Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is the global professional accounting body offering a wide range of qualifications. ACCA has been constantly updating itself and introducing industry-relevant qualifications which certainly adds milestones in the career of accounting and finance aspirants and professionals irrespective of their levels.
Here is the list of qualifications that ACCA offers:
1. ACCA qualification
The ACCA qualification is the main qualification that ACCA provides. It is one of the most sought-after qualifications in the UK and all over the world which provides the most up-to-date skills you need to become a finance and accounting professional. The qualification has its presence in over 180 countries and the demand for ACCAs only seems to be growing in the corporate world.
Entry requirement: 10 +2/ A levels or equivalent in any field.
Duration: 3-4 years on average.
Achieving the qualification:
Pass 13 papers and Practical Experience Requirement (PER) of 3 years. However, you make get exemptions based on the prior acca qualification.
The qualification is divided into 3 levels:
Applied Knowledge Level: 3 papers
Applied Skills Level: 6 papers
Strategic Professional Level: 4 papers
After completion of the applied skills level, students are eligible for the “Ethics & Professional Skills Module (EPSM)”. This module prepares the student for a professional level and also provides the student with an advanced diploma certification.
2. Foundation Level qualifications:
The Foundation-level consists of the following seven acca qualifications:
- ACCA Diploma in Financial and Management Accounting.
- ACCA Diploma in Financial and Management Accounting.
- ACCA Diploma in Accounting and Business.
- ACCA Certificate in Audit.
- ACCA Certificate in Taxation.
- ACCA Certificate in Financial Management.
Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Qualification.
Also, you can get enrolled in Knowledge level once you complete the foundation level papers and continue the ACCA qualification normally.
After completion of the knowledge level, you can also get the diploma certificate by completing the online, interactive module – “Foundations in Professionalism”.
3.Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Qualification
This is a technician-level offered by ACCA qualification.
Achieving the qualification:
- Complete the foundations level qualification & “Foundations on Professionalism” module.
- Complete two additional specialist exams.
One year’s relevant practical experience in the accounting field.
4. Oxford Brookes BSc Degree
ACCA students can use the knowledge and skills from their professional qualifications to gain a university bachelor’s degree from Oxford Brookes University.
Entry Requirement:
- Registered ACCA Student and have opted-in to the BSc Degree Scheme.
- Completed Applied Skills level.
Achieving the qualification:
- Complete Applied Skills Level,
- Pass the Oxford Brookes University Research & Analysis Project
- Complete ACCA Ethics and Professional Skills Module (EPSM)
Duration:
Degree must be completed within 10 years of the earliest date of your first examination pass or the date of first ACCA exemption being granted, otherwise, the eligibility is withdrawn.
5. University of London MSc in Professional Accountancy
The MSc in Professional Accountancy is the integrated master’s programme with ACCA at the professional level. The design of this master’s degree has been customized with pathways for ACCA students, affiliates, and members, providing them with a unique opportunity for career advancement.
Duration:
- Complete the MSc in under a year or take longer( up to max. 5 years) if that’s more convenient.
- Each module and the Strategic Financial Project are studied over a 22-week session, requiring an average of 12 hours of study per week.
Achieving the ACCA qualification:
- PGCert: you must be a current ACCA student with passes in all Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills papers.
- Pathway 1:you must be a current ACCA student with passes in all nine Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills papers and the two Strategic Professional Essentials (SBL and SBR).
- Pathway 2:you must be a current ACCA Member or Affiliate, with passes in all nine Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills papers, the two Strategic Professional Essentials (SBL and SBR), and two Strategic Professional options from AFM, APM, ATX, and AAA.
In addition to ACCA essential professional papers, you need to study additional few modules to complete the MSc alongside ACCA qualification.
6. Oxford Brookes Global MBA
The Oxford Brookes Global MBA is a flexible MBA programme where you can choose to study online where you can choose to study your MBA online or during teaching weeks on campus or a mixture of both, all this without compromising on the quality.
Entry requirement:
- Be an ACCA member (ACCA students and affiliates are not eligible)
- Have a minimum of three years’ professional/managerial work experience.
Duration: 2.5 years (approx.)
7. Certificate in Digital Innovation for Finance (CertDIF)
The ACCA Certificate in Digital Innovation for Finance is aimed at accountancy, finance, business and advisory professionals who wish to develop their knowledge, skills and awareness of Innovations in digital technology and its impact on the finance professional. It focuses on merging technologies, future disruptors and digital transformation.
Entry requirement: No prior knowledge is required.
Duration: 20 hours
8. Certificate in International Financial Reporting (CertIFR)
It is designed for professional accountants and auditors qualified in their national accounting standards who need to update their skills to meet the challenges involved in adopting and implementing IFRS in their workplace. An educational or vocational background in financial reporting is recommended before starting the Cert IFR. This course also benefits ACCA members who gained their qualifications before the introduction of IFRS. For ACCA members whose qualifications are already based on IFRS, the Cert IFR is an opportunity to update their IFRS knowledge for recent IASB publications.
Achieving the certification:
Completion of one online multiple-choice assessment.
Eligibility: No prior knowledge required, however, an educational or vocational background in financial reporting is recommended before starting the Cert IFR
Duration: Average of 20 hours.
9. Diploma in International Financial Reporting. (DipIFR)
The course is designed to develop your knowledge and understanding of International Financial Reporting Standards. It attempts to explain the IASB’s Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting and make candidates able to apply relevant financial reporting standards, disclosures and prepare group financial statements.
Eligibility:
Professional accountants and auditors working in practice and industry and qualified in national accounting standards are eligible to take the acca qualification.
Practitioners not yet qualified, but who can verify at least one of the following are also eligible:
- Membership of an Accountancy Professional body
- A relevant degree qualifying 4 exemptions (Applied knowledge level and Law paper) plus two years of relevant work experience.
- Three years of relevant work experience
10. ACCA Affiliate: ACCA Diploma in Financial Management, DipFM (or Certified Diploma in Accounting & Finance)
This certification has been designed to develop knowledge and understanding of the way organizations finance their operations, planning and controlling cash, optimizing the use of working capital, and allocating resources to capital expenditure projects.
Entry requirement:
The minimum entry requirement for the DipFM is a recognized degree, higher national certificate/diploma, or a non-accounting professional qualification (for example a law qualification).
If you do not hold any of these qualifications, you may be admitted to the program based on your work experience. In such a situation you would need:
- An employer’s reference stating that the DipFM would be relevant to your work; or
- If you are self-employed, a reference from an accountant, solicitor or bank manager
Achieving the certification:
Completion of exam and project-based Assessment Modules.
Duration: There is no time limit to completing the Diploma.
11. Certificate in International Auditing (CertIA)
The certification is designed for professional accountants and auditors working in an audit or seeking to make a move into audit practice. It benefits ACCA members who qualified before the clarified ISAs were introduced on for members who wish to ensure that their audit knowledge is up to date with all the relevant IAASB publications.
Eligibility: No prior knowledge required, however, an educational or vocational background in auditing is recommended before commencing CertIA.
Achieving the qualification: Completion of an online multiple-choice assessment
Duration: Average of 25 hours.
12. Certificate in International Public Sector
The qualification is designed for professional accountants and auditors qualified in national accounting standards or International Financial Reporting Standards.
The module is written as an introduction to IPSAS, on the assumption that the reader knows a reasonable or has sufficient experience of accounting and financial reporting.
Eligibility:No prior knowledge required, however, an educational or vocational background in accounting and financial reporting is recommended.
Achieving the qualification:
Completion of an online multiple-choice assessment.
Duration: Average of 20 hours.
13. Certificate in Public Financial Management (Cert PFM)
It has been prepared for new entrants to the public sector, staff with practical experience but without formal professional qualifications or professional accountants moving into the public sector from the corporate sector or professional practice.
Eligibility: No prior knowledge required, however, an educational or vocational background in the relevant finance field is recommended.
Achieving the qualification:
Completion of an online multiple-choice assessment.
Duration: Average of 40 hours.
14. Certificate in Business valuations
The course is designed to help you understand how to apply the principles of business valuation. Primarily the course is aimed at people who already have a professional accountancy qualification and will to develop their skills in Business Valuations. No prior knowledge is required, however, an educational or vocational background in the relevant finance field is recommended. The certification can be gained after the successful completion of an online multiple-choice assessment.
15. Advanced Diploma in Finance and Business (Russian)
It is equivalent to the ACCA Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business. It provides an opportunity for native-speaking students based in 12 countries to develop a broad financial and practical skillset, achieving an internationally recognized accountancy qualification benchmarked at a Bachelor’s degree.
Eligibility:
Students must hold qualifications that would exempt them from the Applied Knowledge exams of the ACCA Qualification to be accepted onto this qualification.
Achieving the qualification:
Complete Up to 6 papers, depending on exemptions plus Professional Ethics Module.
Duration: 18 months on average.
