A Professional Accounting Certification Or A Degree In Accounting
November 11, 2017
EasyUni Staff

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
This is one of the oldest accountancy bodies, having been established in 1904. Headquartered in London, ACCA is the global body for professional accountants that offers a Chartered Certi铿乪d Accountant quali铿乧ation of the same name. Acquiring an ACCA quali铿乧ation would make you one of the 154,000 members (and growing) of one of the largest and fastest-growing global accountancy bodies.
Career Options:
Includes chartered accountant, auditor, business analyst, 铿乶ancial analyst and 铿乶ancial consultant.
Entry Requirements:
You will need two A-Levels and three GCSEs (or their equivalents) in 铿乿e different subjects, two of which must be Maths and English. If you don鈥檛 meet the entry requirements, you can undertake the聽Foundations in Accountancy. When you have completed the Diploma in Accounting and 糖心视频 at the Foundation level, you can then transfer over to the ACCA quali铿乧ation with an exemption for three papers.
Syllabus:
There are two levels of examinations: Fundamentals and Professional. The Fundamentals are divided into two modules, Knowledge and Skills, and consist of nine papers altogether. The Professional level consists of 铿伮ve聽papers where students must take three Essential papers and choose two optional papers聽of聽a given list of four.
Duration:
Three to four years, if you pursue your ACCA quali铿乧ation on a part-time basis while you work, like most ACCA aspirants do. The ACCA is 铿俥xible; you can choose your method of study and even when you would sit for exams. While part-time studies remain the most popular route, many institutions offer ACCA as a full-time certi铿乧ation聽course besides聽offering other options to complete the course via distance learning, through聽weekend聽or evening courses and through revision courses. As such, the length taken to study for the quali铿乧ation differs based on your chosen method of studies.
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)聽programme聽is a quali铿乧ation for 铿乶ance and investment professionals offered internationally by the American-based CFA Institute. Those keen on investment management and the 铿乶ancial analysis of stocks, bonds and their derivative assets would be particularly interested in this聽programme, which focuses on general 铿乶ance, portfolio management and 铿乶ancial analysis. Completion of the聽programme聽will entitle the CFA holder to the title of 鈥淐FA charter鈥 and become a 鈥淐FA charterholder鈥.
Career Options:
Professionals with CFA certi铿乧ation have the upper hand when applying for senior positions in the investment management, 铿乶ancial services and securities research industries. Certain 铿乶ancial advisor roles also require its candidates to be a CFA charterholder.
Entry Requirements:
础听university degree聽is required for聽enrolment聽into a CF础听programme. However, those with a minimum of four years鈥 experience in an investment decision-making process may also be considered.
Syllabus:
There are three levels of examinations: Levels I, II and III. Students must pass each level before progressing to the next. The Level I syllabus revolves around an introduction to 铿乶ancial reporting and analysis, asset valuation and portfolio management techniques. Level II encompasses asset valuation, quantitative methods, applications of the tools and inputs in asset valuation, 铿乶ancial reporting and analysis, and economics. The highest level, Level III, focuses on portfolio management and the management of equity, 铿亁ed income and derivative investments with the use of tools, inputs, strategies and asset valuation models.
Level I exams are held twice a year in June and December whereas Levels II and III are conducted only once annually in June.
Duration:
There is no limit to the number of times you can sit for the exams, so students can complete the CF础听programme聽between two to 铿乿e years. However, CFA aspirants typically take an average of four years to obtain a CFA certi铿乧ation. 糖心视频 six months of preparation聽is estimated聽for each level of聽exam.

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
If you love both business and accounts, CIMA is for you. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world鈥檚 largest professional body of management accountants based in London that offers management accountancy courses to those who are keen to pursue a career in business.
Management accounting combines accounting, management and 铿乶ance to serve as a foundation for leading a successful business.
Career Options:
Consultant, 铿乶ancial controller, management accountant, and investment banker.
Entry Requirements:
The CIMA Certi铿乧ate in 糖心视频 Accounting is needed for an entry into the Professional Chartered Management Accounting quali铿乧ation聽programme. This聽programme聽is usually undertaken by school leavers and would give you a solid foundation in management accounting. The certi铿乧ate can be a stand-alone quali铿乧ation and also a stepping stone to the CIMA Professional Quali铿乧ation.
If you hold an聽MBA聽or a Master鈥檚 in Accounting, you may be eligible for the master鈥檚 route in which students will sit for a three-hour exam in May or November each year to assess your knowledge of the syllabus covered in the management level of the CIMA Professional Quali铿乧ation. Passing the exam will give you a CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting and subsequent exemptions from all certi铿乧ate-, operational- and management-level exams for CIMA Professional Quali铿乧ation.
Other quali铿乧ations that will entitle you for exam exemptions include a degree related to the CIMA syllabus, membership of Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) or completion of a relevant quali铿乧ation with another professional body.
Syllabus:
The syllabus is divided into three learning pillars: Enterprise, Performance and Financial. Each pillar consists of three progressive levels: Operational (completing this level will award you a CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting), Management (this level quali铿乪s you for a CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting) and Strategic. Completion of all levels, comprising nine papers altogether and a Test of Professional Competence in Management Accounting, will lead to a Professional Chartered Management Accounting quali铿乧ation.
Duration:
Two and a half years, if the course is done on a full-time basis. Weekend or evening classes are often available for those with full-time jobs as well, in which case you will take up to four years to obtain the quali铿乧ation.
London Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI)
The London Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) was set up to serve as a collective to in铿倁ence public opinion and effect reforms. These days, however, LCCI鈥檚 mission is to meet the needs of businesses in London and worldwide by providing industries with the skills needed to develop the commercial environment. LCCI鈥檚 range of quali铿乧ations聽revolve聽around 铿乶ance and quantitative, the English language, marketing and customer service, and business, administration and IT.
Career Options:
Depending on your range of 铿乪ld of study, your options can range from 铿乶ancial accounting, cost accounting, marketing,聽book-keeping, public relations, business administration or contact聽centre聽associates. The choices are vast, given the many options that an industry has to offer.
Entry Requirements:
As an LCCI quali铿乧ation is equivalent to a diploma, the entry requirement for an LCCI聽programme聽is SPM or O-Level.
Syllabus:
Three categories of LCCI diploma quali铿乧ations are available: diplomas, group diplomas 补苍诲听specialised聽diplomas. Diplomas cover a wide range of vocationally related and general subjects, ideal for students who want to develop their knowledge and understanding of varied subjects.
Group diplomas allow a greater focus on vocationally related subjects, such as accounting or marketing. Students who have not yet decided on an area of聽specialisation聽can choose this option to learn a wide range of knowledge and skills within a main function of business, e.g., a student could combine management听,聽accounting, cost accounting and 铿乶ancial accounting, or public relations, marketing and advertising within the marketing function.
Last but not least are the聽specialised聽diplomas for students focusing on a聽speciality聽within a business function.聽Specialised聽diplomas place emphasis on professional accomplishments and progression. There are four categories of聽specialised聽diplomas: accounting and 铿乶ance, managerial accounting, cost accounting and business management and accounting.
Duration:
Three to 24 months, depending on your choice of diploma quali铿乧ation. You can expect to take two years to obtain a diploma, three months for group diplomas and six months for a聽specialised听诲颈辫濒辞尘补.

Certified Accounting Technician (CAT)
The Certi铿乪d Accounting Technician (CAT) quali铿乧ation is offered by the Association of Chartered Certi铿乪d Accountants (ACCA). It is a stand-alone 铿乶ance and accounting quali铿乧ation but many聽often use聽it as a foundation or聽introduction聽to accounting before they pursue the ACCA Professional Scheme to become a Chartered Certi铿乪d Accountant.
Career Options:
CAT graduates will be able to work at a technician level in the commerce and 铿乶ance industry.
Entry Requirements:
No previous academic quali铿乧ation is needed to study for the CAT, so students may begin their course after completing SPM or O-Level.
Syllabus:
There are three levels in the聽programme: Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced with six exams to undertake and two specialist exams. Students will also need to undergo a practical experience and learn a Foundation in Professionalism. Certain previous practical experience entitles for exemption for four out of the six exams. Students can proceed onto the ACCA quali铿乧ation upon completing the course, by which they will already have one 测别补谤鈥檚 working experience and four essentials needed聽from聽the three聽测别补谤鈥檚聽work experience and 13 performance objectives required for the ACCA.
Duration:
A year if studied full-time or two years on a part-time basis. Just like the ACCA, you may study in a 铿俥xible way and determine how many exams (maximum four papers in a sitting) you would like to take each time around. You may also choose to defer the exams until the next session when you are better prepared.
Bachelor of Accountancy
Also known as Bachelor of Accounting, this degree is often the only undergraduate 诲别驳谤别别听recognised聽for practice as a professional accountant.
Career Options:
Accountant, actuary, appraiser, auditor, credit manager, controller, cost accountant, economist, 铿乶ancial analyst, 铿乶ancial planner, insurance adjuster, investment banker, research analyst, tax accountant, and treasurer.
Entry Requirements:
As with most undergraduate degrees, the entry requirement for a degree in accountancy is a diploma, A-Levels, STPM or equivalent.
Syllabus:
Core subjects revolve around management accounting, 铿乶ancial accounting, auditing and taxation. Students also will discover business mathematics and management theories as well as undertake coursework in economics and business law. The syllabus for a degree in accounting is very聽specialised聽as it gears students towards professional practice.
Duration:
Four years on a full-time basis.

What鈥檚 Your Route?
If you are a聽high-school聽leaver and would like to kick-start your venture into the world of accounting and 铿乶ance, there are three options: LCCI, CAT, or CIMA if you are particularly interested in management accounting.
Those with A-Levels or an equivalent pre-university quali铿乧ation can take the Bachelor of Accountancy route. If a certi铿乧ation is what you are looking for, you can start the Knowledge module of the ACCA鈥檚 Fundamental Level. This will lead you to the next step of the ACCA, which is the Fundamental Level鈥檚 Skill module and, subsequently, the Professional Level, which would earn you the title of a Chartered Accountant.
Accountancy degree holders can proceed聽for聽the ACCA Professional Level after being exempted for the Fundamental level. Some students choose to undertake their degree after completing the Fundamental Level鈥檚 Skill module, before proceeding to the ACCA Professional Level. In a nutshell, all quali铿乧ations lead to being a Chartered Accountant.
A Degree or a Professional Qualification?
The career options for both聽诲别驳谤别别听补苍诲听professional certi铿乧ate聽holders are聽similar except聽that professional certi铿乧ate holders have the advantage of being able to set up their own auditing 铿乺m. Professional certi铿乧ate quali铿乧ation, which is bestowed by Chartered Accountants institutes, can be said to be an attractive route聽in聽the accounting profession, given that it is a professional certi铿 cation and that bachelor鈥檚 degree holders also pursue this quali铿乧ation upon completing their degree.
Graduates with quali铿乧ations from Chartered Accountants institutes such as ACCA, CFA, CIMA and LCCI are the preferred choice of employers as these graduates reduce the cost of training by having undergone a 铿俥xible and well-structured training path. These professional certi铿乧ate graduates have also gained specialist knowledge in 铿乶ance and accounting, obtaining valuable skills in聽organisationalmanagement and strategy, which boost their career prospects and employability. With this, the probability of these professional certi铿乧ate graduates of moving up the聽辞谤驳补苍颈蝉补迟颈辞苍鈥檚聽hierarchy is high, due to their expertise, well-trained background and industry-ready minds.
While the career options are similar, it is not true that Chartered Accountants can only pursue a career in auditing and taxation. Just like degree holders, Chartered Accountants can also venture into banking, auditing, risk management, and corporate law.
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