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CC38 - Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting

Overview

Course Overview

This course is ideal for motivated people seeking to develop a career in accounting. Students in this course will begin to develop business and accounting skills in line with requirements from the major Australian professional accounting bodies. Postgraduate students wanting to develop a career in accounting but who do not meet the criteria for the Master of Professional Accounting should consider enrolling in this course.

Students who successfully complete this course will be allowed to enrol in the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting, and will receive credit for the units completed in the Graduate Certificate.

Career Information

Students who have successfully completed the Graduate Certificate of Professional Accounting have made the first steps on the way to a successful accounting career. It is recommended that graduates of this course enrol in the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting and continue to progress their accounting career.

Course Details
Duration 0.5 years full-time or 1 years part-time
Credit Points that Must be Earned 24
Number of Units Required CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in postgraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24).
Expected Hours of Study One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term.
Course Type Postgraduate Award
Qualification (post nominal) GradCertProfAcct
AQF Level Level 8: Graduate Certificate
Course Fees
Indicative Year - 2025
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $15,379.5
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $18,360
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $18,360
Indicative Year - 2024
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $12,987
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $17,520
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $17,520
Indicative Year - 2023
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $12,280.5
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $16,680
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $16,680
Indicative Year - 2022
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $11,919
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $16,680
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $16,680

Admission Codes

Domestic Students
Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes
Not Applicable
International Students
CRICOS Codes
Where and when can I start?
Units offered internally at the below campuses may be delivered using a combination of face-to-face and video conferencing style teaching.
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
Please Click Here for more information.
The following tables list the courses availabilities by location and term. Directing your pointer over your preferred location will provide further information if this course is not available for the full duration. Please be sure to also check individual unit availability by location and term prior to enrolling.

Domestic Availability

Term 3 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2025

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2025

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2025

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2024

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2024

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2024

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2022

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2022

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2022

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2021

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2021

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2021

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2020

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2020

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2020

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2019

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2019

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2019

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2018

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2018

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2018

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 3 - 2017

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2017

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2017

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 3 - 2016

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2016

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2016

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 3 - 2015

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2015

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2015

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney
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International Availability

Term 3 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2025

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2025

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2025

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2024

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2024

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2024

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2022

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2022

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2022

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2021

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2021

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2021

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2020

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2020

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2020

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2019

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 2 - 2019

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 1 - 2019

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Term 3 - 2018

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2018

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2018

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 3 - 2017

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2017

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2017

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 3 - 2016

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2016

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2016

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 3 - 2015

Brisbane
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Melbourne
Sydney

Term 2 - 2015

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney

Term 1 - 2015

Brisbane
Distance
Melbourne
Sydney
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For any problems regarding admissions availability for the selected course please contact 13 CQUni (13 27 86) or send us an email at http://contactus.cqu.edu.au/
What do I need to start?
Entry Requirements

To gain entry to this course, students must have:


- An undergraduate degree in any discipline from an Australian university; or
- A qualification from an overseas institution or organisation assessed as being equivalent to the above by the professional bodies that accredit this course of study, or

- a recognised diploma and two years relevant business experience, or

- A minimum of five years of relevant accounting experience, or

- A minimum of ten years of relevant business experience.

Relevant business experience is considered to be any experience in the conduct or administration of a business enterprise.

Assumed Knowledge

There are no recommended study requirements.

Security Requirements
No information available at this time
Health Requirements
No information available at this time
Course Features

Awards and Accreditation

Interim Awards Not applicable
Exit Awards Not applicable
Accreditation
  • Not applicable

Residential School Requirements

No Residential School for this course.

Practicum/Work Placement

Not applicable

Previous and Current Enrolments

Year Number of Students
2024 5
2023 6
2022 7
2021 6
2020 6
Inherent Requirements
There are Inherent Requirements (IRs) that you need to be aware of, and fulfil, to achieve the core learning outcomes of the units and course. IRs are the essential capabilities, knowledge, behaviours and skills that are needed to complete a unit or course.

Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.

If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.

Ethical Behaviour

  Examples are:

  • Complying with academic and non-academic policies and procedures such as Student Charter, Student Misconduct Policy, Student Behavioural Misconduct Procedures, Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework), Accounting professional and ethical standards.
  • Demonstrating honesty and integrity in academic and accounting practice.
  • Critically reflecting on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ethically correct decisions and/or ensuring awareness of applicable ethical thinking and behaviour.

 

Behavioural Stability

Examples are:

  • Working constructively in a diverse and changing academic and professional environment.
  • Being able to work individually and in groups in challenging environments.
  • Responding objectively, consistently and professionally to challenging and demanding situations.
  • Successfully distinguishing your own personal behaviours, experiences and emotions from people and situations in a professional setting.
Legal Compliance

Examples are:

  • Functioning with an awareness and understanding that Accounting practice is mandated by specific legal and regulatory requirements and standards to enable the professional delivery of practice.
  • Knowledge and compliance with Australian Law and professional regulatory requirements and standards, which informs and determines accounting practices.
  • Ability to apply appropriate legal principles and disclosure requirements in preparing financial reports.
  • Complying with the policies and practices of organisations in which you may be placed for finding employment.
  • Complying with the requirements for registration with the Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board (APESB)
Communication Skills (Verbal, Non-verbal, Written and Technology)

Examples are:

  • Ability to understand and respond to verbal and communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner.
  • Ability to provide clear instructions in the context of the situation.
  • Providing accurate, timely, clear feedback and reporting in the delivery of accounting practice.
  • Delivering interactivity with your communication (timeliness, accuracy and effectiveness) to resolve complex problems and maintain trusting and effective relationships.
  • Verbally communicating in the English language with accuracy, appropriateness and effectiveness.
  • Actively participating in discussion activities related to the course.
  • Using language that is appropriate to the context of the individual or group.
  • Establishing rapport with clients in the delivery of accounting practice and responding appropriately to clients, supervisors and other professionals.
  • Recognising, interpreting and responding appropriately to behavioural cues.
  • Being self-aware of your own use of non-verbal cues during interactions.
  • Having sensitivity and empathy to cultural, religious and individual differences.
  • Being able to consistently display appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, body movements and gestures while being mindful of personal space and boundaries.
  • Being able to demonstrate effective non-verbal communication that is respectful, clear, empathetic, honest and non-judgemental when communicating with students, families and professional colleagues.
  • Effectively and appropriately communicating, in written English, in a wide variety of contexts to engage in activities related to the course and in professional settings.
  • Acquiring, understanding, applying and conveying information in a written format.
  • Competently and appropriately producing written assessment work in a logical, coherent manner, and with correct grammar and punctuation to the required academic standards.
  • Expressing complex and detailed information and knowledge into a logical and legible report, in a timely manner that meets professional standards and clearly communicates the intended message.
  • Accurately conveying and documenting information in a written form that meets legal and accounting practice requirements.
Cognitive Abilities (Knowledge and Cognitive Skills, Literacy and Numeracy)

Examples are:

  • Demonstrating the mental functioning and thinking capacities to deliver competent accounting practice.
  • Having the cognitive capacity to acquire theoretical knowledge as well as develop the cognitive processing skills to successfully undertake the course, its learning activities and assessments.
  • Having the capacity to acquire, process, integrate and implement a comprehensive body of knowledge and skills in both academic and professional practice settings.
  • Competently and consistently demonstrating the ability to read, decode, interpret and comprehend multiple sources of information in accounting practice.
  • Acquiring and interpreting evidence and accurately conveying appropriate information both in data and numerical formats.
  • Having the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts, principles and operations and competently communicate and demonstrate these in a range of contexts to solve a variety of mathematical problems associated with accounting practice.
  • Demonstrating the capacity to undertake complex financial analysis of accounting reports, including the use of Excel spreadsheet software.
Relational Skills

Examples are: 

Communicate effectively with a variety of clients, using a range of communication skills and tools. 

Work effectively with your fellow students. 

Reflective Skills

Examples include: 

Demonstrating an understanding of how theory as well as personal, social and cultural experiences relate to practice or personal or professional knowledge. 

Discovering and challenging own underlying assumptions. 

Making connections between personal and work experiences and what is being learned.

Interpersonal Engagement

Examples are:

  • Having the ability to engage in conversation effectively in a wide range of accounting contexts.
  • Demonstrating sufficient knowledge and skills to engage in a group work.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Abilities

Examples are:

  • Having the ability to use ICT appropriately and effectively in a wide range of accounting contexts.
  • Demonstrating sufficient computer knowledge and skills to engage in the on-line learning environment that may include completing relevant on-line assessments, participating in various on-line forums, responding to emails and using spreadsheet software such as Excel.
  • Preparing accounting entries and/or reports using accounting specific ICT.
  • Processing and presenting information relevant to accounting by using specific software programs and Excel spreadsheet software.
Core Learning Outcomes
  • 1. demonstrate a high level of understanding of the body of knowledge fundamental to accounting and related disciplines, by being able to apply effective professional communications skills to analyse and interpret routine accounting issues,
  • 2. use analytical skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise routine accounting problems,
  • 3. communicate effectively in a range of contexts with professionals and non-professionals.
  Course Learning Outcomes
Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors 1 2 3
1. KNOWLEDGE Have specialised knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge that may include the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in a new or existing discipline or professional area
2. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to review,analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems
3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas
4. SKILLS Have specialised technical and creative skills in a field of highly skilled and/or professional practice
5. SKILLS Have communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concepts
6. SKILLS Have communication skills to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences
7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to make high level, independent judgements in a range of technical or management functions in varied specialised contexts
8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate broad functions within varied specialised technical and/or creative contexts
9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILL Be responsible and accountable for personal outputs and all aspects of the work or function of others within broad parameters
10. FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE sufficient to undertake qualifications
11. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of knowledge in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units
12. FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS sufficient to undertake qualifications
13. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of skills in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units
14. Course content drawn from higher education units
Course Structure

In order to complete this course, you must:

  1. Complete the core structure
More Details

Work Experience Definitions

Managerial or professional work experience must have included direct, personal involvement in decision-making responsibility in a range of areas such as budgeting, marketing, HRM, staffing, project management, financial management, process management, or other relevant professional experience.

Computing Requirements

As a student, it is necessary to have access to a computer or equivalent device in order to complete your coursework. You should have a good understanding of technology and the ability to navigate the online environment, which may involve completing online assessments, participating in online forums, and responding to emails. There may be instances where you need to use a computer or equivalent device for in-class tasks or assessments. It is important that you have dependable access to the internet and a computer or equivalent device capable of video conferencing for online classes. Make sure to review your unit profiles to learn about any specific technology requirements for your coursework.