RMIT University
Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Broaden your career prospects with this accounting course aimed at graduates of non-accounting disciplines.
Course overview
Gain the core skills you need to launch a career in professional accounting.
Become a literate and analytical accounting practitioner with strong foundational skills in financial decision making and reporting, business and corporate law and more.
Designed for those without an accounting background, this immersive graduate certificate will give you the skills required to not only join this always-essential field, but to thrive in it.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting, you must fulfil these four core courses (subjects):
- Accounting, Accountability and Society
- Business and Corporations Law
- Financial Decision Making
- Visualising and Communicating Insights in Business
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To be eligible for admission to the program, you must have an Australian bachelor's degree (or equivalent) or higher level qualification, in any discipline from a recognised tertiary institution.
If you do not meet the above entry requirement for the graduate certificate, you may be considered if you have a minimum of five years of full-time equivalent work experience. Applicants will be required to submit a curriculum vitae (CV).
Suppose your qualification was completed more than 10 years ago. In that case, you will need to provide evidence of ongoing professional work and/or professional development in the same discipline as the program for which you are seeking entry to be granted credit.
English language requirements
You must meet the university's minimum English language requirements to be eligible for a place in this program. Contact the university for more details.
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
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting, you will have developed the capabilities to work as an accountant in a range of diverse organisations. Throughout your studies, you will build your knowledge, application, judgment and communication skills in the accounting discipline within a broad business context.
As a graduate, you will be able to integrate theoretical and technical accounting knowledge, covering auditing and assurance, finance, economics, quantitative methods, information systems, commercial law, corporation law, taxation law and more. Under supervision, you will not only utilise various perspectives, social, ethical, economic, regulatory and global to solve complex accounting problems, but also communicate your analysis, discoveries and recommendations to both accountants and non-accountants.
As an autonomous and accountable professional, you will also seek constructive feedback throughout your career and use this to identify lifelong learning opportunities.
Career outcomes
Graduates may work in public accounting practice or commercial and government organisations.
Fees and CSP
Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $17,760 (domestic full-fee paying place).
Indicative total fee in 2026: From $4,738 to $17,399 (Commonwealth Supported Place).
Additional expenses:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): $373 maximum fee for 2026.
- Other items related to your program include field trips, textbooks and equipment.
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 48 credit points (normally four units) per semester.
A student’s fee may vary depending on:
- The number of subjects studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of subjects.
- 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.
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate programs.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per the subject you're enrolled in.
- Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university program.