The Master of Accounting and Finance is a 72-unit program offered by the College of Business, Government and Law.

Admission requirements

Applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in any discipline (other than accounting degree accredited in Australia) from an approved tertiary institution.

Applicants with an Australian accredited degree in accounting are not eligible for admission into the Master of Accounting and Finance). However, the Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

The course aims to provide students with the appropriate knowledge, skills and attributes for a successful career as an accounting and finance professional, and to cultivate research practices for independent, industry and discipline related research in a business context. The role of accounting and finance professionals in contemporary society will be explored with reference to ethics, globalisation and sustainability issues.

Learning outcomes 

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

  • Explain the role of accounting and financial management within an organisation and recognise taxation and other legal issues relevant to business.
  • Appraise and apply ethical standards to professional and business scenarios and critically evaluate the role of theory in informing accounting and finance practice.
  • Apply technical financial accounting skills to process transactions and construct accounts for a variety of organisations, including sole traders, partnerships and companies.
  • Apply management accounting concepts to produce reports for management planning, control and decision making.
  • Apply accounting information system concepts and auditing principles and processes to diverse business scenarios.
  • Apply capital budgeting techniques and financial capital market knowledge to formulate value maximising investment and financing decisions.
  • Apply fundamental analysis and quantitative based techniques to value financial securities and formulate investment strategies consistent with the analysis.
  • Construct investment portfolios that are consistent with the objectives and constraints of
    institutional and retail investors.
  • Implement risk management strategies using derivative securities.
  • Discuss and critically evaluate developments in global financial markets that impact financial practices.
  • Describe both qualitative and quantitative business research methods and apply relevant
    methods to workplace and/or academic projects.
  • Work both individually and in groups to solve business related problems and communicate the results to a range of stakeholders.

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Accounting and Finance, a student must complete 72 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study. Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

Core - Year 1 & 2 topics

63 units of core topics:

BUSN9019 Applied Research Methods in Business (4.5 units)
BUSN9113 Accounting Fundamentals (4.5 units)
BUSN9114 Information Systems and Accounting Processes (4.5 units)
BUSN9115 Quantitative Methods (4.5 units)
BUSN9116 Economics for Business (4.5 units)
BUSN9117 Management and Cost Accounting (4.5 units)
BUSN9118 Financial Accounting Issues (4.5 units)
BUSN9119 Financial Management (4.5 units)
BUSN9120 Corporate Accounting (4.5 units)
BUSN9123 Principles of Commercial Law (4.5 units)
BUSN9130 Derivatives and Risk Management (4.5 units)
BUSN9131 Applied Security Analysis and Valuation (4.5 units)
BUSN9132 New Venture Finance and Private Equity (4.5 units)
BUSN9223 Investments and Portfolio Management (4.5 units)

Option - Year 1 & 2 topics

9 units from the following:

BUSN9121 Auditing and Assurance (4.5 units) *
BUSN9122 Perspectives on Taxation Law (4.5 units) *
BUSN9126 Industry Placement (4.5 units)^
BUSN9129 Corporate Finance (4.5 units)
BUSN9145 Enterprise and Innovation Project (4.5 units)
BUSN9229 Sustainability and Ethics in Management (4.5 units)
BUSN9237 Financial Markets and Institutions (4.5 units)
BUSN9241 International Business Finance and Banking (4.5 units)
BUSN9409 Academic English for Business (4.5 units)

^ Enrolment into these topics requires approval from the Program Director

* Students who wish to undertake the Chartered Accountants Program must complete BUSN9121 Auditing and Assurance and BUSN9122 Perspectives on Taxation Law as their electives to meet CAANZ entry requirements.