BSc Hons in Applied Accounting - ACCA/Brookes

[FastTrackDegree]

Have anyone here completed the BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting from ACCA/Brookes and know schools that would accept it for a masters program? I just found it, it seems like a pretty good option with some serious problems to overcome if you want to be able to work outside the UK. I think the total cost is around £1K.

Basically you need to pass 4 professional tests then write a 8000 word project and you need to have a ACCA mentor that helps you with it. There seem to be a few Universities listed by ACCA that should accept a stundent into there masters programs after the BS.

To be awarded the Oxford Brookes BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting you must:

1. Be registered with Oxford Brookes University ie have opted in to the BSc degree scheme before starting work on the Research and Analysis project

2. Successfully complete all nine Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills exams

3. Complete the ACCA Ethics and Professional Skills module

4. Complete and pass the Oxford Brookes University Research and Analysis Project.

https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student...nting.html
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/business/under...ccounting/
https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student...sters.html

[freeloader]

I actually came across this degree some time ago and it is what initially got me thinking about the world of competency/exam/alternate credit based degrees. I think it is a really interesting program and one that I may pursue at a future date, but mostly for personal enrichment and knowledge rather than to help me in my career.

The biggest issue for me is that the ACCA qualification doesn’t have a great deal of value in the United States. It doesn’t allow you to sign a tax return or oversee an audit (like the CPA) and is not viewed as highly valuable qualification for internal accountants by many national and international corporations (like the CMA). It also doesn’t offer the specialized knowledge of the EA or CFE that can also be very valuable.

The degree also isn’t going to give you advanced knowledge of US GAAP. For most master’s degrees in accounting in the US, you typically need US Federal Tax coursework and many want US GAAP-based intermediate and advanced accounting classes. So, you would likely need to take those classes or at least pass a departmental exam to show your knowledge. There are master’s programs built for non-accounting majors that you could certainly do, but at that point why not just get a general bachelor’s degree and then opt for such a master’s program?

The exams are not terribly expensive, but I believe there is only 1 authorized testing center in the US (in NYC). You can do the exams at a non-authorized testing center (local CC, perhaps?), but you have to take the paper-based tests and they only offer these twice per year. I remember reading that you can write 2 exams per period—not sure if that’s a firm limit or a recommendation. If it’s a firm limit, you are looking at 2.5 to 3 years to complete the exams and the project through Oxford Brooks.

Of course, this is all predicated on my experience as someone who a) doesn’t find much value in the ACCA credential, b) covets the CPA credential, c)lives in the United States, d) does not live close to NYC, and e) does not want to spend 3 years getting a bachelor’s degree. In the same amount of time I hope to be done with or nearing completion of my master’s degree and/or CPA.

Under different circumstances, this would be an awesome degree option and, as I say, it may be in my future plans. I will update my progress in 5 or 6 years.

[freeloader]

One other consideration that I failed to mention: the United States recognizes a number foreign credentials as being generally equivalent to the US CPA and grants foreign practitioners holding those qualifications the ability to take the IQEX not the full CPA exam. ACCA is not one of the qualifying credentials, so it doesn’t help fast track an American CPA through the back door or anything.