Degree Information:

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The DCU MSc in Accounting is the leading graduate accounting programme of its kind in Ireland, an innovative partnership of learning which is informed and shaped by the needs of the accounting and taxation professionals of tomorrow.

The one-year full-time Masters programme encourages critical and creative thinking, teamwork and communication, and develops a diverse range of professional attributes which equip graduates to excel in the accounting profession and to adopt leadership positions in their professional lives.

The Masters in Accounting at DCU is designed to meet the needs of honours graduates who have taken major accounting specialisms in their undergraduate studies. It allows such candidates to combine study for a Masters degree with study for professional examinations in an educationally effective way.

The programme offers exemptions from all subjects in the CAP2 Examination of Chartered Accountants Ireland. The programme also provides the opportunity for further career progression to graduates of DCU's Professional Diploma in Accounting.

Aims and Objectives:

The MSc in Accounting affords recent graduates the opportunity to study for a Masters qualification and at the same time gain exemptions from professional examinations. It aims to foster the student's ability to provide professional solutions based on a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the various elements of accounting and the ethical underpinnings of the profession. This is increasingly important in the complex commercial environment, where proposed actions have a wide range of implications for business.

Programme Structure:

The DCU MSc in Accounting programme is delivered on a full-time basis over one year. To encourage participation and facilitate the highest standard of professional delivery, class size is restricted to facilitate participative learning and teamworking in the class.

The MSc encompasses both professional and conceptual material. A number of recent reports have recommended this combination as the ideal educational preparation for a career in accountancy.

Among the areas covered on the programme are:

• Financial Accounting
• Taxation
• Critical Perspectives on Accounting
• Corporate and Investment Finance
• Business and Social Environment
• Management Accounting
• Auditing and Professional Ethics
• Assurance Services
• IT and the Accountant
• Research Dissertation / Portfolio

Because all students come from similar backgrounds, it has been possible to design the DCU MSc in Accounting so that it encompasses both professional and conceptual material. A number of recent reports have recommended this combination as the ideal preparation for a career in accountancy.

The Business and Social Environment module is an integral part of the programme and provides a forum for leading speakers to impart their experiences and give a broader perspective of the role of the accountant in society.

Past speakers include: Paul Appleby, Director of Corporate Enforcement; Peter McVerry SJ, The Arrupe Society; Patrick Darcy, Former Garda Fraud Officer; Charlie Bird, RTÉ Chief News Correspondent; Frank Mullin, International Division, Revenue Commissioners; Robbie Kelleher, Head of Research, Davy Stockbrokers; Phil Hogan, Minister for State (1994-1997); Dr Anthony Clare, Psychiatrist; and Conor Crowley, Judge.

Prizes awarded to students during the course include:

Duignan Carthy O'Neill offer a cash prize in the Financial Accounting module. This prize is funded by AGN International, Duignan Carthy O'Neill's international affiliates.
Ernst & Young offer a cash prize to the best overall student performance on the course, and to the best research project.
The Irish Taxation Institute offer a cash prize for the best performance in the Taxation module.

These awards reflect the esteemed recognition of the qualification by leading employers and professional bodies.

View the subjects currently taught on this course (2012 - 2013)

• Students who complete the programme successfully obtain full exemption from CAP2 examinations of Chartered Accountants Ireland
• This is one of the leading post-graduate accounting awards in Ireland
• The award is highly regarded by accounting firms
• Participants acquire broader business knowledge and hone their ability to critically analyse accounting and related issues
• Students gain an appreciation of the broader role of accounting and the accountant within an organisation and in society.
  

What Our Graduates Say

"I found the course deepened my understanding of accounting and the broader business world. The research project was my favourite aspect of the course as it allowed me to design and carry out my own experiment, and actually get assessed on it. My research focused on burnout in accounting students, not something covered in any accounting text!"
"The lecturers on the course were fantastic and were always available for a chat if you were stuck with anything. A further benefit of the masters is the level of professional exemptions - full CAP2 of your accounting exams and Part 1 of your tax exams! Overall, the M.B.S. in Accounting provides a great
platform to learn and was for me a really enjoyable year in college."

Shane Murphy, International Tax Trainee, Deloitte & Touche, graduated in 2008.

"The MBS in Accounting at DCU not only provides students with generous CAP 2 exemptions. Rather, I found that the MBS programme goes above and beyond to equip students with a varied skill set; including, the ability to think outside the box, how to analyse situations from many different perspectives, communicate effectively and play an influential role in a team based environment.

While the material and work load is both challenging and intense, the MBS for me, proved to be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable of my years at college. The small class sizes enabled greater class interaction and communication on a one to one basis.

The teaching staff are excellent and always available to support students throughout the year. Overall the programme provides students with a great platform to learn from and a superb foundation for their future careers."

Maria Diver, KPMG, Audit. Maria graduated from the programme in 2011.

The quality of the lecturers on the programme is second to none and they are always willing to assist and offer advice. I also found the MBS much more interactive than the undergrad degree, probably due to the smaller number of students in the class. Although the course work was challenging, it was also enjoyable due to the amount of group-work and interaction within classes and we all really gelled as a group and made lifelong friends.

The MBS also focuses on broader 'outside of the box' accounting issues with additional modules added to the programme to achieve this!

The research dissertation is an additional element to the course and although it was testing at times, it was also very rewarding. The lecturers offer supervision and guidance and it is truly rewarding at the end when you produce your own document - It proved to be my favourite element of the course!

Andrea Crean, who graduated from the programme in 2011, now works at KPMG Financial Services, Audit.

Two graduates of the MSc in Accounting, were placed in the top 10 of the CAI Final Admitting Exam (FAE) in 2011.

Want to find out more?

Download the MSc in Accounting Factsheet (pdf-188kb)

Career Prospects:

Graduates of the MSc in Accounting are exempt from all subjects in the CAP2 Examination of Chartered Accountants Ireland. To qualify as chartered accountants, graduates of the programme will be required to pass the Institute's Final Admitting Examination and to serve a training contract of three years.

Graduates are typically employed by the leading international accounting firms. Many firms of chartered accountants sponsor students whom they have recruited on the programme.

Frequent employers of our graduates include Accenture, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Grant Thornton, JP Morgan, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Entry Requirements:

Please also read the FAQ section relating to this programme.

The normal minimum Entry Requirements are:-

(i) A Second Class Honours Grade 1 honours degree in Accounting (or with a significant specialism in Accounting), or international equivalent, together with full exemption from the CAP1 examinations of Chartered Accountants Ireland;

or

(ii) A credit award in the DCU Professional Diploma in Accounting (DC500) or equivalent qualification, together with full exemption from the CAP1 examinations of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

If you have achieved a Second Class Honours Grade 2 honours degree in Accounting (or with a significant specialism in Accounting), or a Pass award in the DCU Professional Diploma in Accounting (or equivalent), you may still obtain a place. This will depend on avaiilability of places and on obtaining high grades in core Accounting modules in your programme. core Accounting modules include Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Taxation and Finance.

If, as is normally the case, demand from qualified applicants exceeds available places, applicants will be ranked for admission purposes on the basis of prior academic performance. Candiates who have not received their degree results by the application closing date will receive conditional offers.

NOTE :

It is a condition of admission to this programme that applicants are fully exempt from CAP 1 examinations of Chartered Accountants Ireland. All applicants must apply directly to Chartered Accountants Ireland for exemption and provide the University with a certificate of exemption from Chartered Accountants Ireland. The deadline for exemption applications to the Institute is normally the end of July (you should check this with the Institute to be sure). Failure to produce proof of CAP 1 exemptions on joining the programme may result in withdrawal of your place on the programme.

Dates for Submission of Applications 2013

EU Applicants
Apply online through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (http://www.pac.ie/dcu) by 9th August 2013 if all places have not yet been filled.

Non-EU Applicants
Apply online through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (http://www.pac.ie/dcu) by 12th July 2013 if living outside Ireland and 31st July 2013 if all places have not been filled, if currently living in Ireland. Applicants who require a study visa for the purposes of gaining entry into Ireland are advised to apply as early as possible.

Applying through the Postgraduate Applications Centre (http://www.pac.ie/dcu)
When applying for this programme use the PAC code DC501. Please submit a C.V. along with other supporting documenation to PAC.

Queries on Completed Applications
Queries on completed applications can be made by e-mail to registry.pac@dcu.ie

Commencement of Programme 2013

September 2013

Full list of degrees >

Fee information

Indicative Timetable
(Weeks 20-31)