Master of Professional Accounting [C7S]

With our practical internships and work experience opportunities, you will engage with Tasmanian industry during your studies, providing real world experience and building connections to help forge your future career.

If you don't have a formal accounting qualification and want to break into this thriving field, our Master of Professional Accounting is the perfect place to start. You will have various opportunities to gain practical experience through internships via our Work Ready Program (available to students studying at our Launceston campus) and Tax Clinic (available to students studying at our Hobart and Launceston campuses), and our highly qualified industry experts will prepare you for accounting roles all over the world.  This course is also ideal for anyone in the industry who wants to upskill and meet the academic requirement of professional accounting qualifications.

A career in accounting is about providing expert consultation and helping businesses with sound judgement and decision making. You could find yourself providing financial advice for an exciting new start up business or advising innovative, sustainable solutions as a climate change accountant.

As future accounting professionals, you also have the power to make a difference to the world in which we live. Accountants are being called upon to 'be the global voice on climate action'^. From quantifying the financial impact of climate issues, through to ensuring climate reporting meets compliance requirements, accountants are helping to support a worldwide effort to enhance and improve climate change reporting.

^ 'Climate Action', International Federation of Accountants, 2021.

Please note: Due to unit availabilities, Launceston on-campus study is only available to students with a cognate background.

Key contacts

The Master of Professional Accounting will provide you with a holistic overview of accounting in today's business world, including the social, financial, and environmental impacts of the industry. You will engage with our Australian industry partners, such as KPMG, CPA, Blundstone, and Hazell Bros, all while learning in a supportive and interactive environment.

While you can study accounting anywhere in the world, by choosing to study in Tasmania you will be fully immersed in the uniqueness of Tasmanian industry. Our direct connection to industry means that you will develop a strong understanding of Tasmania's key sectors, including aquaculture, agribusiness, export trade, and tourism. With sustainability embedded into our major units, you will learn to how to make socially and environmentally responsible decisions, as well as provide advice to clients on the financial and environmental impact of their business.

While completing your degree, you will simultaneously be growing your professional network and enhancing your career prospects. Our industry workshops and internships allow you to meet real employers and see first-hand how professionals of all levels apply their skills in everyday work. For many of our students, there has also been direct employment opportunities as a result of their internship and industry connections.

Admission to most postgraduate coursework courses at the University of Tasmania require qualifications equivalent to an Australian bachelor's degree. Applicants must achieve the required grade in their qualifying studies, meet any prerequisite subjects, and meet English language requirements to be eligible for an offer.

English Language Requirements

For students who do not meet the English Language Requirement through citizenship or prior studies in English in an approved country, evidence of an approved English language test completed within the last 2 years must be provided. See the English Language Requirements page for more information.

Course Specific Requirements

To be eligible for an offer, applicants must have:

• A completed undergraduate or postgraduate course at Bachelor level or higher (or equivalent#).
• Applicants with overseas accounting qualifications will be recognised for prior learning of the entire transition study block and complete the remaining 150 credit points to be awarded the Masters (1.5yr MPA option).
• Applicants with overseas accounting qualifications may choose not to receive this credit and instead replace these units with an optional 4-unit (50-credit point) specialisation (2 year MPA).

# An approved equivalent from an overseas institution is as assessed by the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR).

• All methods of meeting University of Tasmania English language requirements have a validity period of 2 years unless involving a country specific qualification as listed below.
• Each course offered by the University of Tasmania has a minimum English language requirement for entry as listed below. Applicants must also meet the academic entry requirements for each course.
• Applicants who qualify from a University of Tasmania program, and intend to gain professional registration to become a practitioner in Australia, may need to meet the relevant Professional Accrediting Agency's English language registration standard.
• In exceptional circumstances or cases not covered by the categories outlined below, multiple forms of evidence may be considered on a case by case basis by the Executive Director, Student Operations in consultation with the Director, Academic Quality and Standards.
• The University reserves the right to require that any applicant be required to undergo a test of English language.

Accountants are needed in every industry. They provide sound advice on all financial aspects of a business, including financial reporting, taxation, auditing, cost management, and planning and decision making for organisations. The skill level rating for accountants in Australia is consider very high and the number of accountant jobs is estimated to grow by 17,000 by 2025*.

As a graduate of the Masters of Professional Accounting, you may choose to apply to become a member of a recognised accounting institution, such as Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). Other exciting career paths to consider with your Masters Degree could include senior management, business analyst, software development, or consultancy.

*Job Outlook, Australian Government.

Professional Recognition

By graduating from the Master of Professional Accounting, you will be eligible to meet the entry requirements necessary for Associate Membership of a professional accounting body, such as CPA Australia or Chartered Accountants Australia & Zealand.