Undergraduate Accounting

Learn to Speak the Language of Business

Accounting is the collection, measurement and communication of economic information which is used for planning, reporting and decision making. Accountants are employed in all areas of commerce, industry and government. Graduates with these essential business skills remain in high demand with employers world-wide. At Macquarie, students can study accounting and professional accounting at undergraduate level through the Bachelor of Commerce. Upon completion of an accounting degree, graduates are in demand world-wide and undertake a range of activities such as:

• Participating with top management to set future directions for an organisation
• Analysing future potential growth opportunities for new products and markets
• Developing management information systems to facilitate decision making and organisational control
• Reporting on an organisations performance.

Accounting Degree at Macquarie

Accounting degrees are varied at Macquarie University. An accountant can practice after completing a single Accounting degree or double degree with an Accounting component. The Bachelor of Commerce - Professional Accounting meets the tertiary accreditation requirements of:

• CPA Australia
  one of the world's largest accounting bodies with a membership of more than 139,000 finance, accounting and business professionals across the globe.
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA)
  The professional body for Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA) and members operating throughout the world.
• The Institute of Public Accountants
  A professional organisation for accountants recognised for their practical, hands-on skills and a broad understanding of the total business environment.

Specific Degree Information:

• Bachelor of Commerce - Professional Accounting
• Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting

What's the difference between Accounting and Finance?

Accounting is about the collection, measurement and communication of economic information so that an informed decision can be made by the users of that information. An Accounting degree can be broken down into management accounting and financial accounting. Management accounting provides information for managers whereas financial accounting produces financial statements for organisations such as companies.

Finance is about managing money. It is the study of financial markets and the instruments within it such as company shares, etc. Finance can be broadly classified as managerial finance and financial services.

What do you study in an Accounting degree?

• Accounting systems and processes
  
• Auditing
  
• Corporate accounting and reporting
  
• Financial accounting
  
• Financial management
  
• Financial statement analysis
  
• Information systems design and development
  
• Management accounting
  
• Quantitative methods

Where can you go with an Accounting degree?

The market has changed with the global financial crisis, and there is great demand for accounting skills harnessed through an accounting degree. Positions in demand include the following areas:

• Project accountants
• Systems implementation and integration
• Corporate tax accountants
• Credit controllers
• Accounts receivable
• Payroll officers
• Insolvency
• Management accountants
• Financial accountants
• Risk consulting/Internal audit
• External audit
• IT audit
• Financial analyst
• Business services
• Tax consulting
• Management consultant

How much you can earn with an Accounting degree?