Griffith University
Master of Professional Accounting
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
- Course Type: Master's
Acquire the technical and conceptual skills needed to become an accountant and develop your ability to analyse, critique and synthesise various accounting and related principles, methods and techniques.
Course overview
This program is suitable for you if you are from a non-accounting background or do not hold a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) Australia or Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) accredited undergraduate degree with a major in accounting.
You will receive training in accounting and related areas needed to meet the academic requirements for Associate membership with CPA Australia, admission to CPA Australia's CPA Program and the Chartered Accountants (CA) Program of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
The program has a foundation component (Graduate Certificate of Commerce) which allows those without a prior degree in accounting (or equivalent) and those looking for a career change to participate. Those with experience in the field or related fields can also enter the program and progress to the advanced level of study.
Key facts
What you will study
There are two pathways of study available. Each pathway requires a different amount of credit points (CP) for you to earn.
- Pathway 1 - Standard (160 CP)
- Pathway 2 - Advanced (120 CP)
Students must complete and pass the foundation course Accounting and Governance in their first trimester of study. This course is a prerequisite for Corporate Accounting, Management Accounting and Strategy, Corporate Auditing, and Financial Accounting Theory and Practice.
Each course is valued at 10 CP, unless otherwise indicated.
Complete the following:
- Accounting and Governance
- Corporate Finance
- Economics
- Business Data Analytics
- Corporate Accounting
- Principles of Business and Corporations Law
- Management Accounting and Strategy
- Financial Statements Analysis
- Corporate Auditing
- Financial Accounting Theory and Practice
- Income Tax Law
- Insolvency Law OR Forensic Accounting, Fraud and Investigation
- Listed electives (40 CP)
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Master of Professional Accounting, a student must have one of the following:
- Any bachelor's degree from a recognised university (or another tertiary education institution of equivalent standing) with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.0 (using a 7.0 scale).
- A Griffith Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting (or equivalent) with a minimum GPA of 4.0 (using a 7.0 scale). Students will receive 40 CP of credit.
Students who have completed a degree in accounting but are not accredited with CPA Australia for Associate membership will be considered for admission.
From 2025:
Pathway 1: 1-year program (80 Credit points)
- A recognised bachelor's degree (or higher) in a related discipline with a minimum GPA of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale; and five years of full-time (or equivalent) relevant professional experience.
Pathway 2: 1.5-year program (120 Credit points)
- A recognised bachelor's degree (or higher) in commerce or business with a minimum GPA of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale.
Pathway 3: 1.5-year program (120 Credit points)
- A recognised bachelor's degree (or higher) in any discipline with a minimum GPA of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale; AND a minimum of two years of full-time (or equivalent) relevant professional experience.
Pathway 4: 2-year program (160 Credit points)
You must have one of the following:
- A recognised bachelor's degree (or higher) in any discipline with a minimum GPA of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale.
- A combination of alternative admission criteria, such as formal, informal and non-formal learning, is equivalent to the above.
English language requirements
English language requirements apply to international applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:
- A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.0.
- A minimum score of 575 on the TOEFL.
- An internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19).
- No score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only).
- A minimum overall score of 176 (no score less than 169) on C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) or C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English).
- An overall score of 58 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 50.
English test results must be no more than two years old.
Suppose you do not meet the university's specified English language requirements. In that case, you may contact the Griffith English Language Institute to increase your eligibility for entering a Griffith University program. This institute offers several English language and other courses at both its Brisbane and Gold Coast branches.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Griffith University grants credit and recognition of prior learning which may relate to prior formal learning or prior informal and non-formal learning. The university's Credit Precedent Database allows you to find out what credit decisions have been made in the past. These precedents will give you an idea of what you can expect. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
You will be well prepared for potential career opportunities in government administration, business planning, cost and management accounting, auditing, information systems, taxation, insolvency, finance and banking, treasury, foreign exchange, superannuation, consulting and manufacturing.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2025: $32,500 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The indicative annual tuition fee is calculated based on a standard full-time study load which is usually 80 CP.
The indicative annual tuition fee is based on current conditions and available data and should only be used as a guide. These fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
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.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.