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University of Canterbury

Christchurch , Christchurch ,New Zealand

Master of Professional Accounting

The Master of Professional Accounting is a conversion taught master's qualification that provides graduates with the skills, knowledge, and competencies to be a highly effective accountant in both domestic and international organisations. Through applied research, students will gain an understanding of the theoretical considerations facing the Accounting profession, while developing the confidence to challenge existing practices, and develop innovative new ways to solve issues in the field.

The qualification is aligned with professional accounting bodies in the industry (such as the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ), Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA Australia), and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)), allowing graduates to gain provisional membership.

The Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) is also part of the Business Taught Masters programme, providing opportunities to pursue new career pathway options. Candidates with a background in any discipline may apply and no prior experience in Commerce or Accounting is required.

The UC Business School | Te Kura Umanga is placed within the top five per cent of business schools worldwide through its accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). UC ranks in the top 150 universities in the world for Accounting and Finance (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2020).

Campus Information

Ilam Campus

The University has a main campus of 76 hectares (190 acres) at Ilam, a suburb of Christchurch about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the centre of the city.

Intakes

  • Feb Deadline: Dec
  • Aug

Application Processing Time in Days: 20

Application Process

More Information Required 
14 Days
Possible Interview Call from Institution
0 Days
Provisional/Unconditional Offer 
20 Days
Visa Process
30 Days

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

Postgraduate study can bring many career benefits eg, specialist skills and enhanced knowledge, entry into specific occupations, higher starting salary/progression rates, research capability/achievement, and evidence of high academic attainment/self-discipline.

PSW Opportunity

  • During study, all students on a student visa can work up to 20 hours per week during semester and full time during vacations.
  • After completing Level 7 Bachelor’s Degree or Higher Qualification, a student will get a three years open post-study work visa.
  • After completing Level 8 Post Graduate courses of 1 year, students get 1 year PSW.

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

Academic entry requirements

A bachelor's degree with at least a B Grade Point Average in 300-level courses is required. Students must be approved by the Dean of Business, who will take account of the relevance and standard of previous studies and experience.