University of Sydney Handbooks - 2020 Archive

Download full 2020 archivePage archived at: Tue, 27 Oct 2020

Accounting

The Accounting specialisation equips students with an in-depth understanding of the current techniques and practices in accounting for use in an executive or managerial position. Students examine key issues relating to financial accounting, management accounting, decision making, audit and assurance, financial statement analysis, accounting systems, corporate governance, sustainability reporting, management control systems and international accounting. With its emphasis on understanding, analysing and interpreting financial and non-financial information for decision making, this specialisation qualifies students in the evaluation of the financial position and performance of companies and their accounting systems, governance and management controls. In addition to giving an important start to professional accreditation, this specialisation prepares students to work either locally or overseas, within an accounting practice or other public and private sector organisations. The Accounting specialisation provides students with strong technical, analytical and problem-solving skills while keeping abreast of contemporary accounting practice.

Requirements for an Accounting specialisation

To achieve a specialisation in Accounting within the Master of Commerce, students must complete 30 credit points in units of study comprising:

  • 6 credit points in foundational units of study; and
  • 24 credit points in elective units of study.

A sample pathway for the Accounting specialisation (spread over two years of the Master of Commerce degree) is listed below.

Year Session Units of study
First Semester 1 Foundational: ACCT5001 Accounting Principles
Semester 2 Elective for specialisation
Second Semester 1 Elective for specialisation Elective for specialisation
Semester 2 Elective for specialisation

Please Note. This sample progression is meant as an example only. Depending on unit prerequisites, students may be able to complete these units in a different sequence to that displayed in the table above.

For details of the foundational, compulsory and elective units of study required for the specialisation please refer to the Accounting section of the Table of postgraduate units of study:Commerce in this handbook.

Professional accreditation in accounting

Students can meet the requirements for professional accreditation in accounting under the Master of Commerce. For details, please refer to Professional accreditation in accounting in the “Accreditations” section under Commerce in Coursework section in this handbook.

Further information

For further information regarding study in accounting in the Commerce coursework programs, please contact the Discipline of Accounting.