Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting | International Student Courses | Swinburne University

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GD-PACC Postgraduate Hawthorn Send me a link to this course

The Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting provides a sound introduction to procedures in accounting and finance. It can also provide a pathway towards a Master of Professional Accounting.

Designed to develop the technical, analytical and creative skills you’ll need to support a successful career in accounting and finance. It also builds on the Graduate Certificate with a deeper dive into company reporting, managerial and financial accounting, and financial management.

Our strong industry links mean your experiential learning is relevant and practised with real-world cases and robust discussions with practising professionals.

Graduates may choose to continue into a Swinburne Master of Professional Accounting with full credit for completed units.

Graduates who hold an accounting qualification from a recognised overseas university or equivalent, upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting, may be eligible to apply for Associate membership of CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).

Information sessions

Find out how you can meet us in your home country or in Australia.

Every international student application is considered for a scholarship
Whether you’re living in Australia or overseas, you’re automatically considered for a scholarship of up to 20% off your course fees. Please check our updated entry requirements.

Duration

1 Year/s

Intakes

Hawthorn (Semester 1, Semester 2) - View application and start dates

CRICOS code

067213M

Fees

A$44340 (annual for 2024)*

The indicative course fees shown in Course Search apply to international students for the relevant year only. They are based on a standard study load per year. However, please note that fees are assessed according to a student's study load in each semester, and variation to study load will result in an adjustment to tuition fees. All fees are subject to annual review and may be adjusted.

Course information in detail

- Course detail, course structure and units of study.

Course description

The Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting enables students to complete an accounting qualification to continue their professional education. Accounting is the language of business, and skills are relevant to many areas of professional interest: marketing, economic forecasting, finance, engineering and many others. A knowledge of accounting and finance can help individuals and business organisations understand how to use money and resources to the best advantage. Gaining and maintaining wealth are important elements in a market economy.

The course builds on the skills and knowledge acquired in the Graduate Certificate. It further develops the analytical and creative skills necessary when dealing with accounting and finance issues within planning and decision making.

International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.

Course structure

The Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting (GD-PACC) incorporates the:

Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting and forms the second stage of the
Master of Professional Accounting

To qualify for the award of Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting, students must complete 100 credit points comprising of:

Eight core units of study (100 credit points)

Maximum Academic Credit
The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting is 50 credit points (normally four units)

Units of study

Stage 1 Graduate Certificate units

Students complete the following four units (12.5 credit points each):

ACC60008 Accounting Systems and Reporting
ECO80001 Economics *
FIN60003 Business Modelling and Analysis

LAW60003 Corporations and Contract Law *

Stage 2 Graduate Diploma units

Student complete the following four units (12.5 credit points each):
ACC80003 Company Auditing

ACC80008 Managerial Accounting *

ACC80019 Financial Accounting and Theory *

FIN80005 Corporate Financial Management *

* Outcome units - matched exemptions are generally not granted for higher education outcome units.

Careers and graduate outcomes

- Career opportunities, course aims and objectives and professional recognition.

Career opportunities

The suite of accounting courses provides an avenue for graduates to achieve professional recognition and help fill the shortage of professionally recognised accountants. As many candidates may already be established in a business career, the key vocational outcomes may arise from better current job performance together with new opportunities opening in the accounting and finance areas.

Aims and objectives

The Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting course is designed for students who wish to obtain advanced knowledge and research skills in accounting and related areas of business. Students will learn to apply advanced conceptual and practical accounting knowledge as the course develops the various technical, practical, analytical and creative skills necessary to support professional and highly skilled work in the areas of accounting and finance. Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting allows articulation into the Master of Professional Accounting.

At completion of the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting, graduates should be able to:

apply coherent and advanced knowledge of accounting and business concepts in diverse contexts and applications using critical thinking
apply problem solving, design and decision making methodologies to identify and provide innovative solutions to complex problems with intellectual independence
communicate proficiently in professional practice to a variety of audiences, function as an effective member or leader of a team
demonstrate integrity, ethical conduct, accountability, respect and a broad awareness of professional practices and cultural norms in a global and sustainable contex
apply accounting and business fundamentals to the analysis, design and operation of a business model using appropriate accounting and business methods and tools
reflect on and take responsibility for their own learning and self-management processes, and develop skills to review, reflect on and plan to improve their professional performance.

Professional recognition

Pathways and scholarships

- Scholarships.

Scholarships

At Swinburne scholarships are about providing opportunity, promoting equity and recognising excellence and achievement. Scholarships are available for both commencing and current students. Find out more about scholarships.

Course fees and requirements

- Fees, entry requirements and English language requirements.

Course fees

A$44340 (annual for 2024)*

Entry requirements

A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) can now be done on campus in Hawthorn at Room 132, Building TD. Book now or call +61 3 9214 3584 for more information.

A recognised bachelor degree in a related discipline or

A recognised bachelor degree in any discipline PLUS a minimum of two (2) years equivalent full-time relevant professional experience* or

A Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting** or

Masters Qualifying Program is available to International applicants

*Relevant managerial experience and evidence of academic capability will be determined by the Faculty PVC (or delegate) with reference to Faculty determined guiding principles. Applicants will be required to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) with their application. Documents substantiating relevant experience are required, clearly detailing roles and duration, as well as evidence of formal and non-formal learning. Where relevant experience is used for the basis of admission, no further recognition for prior learning/credit can be granted on that basis.
**Students entering under this admission requirement will be given full credit for the units completed.

English language requirements

Satisfactory completion of one of the following:

Swinburne’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP 5 Advanced level) with overall 70%, all skills 65%
minimum IELTS overall band of 6.5 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 6.0
TOEFL iBT (internet-based) minimum score of 79 with a reading band no less than 18 and writing band no less than 20
Pearson (PTE) minimum score of 58 (no communicative skills less than 50)
any other equivalent assessment of English language proficiency.

Find out more about English language requirements.

How to apply

Find out more about how to apply.

Find out more

Submit an online enquiry
Tel: +61 3 9214 8444 (outside Australia)

Freecall: 1300 794 628 (within Australia)

Email: international@swinburne.edu.au