Bachelor of Accounting
La Trobe University
Key Information
Select location
Campus location
Melbourne, Australia
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
AUD 36,200 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* additional fees may apply
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Build accounting expertise to succeed in a transforming world.
Accountants work to help businesses thrive. Whether it’s in business, government, the not-for-profit sector or elsewhere – accountancy expertise will open doors for you.
La Trobe's Bachelor of Accounting has been designed in collaboration with industry partners to teach you core accounting knowledge and skills across every aspect of business.
From working with industry-standard technology to undertaking a project which simulates real-world business scenarios, you'll gain the technical and human skills you need to adapt and thrive in our era of digital transformation.
With a range of optional majors and minors, as well as a wide breadth of electives, you'll be able to build your degree to support your career ambitions.
Develop vital knowledge and skills in accounting, information systems, finance, economics, management and data analytics tools. Build a deep understanding of financial accounting, business law and management accounting. Then integrate your knowledge by studying auditing and assurance, forensic accounting and taxation.
You could have the opportunity to undertake a work placement where you gain real-life experience and first-hand knowledge of professional organisations. Previous students have worked at accounting firms of all sizes, from multinationals to metropolitan and regional firms, as well as government institutions and local and international businesses.
Gain hands-on experience. Develop your professional networks through the connections you make as you study. Be ready to become a trusted authority on business operations.
Key features
- Gain a sought-after degree accredited by leading national and international accreditation bodies.
- Explore the opportunity to build real-world experience in a work placement. Previous students have worked at accounting firms of all sizes, including the Big Four accounting firms (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PwC).
- Get an up-to-the-minute, career-ready education designed in collaboration with our industry partners.
- Tailor your degree to your goals and broaden your future employability by studying a second major, a minor or a combination of electives.
- Gain a global perspective. You could take part in overseas exchange opportunities with partner universities.*
- Be supported while you study. Explore our range of scholarships available to business students.
- *Subject to academic requirements and government restrictions in international travel.
Career Opportunities
Use your accounting skills in a diverse range of roles in commercial and public sector organisations, including:
- Business analyst
Assist with start-up structuring, valuation and financing, review existing business operations and performance, and implement improvements. - Financial accountant
Provide external and internal stakeholders with valuable business information through financial reports, reconciliations and statutory obligations. - Management accountant
Help your organisation evaluate past performance and plan for the future. Analyse financial and non-financial data to assist in decision-making and advise on the implications of business decisions. - Taxation accountant
Investigate taxation issues for individuals and organisations. Manage, prepare and submit reports, including tax returns and other statements, and advise clients on how to manage their income. - Auditor or forensic accountant
Use modern auditing and data analytics tools to give clients assurance about an organisation's operations – or, as a forensic accountant, attempt to identify fraud and find evidence of irregularities for use in court cases.
Salaries for accountants in Australia range from an average of A$58 000 per year to upwards of A$99 000 per year.*
*PayScale, 2021, Average Accountant Salary in Australia & Average Senior Accountant Salary in Australia
Professional recognition
The Bachelor of Accounting is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). All graduates of the Bachelor of Accounting are eligible to apply for membership with CIMA. The Bachelor of Accounting is also accredited by CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ). Graduates of the Bachelor of Accounting are also eligible to apply for membership with CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ).
Professional membership may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for further details.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Curriculum
Please note, the following course structure is indicative and subject to change depending on your course location, offer year or how you tailor your course with specialisations, majors, minors and electives. Structures for the following year are not normally finalised until October, so the sample provided is based on the most recently approved structure.
To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Accounting, students must complete a total of 360 credit points across 3 years.
The course allows you to complete a major or minor which can be selected from the open-access major and minor list. Recommended Business majors and minors are:
- Agribusiness
- Business Analytics
- Digital Business
- Digital Marketing (minor only)
- Economics
- Event Management
- Finance (major only)
- Human Resource Management
- Investment (minor only)
- International Business
- Management
- Marketing (major only)
- Sport Management
- Tourism and Hospitality
Where one or more subjects are shared between this major and another component (course, second major or minor) the subjects will be replaced with a Business school elective at that level of the common subject.
Year 1
Year 1 requires the completion of 120 credit points
including:
- 105 credit points from chosen Core
- 15 credit points from chosen Electives or major or minor
Year 2
Year 2 requires the completion of 120 credit points
including:
- 45 credit points from chosen Core
- 15 credit points from chosen Core choice
- 30 credit points from chosen Electives or major or minor
- 30 credit points from chosen Electives or major or minor
Year 3
Year 3 requires the completion of 120 credit points
including:
- 15 credit points from chosen Capstone
- 60 credit points from chosen Core
- 45 credit points from chosen Electives or major or minor
Design your own degree: open access majors and minors available
La Trobe's open access majors and minors mean you could customise your degree with cross-disciplinary studies, work-integrated learning and study overseas.
Whatever you're studying, if there's enough spare credit points in your course structure and room in your timetable, you could choose an open access major or minor from your course’s discipline or a completely different discipline – mix business with science or arts with IT or combine a range of disciplines to design a degree to match your interests and truly find your niche.
Program Outcome
You'll learn:
- Information and communications technology
Explore current and emerging technologies, business processes, information systems, internal controls and governance. - Accounting systems and processes
Apply accounting principles to record, report, and analyse business transactions, and work with cloud-based accounting software. - Financial accounting and reporting
Apply financial accounting standards to account for complex practical issues. Evaluate firms' accounting policy choice and financial reporting quality. - Management Accounting
Understand how to provide organisational decision-makers with relevant accounting information to assist with strategic planning, controlling and performance management. - Auditing assurance and forensic accounting
Investigate the function of audit and assurance services and the environment in which they operate. Build your skills in contemporary forensic accounting practices. - Taxation
Understand Commonwealth income tax legislation and its implications for individuals and businesses – from assessable income and deductions to capital gains and fringe benefits tax. Examine the taxation of entities and tax administration.
The qualification awarded on graduation is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as Level 7 - Bachelor Degree.