Program start date | Application deadline |
2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
The Accounting PgDip at Ulster University is a one-year postgraduate program designed for non-accounting graduates seeking a career in accounting or finance. It equips students with the knowledge and skills to become Chartered/Chartered Certified Accountants, with exemptions from ACCA, CIMA, and CAI examinations. The program combines accounting and accounting-related modules, offering a comprehensive foundation and specialization in specific areas of accounting. Graduates are well-prepared for professional accounting careers in various sectors, such as corporate finance, equity research, fund management, and management consultancy.
Program Outline
Accounting PgDip at Ulster University 2024/25 Entry
Degree Overview
The Accounting PgDip at Ulster University is a full-time, one-year postgraduate program designed for non-accounting graduates aiming for a career in accounting or finance.
It equips students with the knowledge and skills to become Chartered/Chartered Certified Accountants.
Objectives:
- Equip graduates with the foundational knowledge and understanding of accounting, finance, and business.
- Develop critical, analytical, and problem-solving skills relevant to financial law, business finance, and investment decision-making.
- Prepare students for professional accounting qualifications with exemptions from ACCA, CIMA, and CAI examinations.
- Provide a pathway for further postgraduate studies in accounting and finance at the Master's level.
Program Description:
The program combines accounting and accounting-related modules, offering a comprehensive foundation and specialization in specific areas of accounting. It features a close collaboration with employers to ensure its relevance and alignment with industry needs.
Outline
Content:
- Financial Accounting: Covers the concepts underpinning financial reporting for sole traders and partnerships.
- Management Accounting: Studies the concepts and processes used to determine product and service costs and their application to various costing and accounting systems.
- Audit and Assurance: Introduces the fundamentals of auditing, including practical application and issues encountered in a financial reporting and audit environment.
- Financial Reporting: Broadens the area of financial reporting to include limited companies and the preparation of group financial statements.
- Management Accounting in Practice: Focuses on the role of the management accountant and its contribution to organizational objectives.
- Corporate Financial Reporting: Provides understanding of both accounting theory and practical application of international financial reporting standards.
- Financial Management: Explores the role of finance in managerial decision-making, covering investment appraisal, working capital control, and other relevant topics.
- Applied Taxation: Provides a detailed study of the main aspects of the UK tax system, including Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, and Value Added Tax.
- Governance, Risk and Ethics: Equips students to effectively respond to corporate governance, risk management, and ethical challenges faced by organizations today.
- Law for Accountants: Develops understanding of the legal system and its application to contract, agency, employment, and company law relevant to accountants in private practice.
Structure:
- The program is delivered over one academic year (late September - late June).
- It is a full-time course delivered through lectures, workshops, and seminars.
- Students are expected to undertake independent study.
Course Schedule:
- The program typically runs from late September to late June.
Assessment
Assessment Methods:
- Examinations
- Class tests
- Completion of worksheets
- Reflective logs
- Portfolios
- Critiques
- Reports
- Subject-specific essays
- Oral presentations
- Individual and group projects
- Interactive technology
Assessment Criteria:
- Each module has its own assessment criteria, which are designed to assess students' achievement of the stated learning outcomes.
- Assessments are designed to cover a range of knowledge and skills, including understanding of key concepts, ability to apply concepts to real-world scenarios, and critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Teaching
Teaching Methods:
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Seminars
- Case studies
- Experiential learning
- Guest speakers
- Practitioner master classes
- Workshops
- Directed and independent study
- Computer assisted learning
- Interactive learning technology
Faculty:
- Over 85% of the teaching staff hold Fellowship of Advance HE (previously Higher Education Academy).
- The majority of accounting lecturers have professional qualifications and previous experience in professional practice and/or commercial business.
Unique Teaching Approaches:
- The program emphasizes practical application of knowledge and skills through case studies, guest speakers, and practitioner master classes.
- Students are encouraged to engage in independent study and utilize interactive learning technology.
- The program is continuously reviewed to incorporate new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry, and the professions.
Careers
Career Options:
- Graduates can progress onto the MSc Advanced Accounting or MSc Strategic Accounting to gain further professional exemptions.
- They can also directly enter an accounting training contract to become a professionally qualified accountant.
- The program has excellent post-graduation employment rates, and the University's Employability & Careers Service facilitates linkages with prospective employers.
Professional Recognition:
- Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), and Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) for exemptions from professional examinations.
Career Outcomes:
- The program has a high success rate, with many graduates achieving exemptions from professional accounting examinations.
- It is suitable for students with little or no previous knowledge of accounting and finance who wish to study these subjects further or undertake postgraduate studies in accounting and finance.