Accounting Courses

Accounting Courses In Australia

Are accounting courses worth studying in Australia? The short answer is yes. Professional accountants are and always will be in demand and will shine brightest where money is involved. Even in an economic crisis, an accountant can rest assured that their job is safe, provided they are kick-ass at what they do. Online accounting courses, in particular, are one of the most popular ways for people to get qualified as it’s flexible and can be done where and when it suits you.

TIP: If you are looking at studying an online accounting course in the near future, be sure to choose a college or institution that’s nationally accredited and specialises in accounting. If you don’t, you could risk becoming a part of any professional accounting associations in Australia and could potentially sabotage your career.

Many Australians are not aware of how diverse the accounting field is. Most students can find accounting courses really overwhelming in the beginning when they have their eyes opened to the vast amount of options available. Most accounting diploma courses will teach and add to the basic skills we learnt at high school but eventually accounting students need to pick a direction they want to head in with their careers, like financial accounting, forensic accounting, tax accounting or even management accounting.

It’s also beneficial for students to pick a course that matches the work environment they want to be in. For example, some people might prefer to work as a small business accountant while others might only want to manage 1 account for a large company.

Average Salary for an Accountant in Australia

The average salary of an Accountant is $69,429 per annum.

List of Professional Accounting Associations

The Association of Certified Practicing Accountants.

Australia is considered to be one of the biggest professional accounting organisations in the entire world. All members must finish the courses in the CPA Australia Program and have 3 years of experience in business, finance or accounting industry fields.On top of that, all CPA members must commit to distance education/online learning and qualify for a public practice certification. 20 hours of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) is required from all CPA members per year. The 5 levels of CPA membership are:

1. Foundation Membership

Is the lowest membership level and requires each member to have a nationally recognised qualification from a registered training provider or must complete foundation level exams.

2. Associate Membership


The Associate Membership is the next level up the ladder from the foundation. In order for members to level up their membership, they must complete the CPA Course Program.

3. CPA Membership


This accounting association membership requires members to have completed the CPD activities, the professional level program and have a degree or postgraduate degree.

4. Fellow Membership


This membership level requires 15 years of experience in accounting, business and finance in Australia. 5 of those years must also be working as a public or an executive accountant.

The Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)

The Institute of Public Accountants is a professional accounting association for students still studying accounting courses in Australia that haven’t started in the industry. In order to be added to the IPA student register, you must:

1. Be an accounting student.

2. Complete an IPA membership application.

IPA have 3 levels of membership and are as follows:



1. Associate

An associate membership with IPA requires members to be studying either an Advanced Diploma or a University degree

2. 

Member

This level requires an Advanced Diploma of Accounting, Stage 1 and 2 completion of the IPA program or an accounting degree, completion of the 4 core units of study in the IPA program and participate in the Mentored Experience Program.

3. Fellow
 memberships

Require 10 years of professional experience in accounting with 5 of those years being in a senior accounting role, Member IPA status and 7 years of IPA membership. Fellow Members of IPA are also expected to take part in 40 hours of CPE (Continuing Professional Education) per year.

The Institute of Certified Management Accountants

This accounting association specialise in management accounting in Australia and have 4 membership levels available:
Management Accounting Affiliate 
This membership is for those who want to study management accounting in Australia.

1. 

Graduate Management Accountant


to attain this membership, you must either have completed the ICMA Graduate Program or have an accounting degree or other Australian accounting qualifications like the Diploma of Accounting.



2. Associate Management Accountant


This membership requires 3 years experience in management accounting and either an accounting diploma or and accounting degree.



3. Certified Management Accountant

To be a Certified Management Accountant, you must have a degree or nationally recognised accounting qualification, have 5 years experience in management accounting and complete CMA units.

Institute of Chartered Accountants

Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia 
is an institute especially for accounting students and professional chartered accountants in Australia. All professional members must complete the Chartered Accountants Program and 3 years of practical experience, this included having an accounting degree. You can still become a member without an accounting degree as you pass the entrance, complete the Institute accredited Graduate Conversion Course or get a Graduate Certification of Charted Accounting Foundations from Deakin Uni. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia has 5 levels of membership, they are as follows:

– Certificate of Public Practice.

– Teacher of Accountancy.

– Affiliate Membership.

– Fellows.

– Members.

This Is Why Accounting Courses Help…

Joining professional accounting associations like the ones above will help you advance your accounting career because they serve as proof of your qualifications and credentials in the industry.