Aspiring number crunchers can study accounting in a number of ways from a variety of course providers.
The University of Queensland, for instance, offers accounting majors in many of its Bachelor of Business programs, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting, and short courses in the field of accounting from its campuses in Brisbane, Ipswitch and Gatton.
Carrick, which is part of Kaplan, and which has campuses in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, offers a Bachelor of Accounting with study units in financial and management accounting, corporate and cost accounting, and forensic and social and environmental accounting.
Brisbane North Institute of TAFE offers a Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Accounting, short courses on financial analysis and Certificate III in Financial Services.
Many of the accounting courses in Brisbane are available online, as well as in traditional classroom settings.
Prerequisites for accounting courses
It depends on how you want to study. Beginner’s online accounting courses often don’t have any prerequisites beyond an ability to read and write in English. Many of the bookkeeping courses in Brisbane also don’t have prerequisites beyond a secondary school (Year 12) qualification. Certificate courses, such as Certificate III in Accounting don’t have prerequisites either, but to advance to Certificate IV, students will need to have successfully completed Certificate III.
Accounting degrees are a different matter. Year 12 marks need to be of a certain standard and accounting needs to be one the subjects passed. It is possible to get an accounting degree in a roundabout way by first completing some certificates or a diploma and then registering for a Bachelor of Accounting at an institution that recognises prior learning. In many instances, a diploma will allow you to enter accounting degrees during the second year.
Master of Accounting qualifications are dependent on the successful completion of Bachelor degrees, as are all postgraduate accounting programs and courses in Brisbane, QLD.
Accounting jobs in Brisbane
Low-level accounting jobs are available for students who are enrolled in accounting degree or diploma programs or who are working their way through certificate courses. As the level of study increases, so does the level of responsibility at work, and so the climb up Brisbane’s corporate accounting ladder begins.
Qualified accountants can find jobs at private accounting firms that handle a number of clients, or they can work for one specific company in Brisbane. They can work in government departments and they can specialise in different fields, such as tax, auditing, forensic and management accounting.
Accountancy offers a number of interesting opportunities that aren’t immediately apparent. For example, you could go into international corporate banking, or you could move into personal finance and financial planning. You could go into risk assessment and management, financial market research and even become a personal wealth consultant. If you decide to go into forensic accounting you could find yourself on some of the toughest crime fighting units in Brisbane.
Accounting careers don’t have to fit the stereotype; they can be exciting and they can, genuinely, make a difference in people’s lives – not just their wallets.