Q: What is the syllabus that you have to study when pursuing a career as a chartered certified accountant?
A: In order to qualify as an ACCA member, you will need to complete:
• 14 exams (nine of which are eligible for exemption);
• relevant practical experience, with a minimum of three years; and
• a Professional Ethics module.
The ACCA Qualification exam syllabus is divided into two levels; Fundamentals and Professional.
The Fundamentals level is divided into two modules; Knowledge and Skills.
The Knowledge module introduces you to the core areas of financial and management accounting, providing the platform from which the other technical accountancy areas will be studied in greater detail. The syllabus covers the following papers: Accountant in Business, Management Accounting, and Financial Accounting.
The Skills module contains six subjects which comprehensively cover the main technical areas that any accountant, regardless of their future career aspirations, is expected to have mastered. The syllabus covers the following papers: South African Corporate and Business Law, Performance Management, South African Taxation, Financial Reporting, Audit and Assurance and Financial Management.
The Professional level is divided into two modules; Essentials and Options.
Both these modules have been set at an intellectual level equivalent to that expected of a student taking a Masters degree. The focus of the syllabuses at this level is to build upon the technical skills already acquired and explore more advanced professional skills, techniques and values that are required and used by the expert accountant acting in an advisory or consultancy role at a senior level.
All students have to complete the three papers in the Essentials module and cover the following syllabus areas: Professional Accountant, Corporate Reporting and Business Analysis.
The Options module contains four papers, and depending on your choice of specialisation you only need to complete two. The syllabus covers the following areas: Advanced Financial Management, Advanced Performance Management, Advanced South African Taxation, and Advanced Audit and Assurance.
Find out more about ACCA:
ACCA South Africa:
http://southafrica.accaglobal.com
ACCA Global:
http://www.accaglobal.com