CQUniversity
Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Build foundational business and accounting knowledge through on-campus postgraduate study, preparing for further professional accounting study and a future career in accounting.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting from CQUniversity is a postgraduate qualification designed for students seeking to develop foundational business and accounting knowledge as the first step towards a career in accounting. Delivered on campus over 0.5 years full-time or one year part-time, the course introduces key accounting and business concepts while aligning learning with the requirements of the major Australian professional accounting bodies.
You will study core areas including accounting in Australia, economics for managers, Australian commercial law and applied statistics. Through an industry-relevant curriculum, you will develop the business and accounting knowledge required to support further professional accounting study.
On successful completion, you will graduate with the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting. The qualification provides the first step towards a career in accounting and offers a pathway into the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting, with credit granted for completed units.
Key facts
Melbourne
Sydney
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting, you must successfully complete units totalling 24 credit points as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 6 credit points.
Core units
- Accounting in Australia
- Economics for Managers
- Australian Commercial Law
- Applied Statistics for Artificial Intelligence
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To gain entry to this course, students must have at least one of the following criteria:
- A non-accounting undergraduate degree in any discipline from an Australian university or equivalent from an overseas institution.
- An Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent accounting bachelor's degree received from an overseas institution or organisation, that does not meet accreditation requirements with an Australian accounting registration body for associate membership purposes.
- A minimum of five years of relevant accounting experience.
- A minimum of ten years of relevant business experience.
Relevant business experience is considered to be any experience in the conduct or administration of a business enterprise.
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
The Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting will help you make the first steps to a successful accounting career. To continue your studies and qualify as an accountant, you must enrol in the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting.
Learning outcomes
Graduates will learn the following skills during the course:
- Integrate theoretical and technical accounting knowledge, including finance, economics, quantitative methods, information systems and commercial law.
- Use analytical skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise routine accounting problems.
- Communicate effectively in a range of contexts with professionals and non-professionals.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $16,000 (domestic full-fee paying place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 24 credit points (normally four units) per year.
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.