Reshape your business career with a speciality in professional accounting
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Duration and study methods
Full-time for 1 year (34 teaching weeks), part-time available.
The maximum time to complete this programme part-time is 4 years. -
Start dates
February, July
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Qualification
Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (Level 7)Programme code: MN4443 -
Credits
120 -
Locations
MIT Manukau
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Domestic fees
$6,800 (approx.)
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International fees
NZD$25,000 (approx.)
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Free* study
Programme highlights
Do you want to become a Chartered Accountant?
If you already have a qualification from another institution, either in New Zealand or overseas, you can study the Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting.
When you graduate, you will qualify for provisional membership of the College of Chartered Accountants of CAANZ or CPA Australia.
This qualification includes the practical experience and professional competence components you need to become a full member of these professional accounting bodies.
To find out more about what internships entail for both our learners and host organisations, click here.
Students who have completed an accounting degree or qualification outside of New Zealand and would like to continue studies towards professional accounting, please check your qualifications with Chartered Accountants of Australia and NZ (CAANZ). CAANZ will assess your application and confirm the programme of study required to complete the chartered accounting pathway.
Entry requirements
Applicants must meet the following entry requirements:
- Have successfully completed a Bachelor's degree; and
- Have English language competence to undertake this programme which is taught and assessed in English. Any applicants whose first language is not English may be required to provide evidence of an overall IELTS (Academic) band score of 6.0 (with no score below 5.5 in speaking, reading, writing and listening) or equivalent.
Special & discretionary admission
Any ākonga who is 20 years of age or older and has not reached the general admission requirements for their intended programme is eligible for Special Admission. Te Pūkenga works with the ākonga to ensure they are prepared for their intended programme. Any ākonga who is not yet 20 years of age and has not reached the general admission requirements for their intended programme may be eligible for Discretionary Admission. In assessing whether to grant Discretionary Admission, the delegated authority focuses on the applicant’s level of preparedness for their intended programme.
Need IELTS?
Book your British Council IELTS test with us.
You will complete your test in one day, plus get free online tuition to help you succeed. We offer paper-based or computer-delivered IELTS. Choose computer-delivered IELTS and get your results in 3-5 days.
Give yourself credit with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Did you know you can use the knowledge and experience you already have to your advantage?
Your previous work experience and on-the-job skills, volunteering, professional development, and other providers’ qualifications can be recognised as prior learning, matched against credits in our courses, and put towards your qualification – potentially saving you money and possibly helping you to complete your qualification faster Learn more.
Programme structure
You will need to choose one of the following options to complete a Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (120 credtis). A minimum of five courses must be Level 7.
Option one
Five courses at Level 7 and three courses at Level 6.
Option two
Five courses at level 7, two courses at level 6 and one course at level 5.
You will need to complete eight courses from the below based on either option one or option two:
Level 5
BSNS5001 Organisations in an Aotearoa New Zealand context (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to analyse organisations and engage with stakeholders in an Aotearoa New Zealand context.
BSNS5002 Business environments (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to analyse and manage the impact of environmental influences on an organisation.
BSNS5003 Business functions (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies relevant to the core business functions of accounting, operations, human resource management, marketing and sales.
BSNS5004 Change and innovation (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to contribute to organisational change and innovation.
ACCY5101 Introduction to accounting and taxation (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to apply accounting concepts, standards, processes, and tax rules to prepare financial statements.
ACCY5102 Applied accounting (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills and competencies to record and process a range of financial transactions.
ACCY5103 Analysis of financial information (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills and competencies to calculate, analyse and interpret financial information to inform decision making for an organisation.
ACCY5104 Budgets for planning and control (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to prepare and use budgets to monitor performance and determine internal controls to minimise risk for an organisation.
ACCY5105 Commercial law (15 credits)
This course is to enable ākonga to understand the legal system and creation and interpretation of law and to apply knowledge and the skills of finding and applying law to a range of situations.
ACCY5106 Economics (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competence to apply elements of economic theory to contemporary business issues.
Level 6
ACCY6101 Intermediate management accounting (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to use management accounting tools to plan, control and inform decisions about business operations.
ACCY6102 Intermediate financial accounting (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to apply appropriate reporting framework to prepare and present financial statement.
ACCY6103 Taxation in Aotearoa New Zealand (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to apply taxation rules to a range of situations and entities.
ACCY6104 Introduction to finance (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to apply business finance techniques.
ACCY6105 Data analytics (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to analyse and evaluate business data to support decision-making.
ACCY6106 Law of business entities (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to apply the law to form and operate business entities and structures.
ACCY6108 Accounting information systems (15 credits)
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to evaluate and use accounting information systems and technologies.
Level 7
ACCY7101 Advanced management accounting (15 credits)*
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to apply advanced management accounting techniques and skills to inform decision-making.
ACCY7102 Advanced financial accounting (15 credits)*
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for a critical understanding of financial accounting issues within an Aotearoa New Zealand context.
ACCY7103 Auditing and assurance (15 credits)*
This course develops the knowledge, skills, and competencies to operate in the auditing and assurance profession.
341.753 Industry Project Part A (15 credits)
You will carry out a project for a host organisation on a topic in a field allied to your graduate diploma by identifying a project, host organisation and presenting a proposal.
341.754 Industry Project Part B (30 credits)
Develop capabilities related to your chosen area of specialisation, in a “hands-on” immersion in industry practice. Enable you to apply your learning, test the relevance of academic theories to the workplace and reflect critically on this relationship between your academic study and industry practice. You will carry out a significant work assignment for the host organisation on a topic in a field allied to your major and present a project report in conjunction with an academic supervisor.
* Please note: The specific courses to be studied will depend upon the Student's Study Programme in their original degree, together with courses identified as requiring completion to meet the Professional Accounting body requirements. It may be necessary for students to complete more than one year of study (120 credits) in order to meet all pre-requisite requirements for level 6 and/or level 7 courses. Courses should be carefully selected to fully meet the body of knowledge requirements of the Professional Accounting bodies and requirements of CAANZ/CPA.
Do you want to study a single course, without enrolling into the full programme?
Courses within some of our programmes may be offered as an individual Certificate of Proficiency (COP). Programme entry requirements and course fees apply. For more information, please speak to our friendly Ask Me! team.
Further training or study
Career opportunities
A Graduate Diploma in Accounting will give you a strong grounding for a variety of roles within businesses. Accounting is also integral to almost all management positions within any company.
If you wish to become a Chartered Accountant, and you have a degree in accounting but not all the requisite knowledge, you should pursue the CAANZ/CPA Accounting pathway on the Bachelor of Applied Management instead. For potential salaries visit careers.govt.nz.
"I chose MIT because of its strong reputation.
My qualification from MIT definitely helped me secure my current job as a tax consultant at KPMG. The course ‘Taxation in NZ’ helped me to obtain the academic and technical knowledge, and the industry project helped me to apply that knowledge into practice.
The learning at MIT is not just class based. For example, I am using my accounting and taxation studies regarding Deferred Tax treatment, Imputation Credits at my current role. I think it’s really important to have such learnings built into your course outline as it will make you learn those things faster at your job and distinguish you from others.
What I loved most is that MIT had small and manageable class sizes which helped me make good relationships with my lectures. I also made some good friends because of the team project work. My queries were also answered on a one-on-one basis which made me appreciate MIT even more.
Prior to studying I was working as a retail assistant as I could not get a job in accounting without having a qualification first. I have always had an interest in accounting, it’s what my father studied, so I guess, maybe its hereditary.
Accounting is a high demand job, and you can not only get a good salary in this field, but you can also have an option of setting up your own business and be self-employed.
I would highly recommend students to study at MIT. The small class size, interactive learning course pattern and friendly and helpful staff made my experience unique at MIT.”
Tanvi Mehandiratta
MIT graduate
“I chose MIT because they have a strong academic reputation. The practical, hands-on learning gave me confidence, and small classes mean more one-on-one time with lecturers. The lecturers were really supportive and very understanding. They were available to offer support, even on weekends. The friendly atmosphere is what I enjoyed the most.
I pursued the Bachelor of Applied Management (Accounting) CAANZ/CPA Pathway as I enjoy problem-solving. My father is also an accountant, so it's in my blood. I plan to do CA in the near future. The CAANZ/CPA Pathway is what most employers look for in the accounting field.
I'm now working as a Group Assistant Accountant for Smith and Smith, so it all pays off. It is worth the effort.
Stay dedicated and determined, no matter what. The moment you walk across that stage and place the graduation cap on your head, you won't help but have the biggest smile on your face."
Akashna Lal
MIT graduate
"I’d always wanted to become a Chartered Accountant. Studying business and accounting at MIT was the first step in getting this qualification. It helped guide me to my current role as founder and Director of a small Chartered Accounting firm.
The practical nature of the learning at MIT and the lecturers who could use their personal industry experience as examples definitely helped cement my choice. The qualifications I gained gave me the base to work in roles in the public and private sectors. MIT offered the flexibility to study in the evenings while I was working full-time. The small classes helped in getting more one-on-one time with the lecturers and the supportive family environment really stood out for me.
Now my firm employs seven people, and I would definitely consider hiring more MIT graduates. The qualifications I received from MIT have helped me get to where I am today.”
Eli Elisara Saina Tagi
MIT graduate
"I chose to study at MIT because they have small class sizes and my study could fit around my work and personal life. Also, the accounting degree was recognised by the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants which meant I could go straight into the profession once I graduated.
When I graduated from MIT my first job was with Transpacific Waste Management. One of the reasons they employed me was because I had gained a lot of practical skills at MIT, meaning I could hit the ground running when I started working for them.
My MIT degree has definitely given me a great foundation for my career."
Kirstin Burt
MIT graduate
“I chose to study business and accounting because there are good job opportunities in these industries. If you take it seriously you will have a solid career and be recompensed for your good work.
I had recently moved to New Zealand, and I was learning English before studying. At MIT I felt included for the first time after three years of living in New Zealand, I felt I had a family, and I was finally being part of the New Zealand culture. I choose MIT because the campus is close to my house, however, soon I started loving the environment, the culture, the small classes, and the lectures. The lecturers know you by name, they will sit by your side, and they will help you out. You will learn real-word activities and will be confident about yourself.
I had assignments focused on practise; MIT led me to the job market faster.
I am in my current job because MIT placed me there to complete my industry project. The placement was essential to put me in the job market. I had so many interviews before that, however, I could not show all my potential and who I was in a one-hour interview. The placement gave me the opportunity to show my employer my good work.
At the beginning it was not very accounting-related, but I asked for more responsibilities and more accounting-related tasks. They liked my attitude and provided me with tasks such as bank reconciliation, processing invoices and doing some simple journals; after two months I started completing my first set of financial reports and tax returns for a small client. They liked me and offered me a permanent job position as their junior accountant even before I concluded the placement period.
I bring the practice from my classroom assignments and exercises to my work.
About three months after I graduated, still working in my current position, I received an email from a client telling us they were considering buying a new business. Before I forwarded the email to my boss, I remembered some of my assignments at MIT – researching about buying, starting, and doing analyses about a business. So, I wrote down a list of personal advice that I considered important for that business such as target market, product pricing, direct and indirect costs and showed to my boss. My boss used most of my notes to advise the client about their business purchase and I was able to do that just because I had so many practice exercises about the real-world of business from MIT.”
Suelem Da Costa Pereira
MIT graduate
“My qualification from MIT helped me secure a graduate role at Deloitte NZ as a Junior Associate. I applied for graduate roles at all top six accounting firms in NZ, had interviews at five firms, and was presented with three employment offers.
Accounting has always been something that I wanted to do. It provides excellent opportunities in both New Zealand and around the world. It’s also a profession with excellent growth opportunities, salary advantages, and flexible work options. You don’t necessarily have to become an accountant. It could be used as background to start your own business. Having studied accounting, you will have more knowledge about the business environment, legislation regulating this environment, and the financials of the environment and business.
At MIT it wasn’t always about learning the academic work like a parrot. We had more practical interactions and assessments that tested what we could expect in the real world. MIT provides open-plan classrooms, with small class sizes, and you will meet wonderful people from all around the world. They provide great support from their friendly and helpful staff, and the lecturers know you by name, which is something special – you will not be treated as another number.
The Manukau campus is clean and tidy, and something to be proud of. MIT has a careers team that provides students with advice and assistance. The library team will ensure that you are doing your research in the appropriate manner and that your referencing is done right. This, all-combined, will ultimately provide any student with the ideal study experience.
I chose MIT for a number of reasons:
- Firstly, MIT is all about whānau, and that for me is the most important thing that any person can have in life.
- Secondly, MIT offered the qualification I was after, and provide great career placement.
- Thirdly, MIT was more affordable, and closer to where I live.
- Lastly, I chose MIT because of its strong reputation. I say ‘just do it.’ Time goes past faster than you think, it is definitely worth it.”
Theo Joubert
MIT student
“Prior to studying, I worked in retail for 15 years and earned the minimum wage. I enjoy doing numbers, so chose to study accounting. I was provided guidance and support by the Ask Me! team which is why I chose MIT.
The culture of MIT is like a supportive family. The helpful and supportive culture of the team here will benefit you so you can achieve your goal easily.
We learned Xero and all accounts in our class, and we applied all those skills in practice within the workplace.
When I was looking for a job placement the careers team prepared me for interview questions, they helped me apply for jobs, and they contacted the employers to follow up on my application.”
Manpreet Kaur
MIT graduate
“If you are looking for a place to thrive and still be yourself, somewhere you don't have to lose your identity, look no further. MIT is rooted in its culture; most importantly, they embrace who you are, which liberates you to shine your light.
I was able to find a job straight away with the help of my lecturers. I was also the very first Pasifika, and the first student of MIT, to be awarded the first-ever CPA Pacific Scholarship Award in 2022. Now I'm ready to do my CPA fully paid for.
I chose MIT because it was in Manukau and closer to everything – closer to home, closer to my kids' school, and now close to my work. MIT is cultural-oriented, and the Pasifika flavour they have is very unique. I enjoyed the diverse environment we had at MIT. The amazing lecturers went out of their way to be available for us if we ever needed help to understand our studies. The Ask Me! team were extremely helpful in everything we needed help with. During my last year, it was really hard, but I managed to get through it with the help of the lecturers and my peers.
Before studying I was working in the field of administration and accounts. Then I had my two sons and took time off to look after them and be a carer for my grandmother. I wished to further my studies and because of my previous experience chose an accounting degree. It’s a good career, especially if you’re a mum. It’s natural. If you’re a mum, you’re basically running your own business (a family). You’re budgeting. It’s a good profession. It’s needed. All businesses need a good accountant to make them sustainable.
I tell my kids; you don’t have to be the smartest person in class. But you can be the hardest working and the one who helps the person next to you. That’s what I tried to do.”
Leata Catherine Tominiko Faitua
MIT graduate
“The main reason I chose to study at MIT was because there were no major conflicts between my class schedule and my work schedule. The location of the school is easily accessible, and the Māori culture makes it unique.
I chose accounting because I am very good at maths, and I have a habit of keeping accounts in general. In recent years I have become more and more interested in information on finance.
I really liked the atmosphere at MIT. The staff, teachers and students are all friendly and the lecturers are very proactive. I was able to get a prompt response when I needed help.
I am still currently working on my accounting internship. In the second half of the year, I will be starting my Master program at the University of Lincoln.
Learning is something that takes place throughout life. It's never too late to start learning, no matter when. Learn without fear of difficulty and communicate positively with your lecturers and classmates.”
Jing Liu
MIT graduate
Ready to put your plans in place?
Information is correct as at 29 November 2023. Programme fees are based on a full-time student and may vary depending on your final selection of courses that make up your programme. To provide you with an indication of costs, the approximate fees quoted in this publication are based on the indicative 2024 fee structure. The indicative programme fees for 2024 do not include the Compulsory Student Services Fee (CSSF). The CSSF is an additional levy to your 2024 programme or course fees. Further information about the CSSF can be found here www.manukau.ac.nz/cssf. Programmes stated as eligible for free study in 2024 are based on the 2023 fee structure and subject to funding confirmation for 2024. All fees are in New Zealand Dollars. You will be advised of the current fees at the time of enrolment. All courses and programmes will proceed subject to numbers and academic approval. Manukau Institute of Technology is part of Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. Te Pūkenga is accredited under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020. International students must study in class and will not be able to enrol for online study options.