ACCA Strategic Professional (Accountancy Professional Level 7 Apprenticeship)

Program Overview

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The University of Bolton's ACCA Strategic Professional Apprenticeship is a three-year part-time program designed for aspiring leaders in accountancy and financial management. It combines university education, on-the-job training, and ACCA qualification attainment. The program offers a comprehensive study of financial management, business principles, and ethical skills, preparing apprentices for successful careers in the financial industry.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

The University of Bolton's Level 7 ACCA Strategic Professional (Accountancy Professional Level 7 Apprenticeship) is a part-time program designed to develop future leaders in accountancy and financial management. It combines university education, work-based learning, and ongoing professional development towards an ACCA qualification. The program is fully mapped to the apprenticeship standard (ST0001) and offers a blend of theory and practice.

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Objectives:

• Develop core knowledge, skills, and behaviors required for successful leadership positions in accountancy and financial management.
• Provide apprentices with the opportunity to gain on-the-job knowledge and experience.
• Develop additional skills and knowledge valuable for the apprentice's organization.
• Offer structured training, an internationally recognized qualification in accountancy and financial management, and professional ACCA status.
• Integrate study into the normal working week, allowing apprentices to put their new skills and understanding into practice immediately.

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Outline:

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Content:

• The program covers key financial management functions alongside core business and accountancy principles, theories, and models.
• It includes modules in Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills, Strategic Professional, and Ethics and Professional Skills.

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Structure:

• The program is a three-year part-time course, with multiple entry points depending on existing qualifications.
• Apprentices study with the university one day per week during term time and undertake independent study and practical application in the workplace outside of term time.
• The program includes 45 hours of scheduled tuition over 15 weeks towards either June or December external examinations with the ACCA.

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Individual Modules:

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Applied Knowledge Modules:

• Business and Technology (BT): Provides a broad introduction to the world of finance and develops essential understanding and techniques in accounting.
• Financial Accounting (FA): Provides a broad introduction to the world of finance and develops essential understanding and techniques in accounting.
• Management Accounting (MA): Provides a broad introduction to the world of finance and develops essential understanding and techniques in accounting.

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Applied Skills Modules:

• Corporate and Business Law (LW): Builds on existing knowledge and understanding and develops strong, broad, and practical finance skills required of future strategic professional accountants in any sector or industry.
• Taxation (TX): Builds on existing knowledge and understanding and develops strong, broad, and practical finance skills required of future strategic professional accountants in any sector or industry.
• Financial Reporting (FR): Builds on existing knowledge and understanding and develops strong, broad, and practical finance skills required of future strategic professional accountants in any sector or industry.
• Performance Management (PM): Builds on existing knowledge and understanding and develops strong, broad, and practical finance skills required of future strategic professional accountants in any sector or industry.
• Financial Management (FM): Builds on existing knowledge and understanding and develops strong, broad, and practical finance skills required of future strategic professional accountants in any sector or industry.
• Audit and Assurance (AA): Builds on existing knowledge and understanding and develops strong, broad, and practical finance skills required of future strategic professional accountants in any sector or industry.

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Strategic Professional Modules:

• Essentials:
• Strategic Business Reporting (SBR):
Prepares students for future leadership positions and develops strategic vision using technical, ethical, and professional skills.
• Strategic Business Leader (SBL): Prepares students for future leadership positions and develops strategic vision using technical, ethical, and professional skills.
• Options:
• Advanced Financial Management (AFM):
Allows students to specialize in areas that best suit their career ambitions.
• Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA): Allows students to specialize in areas that best suit their career ambitions.
• Advanced Taxation (ATX): Allows students to specialize in areas that best suit their career ambitions.
• Advanced Performance Management (APM): Allows students to specialize in areas that best suit their career ambitions.

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Ethics and Professional Skills Module:

• Develops in students the complete range of skills that employers need.
• Introduces students to the full spectrum of advanced ethical and professional skills and exposes them to realistic business situations.

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Assessment:

• Applied Knowledge Modules: 100% external examinations taken with the ACCA.
• Applied Skills Modules: 100% external examinations taken with the ACCA.
• Strategic Professional Modules: 100% external examinations taken with the ACCA.
• Ethics and Professional Skills Module: 100% external examinations taken with the ACCA.
• End Point Assessment (EPA): Comprised of a portfolio of workplace evidence, demonstration of practice, and professional discussion.

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Teaching:

• Methods:
• Practice-led and research-informed.
• Student-centered, with tailored help and support throughout studies.
• Taught by senior industry practitioners who are specialists in their chosen field.
• Faculty:
• All teaching staff have significant practitioner experience and hold professional accountancy qualifications.
• A number also hold doctoral qualifications in accountancy.
• Unique Approaches:
• Quarterly and annual reviews, where each apprentice, their workplace mentor, and a member of the university team meet to assess the apprentice's progress.
• This promotes continuing conversation between the workplace and the university, ensuring the success of the apprenticeship and maximizing the value of their studies to the organization.

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Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Chartered accountant in business.
• Work in an accountancy, audit, or tax firm.
• Opportunities:
• Organizations are looking for accountancy professionals who can understand the financial needs of the organization and evaluate and propose business solutions.
• Outcomes:
• The ACCA qualification is designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills for these roles.

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Other:

• The University of Bolton is a recognized ACCA Gold Partner provider of accountancy programs, one of only two publicly funded universities in the North West with this status.
• The program supports apprentices in developing sought-after skills such as data analysis, critical reasoning and problem-solving, professional communication, time management, teamwork, and lifelong learning.
• Apprentices receive a FREE Kaplan study guide and exam kit for every paper, ensuring the curriculum is up to date with the latest professional body syllabus.
• The program emphasizes encouraging the group to explore different perspectives from their diverse backgrounds and varied experiences.
• Apprentices are required to spend 20% of paid working hours on studies and be able to evidence this, a statutory requirement for apprenticeships.
• Off-the-job learning includes activities which have not previously been a part of the role or furthers apprentices' development into new areas.