Master of Business (Mbus) in Accounting and Finance
Dunedin, New Zealand
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Online banking, StudyLink, and KiwiSaver – all involve accounting concepts.
Accounting is the art and science of measuring, interpreting and communicating financial information.
At Otago, we have a range of interesting and challenging study options in accountancy – and as accountancy is a professional course, you’ll have the opportunity to join one of New Zealand’s professional accountancy bodies.
Why study Accountancy?
Accounting is the financial language of business and non-profit organisations. As such, it is probably the most useful tool when entering the business or non-profit world. If you understand the concepts and terminology of accounting, you will have a good grasp of business problems and their solutions.
Accounting is about providing financial information to help organisations plan and meet their various economic, tax or audit obligations. Creating user-friendly, flexible reports requires a team focus and the ability to incorporate other types of information.
Accountants can make a difference in an organisation. Otago accounting graduates usually gain decision-making roles after a short time in the workplace. Far from being bean counters, they have a dynamic, challenging role. No matter what career you're aspiring to, you will find accounting skills invaluable.
Admissions
Curriculum
Accountancy is a major of the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), a three-year degree programme.
Accounting falls into two main areas:
- Financial accounting is largely about producing financial information about organisations for people outside those organisations.
- Management accounting, which is about record-keeping, planning, monitoring and decision-making within organisations.
In your first year, you will learn the basic concepts, principles and techniques of accounting. You'll learn how to produce financial statements used by most organisations and how accounting systems meet the information requirements of organisations – plans, forecasts, results. We also provide opportunities to develop critical thinking, financial analysis and communication skills, as these are attributes that are highly valued by employers and graduates.
Beyond the first year, you'll develop these basic skills and learn more about the role of accounting in different contexts. Increasingly, accountants help measure and analyse data and provide advice on sustainable business practices, with social, environmental and governance reports now common additions to traditional accounting reports.
Teaching style
The first year is lecture- and tutorial-based. In subsequent years, most teaching takes place in seminar groups. You'll also carry out case studies, practical work on computers – particularly using Excel and financial databases – and group sessions where you and your colleagues organise your projects and develop your communication skills.
Double major/degree options
Many students do a double major or double degree, such as a BCom in accounting and a Bachelor of Laws. Majors in information systems or finance are other good combinations. Other students choose to study accounting papers to enhance their other degrees, such as arts, physical education and science. No matter what degree you're studying, accounting is invaluable.
Minor Subject Requirements
- ACCT102 Principles of Accounting
- ACCT211 Financial Accounting and Reporting
- ACCT222 Cost and Management Accounting
- ACCT233 Fundamentals of Accounting for Financial Decisions
- ACCT260 Introduction to Accounting Analytics
- ACCT302 Accounting Performance Management
- ACCT307 Management Accounting
- ACCT310 Financial Statement Analysis
- ACCT315 Advanced Financial Accounting
- ACCT360 Advanced Accounting Analytics
- ACCT404 Empirical and Methodological Aspects of Financial Accounting
- ACFI459 Advanced Research Methods
- ACFI501 Applied Project
- ACFI580 Research Project
- ACTP311 Auditing Practice
- ACTP312 Taxation Practice
Career Opportunities
For an Otago accounting graduate, the world is your playground. Many graduates start their careers in chartered accountancy firms, often working in taxation or auditing or as advisers to a range of businesses. For many, this is a stepping stone; within three or four years they move on to larger organisations such as government departments, businesses and non-profit organisations and within 10 years, their skills may have earned them a management rather than an accounting role.
New Zealand's leading accounting firms express a strong preference for Otago-trained graduates, so look out for our recruitment fairs held in early March each year.
Many employers prefer Otago accounting graduates. They particularly like students who engage in the variety of social, extra-curricular and academic opportunities that Otago offers.