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the core knowledge areas of professional accounting and your chosen specialisation stream and apply this to solve, and/or contribute meaningfully to a body of work that seeks to solve an authentic issue relevant to the accounting profession.

You will complete either a negotiated self-determined project or an allocated industry project and extend your knowledge and skills to apply appropriate systems and methodologies for problem identification and critical assessment/evaluation of solutions and/or recommendations. You will reflect on the impact of your solutions/recommendations beyond a single business to consider wider community/professional contexts and global implications where relevant.

Learning outcomes:

Apply advanced professional accounting knowledge and practices to contribute to the activities of a business and/or project.
Demonstrate critical problem solving, advanced communication skills and collaborative work practices to solve complex issues relevant to the profession.

Critically reflect on their contributions to the accounting profession and identify opportunities to develop a sustainable and meaningful career.

Unit Type: Core
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit points

Unit Description:

The complexity of the Australian taxation system means that tax considerations are of major importance in most business and investment decisions. This unit provides you with a broad practical introduction to Australian taxation law in both individual and business contexts. With the complexity of the income tax system, this unit will focus on the concept of income, other assessable income items, and allowable deductions including capital allowance deductions such as depreciation, trading stock, taxation of corporations, taxation of trusts, FBT and GST.

Learning outcomes:

Identify the sources of taxation law and the framework in which taxation is administered in the professional accounting context.
Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the various types of taxation and identify and implement the appropriate frameworks, structures and transactions across a range of business contexts.
Critically analyse the taxation issues associated with straight forward international transactions.

Unit Type: Elective
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

Whether you are intending on starting your own business or working in a small to medium business (SMB), this unit will equip you with the specialised knowledge and skills to manage and run a SMB successfully. In this unit you will investigate how best practice business management and people management are fundamental to building successful and sustainable organisations. You will learn the language and concepts to help you understand the process, frameworks, and models needed to better evaluate the feasibility of business ideas and prepare business plans for business growth.

To be successful in this unit you will need to engage with, and prepare, a range of assigned materials prior to class. You will be required to read and reflect upon assigned texts and other resources and be ready to apply your learning from these when you come to class. This preparation includes the completion of self-study problems in the Moodle online class space. 

Learning outcomes:

Identify and evaluate strategic management processes and principles appropriate to given small to medium business contexts.
Critically assess operational growth factors and develop effective strategies to build successful and sustainable small to medium businesses.
Critically apply theoretical accounting concepts to practical scenarios relevant to small to medium businesses.
Communicate clearly and effectively the nature and scope of small to medium business management theory and financing to a range of audiences.

Unit Type: Elective
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

Choosing the right business structure is a necessary and important part of managing a business. The business structure identifies how the business is operated and affects things like taxes, profit distributions and other legal obligations. This unit provides you with the skills and knowledge to identify and evaluate different business structures appropriate to small to medium entities.

Learning outcomes:

Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the practical features of various types of organisational structures.
Critically evaluate different legal structures to make clear recommendations for the establishment of new business entities in particular contexts.
Identify and assess ethical decision-making and operational considerations for business managers.

Unit Type: Elective
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit points

Unit Description:

The traditional view of businesses focuses on financial value to maximise profit for its owners. Recent approaches also focus on the ways that environmental, social, and good governance factors (ESG) interact with financial factors to build a higher competitive advantage. In this unit, you will examine the impact of ESG on small to medium businesses. The focus of this unit is on understanding ESG requirements and how businesses can develop a sustainable and impactful competitive advantage. This unit will also look at for-profit models of social enterprises as a model of the future.

Learning outcomes:

Research and critically analyse environmental, social and good governance concepts and requirements in the contexts of small to medium business entities.
Demonstrate advanced knowledge of funding and financial models and how these are best applied for a given small to medium business concerned with ESG.

Justify ESG accounting principles and methods for small to medium businesses and effectively communicate the ethical role of ESG in a broader global context.

Unit Type: Elective
Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: Students must have completed a minimum of 24 credit points

Unit Description:

Emerging technologies can assist small to medium businesses to improve performance and overcome the size-related limitations they face in doing business. However, small to medium businesses tend to lag behind their larger counterparts when it comes to digital transformation. This unit will provide you with the skills and knowledge that will enable you to apply digital technologies to create value for small to medium businesses. Upon completion, you will be able to identify and evaluate current and emerging digital technologies for small to medium businesses.

Learning outcomes:

Research and identify current digital transformation trends in professional accounting practice.

Critically evaluate fintech solutions and their applications in small to medium business.
Research and plan innovative digital technology solutions for small medium business digital transformation.

Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

This unit is a comprehensive introduction to the topic of leadership and professional development, addressing a broad range of issues ranging from personal leadership style, exploration of current and foundational leadership theory, through to change leadership in organisations. You will build the knowledge, skills, self-awareness and confidence to effectively lead in a variety of settings. As you grow in understanding of the role of leading in organisations, you will also develop a deeper understanding of your own leadership capacity, style and developmental needs.

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

a. Examine current leader theory, thinking, and practices, the historical foundations underpinning them and the role of power and influence in motivating others.

b. Analyse what shapes you as a leader and what it means to be a principled and ethical leader focused on sustainable and socially responsible practices.

c. Display knowledge and self-awareness related to authentic leadership and the reflective practices that help to develop and sustain trustworthy leadership.

d. Exhibit working knowledge of the interplay between leadership and management and the associated responsibilities in assuring organisational purpose, values, vision, and goals are achieved.

e. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the principles of adaptive leadership and related change management models including the interplay between organizational culture, structure, politics, and people in leading effective change.

Credit points: 6
Prerequisites: None

Unit Description:

Project Management is an established practice for initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specified goals and meet specified success criteria for a defined project. Project management is today an established profession driven by a range of best practice standards that are globally recognised. However, the major challenge of project management is to achieve all the project goals within the given constraints of scope, time, quality and budget.

Through timetabled activities, personal study, and collaboration with your peers in syndicate work, this unit will equip you with the project management skills required to identify, explain and critically apply the key processes, terminology and concepts relevant to the project management life cycle – including AGILE methods and SCRUM. You will be able to execute independent research and exercise professional judgement in solving complex and ethical dilemmas including contemporary issues such as sustainability and environment.

This unit will comprise weekly group synchronous and asynchronous discussions and case study analysis, together with formal assessments. Assessment tasks in this unit support your effective completion of the final MBA Capstone Project – students will be encouraged to consider how the learning outcomes for this unit will inform the continued development and final implementation of their project.

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

a. Identify and critically explain the processes involved in each stage of the project management life cycle

b. Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of contemporary project management standards, terminology, principles and applications.

c. Determine and apply project management tools and techniques to plan, monitor and control a project to ensure successful project delivery.

d. Explain the internal and external roles, ethical and other responsibilities and present within project management teams.

e. Critique current trends in project management research and practice.

f. Synthesise and reinterpret a past or existing project using standard project management terminology and frames.

Unit Type: Core

Credit points: 6

Unit Description:

This unit considers the way strategic management creates value through balancing organisational activities, practices, positioning and business development with the external business environment. The art and science of business strategy brings together mindset and metrics to meet the demands of competitive environments.
In this unit you will learn to think in multiple dimensions so that an organisation’s improved state is informed by considered risk assessment, organisational capacity, people and culture and viable modelling to the benefit of all stakeholders. With your new knowledge, you will create comprehensive strategic and communication plans to move an organisation forward and devise metrics to assess their efficacy.

Learning outcomes:

Critically analyse the strategic environment for given scenarios using models and practices introduced in the unit
Characterise the resources, capabilities and risk profiles of a number of given organisations
Synthesise and appropriately scope new strategic directions, founded on critical analyses of given organisations
Create execution and communication plans for strategy implementation that feature adaptive leadership
Appraise the factors that explain market power and analyse the strategies businesses use to exploit the market power they enjoy

Credit points: 6

Unit Description:

This unit provides you with an understanding of the nature of enterprise, the process of entrepreneurship and the role of the entrepreneur. You will learn to examine the risk and reward trade-off in starting a new business and will investigate and reflect on successful entrepreneurial characteristics. You will identify an opportunity and develop a full strategy, drawing together learnings from other units. You will also explore the role of entrepreneurs in the economy and different types of entrepreneurship.

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

a. Evaluate the context, concepts, theories and process of entrepreneurship

b. Examine what attributes, abilities and behaviours make entrepreneurs successful

c. Develop and convert innovative business ideas and entrepreneurial opportunities into a business plan demonstrating creative problem solving and creating thinking skills

d. Demonstrate understanding and application of the tools necessary to create sustainable and viable businesses

e. Differentiate and articulate the various types of entrepreneurship, such as traditional, social, sustainable, ethnic and indigenous entrepreneurship

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Degrees of Difference

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Master of
Professional
Accounting

Master of
Professional
Accounting

Accelerate your career with a
professional accounting qualification

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER OF Professional Accounting

Overview

What you'll learn

Professional accreditation

Career Pathways

Essential Information

Course structure

View unit descriptions

EXIT PATHWAYS

Other courses related to MPA

More information for international students

Degrees of Difference

Speak to a Course Advisor today

Master of Professional Accounting

Master of Professional Accounting

Accelerate your career with a professional accounting qualification

Duration

Master of Professional Accounting

Study modes

You can choose to study this course:

On Campus

Domestic entry requirements

International entry requirements

Domestic Fees

Master of Professional Accounting

International Fees

Master of Professional Accounting

Start dates

Master of Professional Accounting

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER OF Professional Accounting

Overview

What you'll learn

Professional accreditation

Career Pathways

Essential Information

Course structure

Level 400

Level 500

Level 400

Level 500

Level 400

Level 500

View unit descriptions

EXIT PATHWAYS

Other courses related to MPA

Management

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Management

Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting

Management

Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting

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How to apply

Degrees of Difference

Speak to a Course Advisor today

Domestic Student

International Student

Master of
Professional
Accounting

Master of
Professional
Accounting

Accelerate your career with a
professional accounting qualification