Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting
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Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting
The Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting is primarily of interest to students who wish to gain admission to the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountant’s CA College or other accounting professional bodies.
The diploma is usually taken as a further year of full-time study after completion of a BCA degree (or equivalent) with an Accounting major.
Programme of Study
The programme of study for the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting changed in 2010.
For students enrolling from 2010 onwards, the course of study will consist of:
120 points selected from ACCY or TAXN 200-399 including at least 75 points at 300-level. Up to 45 points may be replaced with approved courses from COML or FINA 200-399.
Please check the School’s current Academic Prospectus for information on when courses are offered and their prerequisites.
Note: If you began the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting under the 2008 statute or began the diploma in 2009 and have passed ACCY 232, you may complete the diploma under that statute, with appropriate substitutions, provided you do so by the end of 2013. Alternatively, you may switch to the new statute.
Students completing under these conditions must include the following courses (or approved substitutes) in their programme:
- ACCY 001, 111, 223, 225, 231, 232, 302, 308; three further courses from ACCY 300-399;
- COML 203, 303; either COML 301 or 305;
- ECON 130* and 140, MGMT 101, MOFI (FINA) 201, QUAN 102; and
- 72 points from the following list:
- ALL COMM, PUBL or QUAN courses (including QUAN 102, with the permission of the Associate Dean (Students))
- Any other VUW courses not in the BCA or BTM Schedules.
Note 1:
- The ECON 130* requirement will be waived where a student has passed ECON 140.
- ACCY 225 may be omitted if INFO 101 and ACCY 317 are included in the overall programme.
- ACCY 232 may be omitted if TAXN 201 and ACCY 330 or ACCY 303 are included.
- COML 305 or 301 may be omitted if COML 310 is included.
- COML 303 may be omitted if COML 204 is included.
Note 2: Due to the change to 15-point courses, you may be required to take additional papers.
Note 3: With the Associate Dean's (Students) approval, students may graduate under the 2008 statute with a minimum of 475 points.
Note 4: From 2010, QUAN 103 cannot be used to replace QUAN 111 for any ECON, FINA or MOFI major. However, the following transitional arrangement for FINA 201 will apply; if a student has passed QUAN 103 before 2010, they will be granted a prerequisite waiver in order to take FINA 201.
Note: Completion of the diploma under any statute after 2009 will no longer guarantee satisfaction of New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountant’s (NZICA) academic requirements. More information is also provided in the Accounting Profession and Careers section. Those students who wish to meet NZICA requirements should consult with either the School of Accounting and Commercial Law or NZICA to ensure the appropriate choice of courses is made.
How To Find Out More
For further information on the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting, please see the current Academic Prospectus or contact the School.