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Major

Accounting

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Where will this take me?

Overview

You can look forward to a rewarding career in a variety of organisations and industries such as capital and risk management, consultancy, financial institutions, government, health insurance, investment banking, management and superannuation funds.

Career outcomes

Your first job could see you as a:

  • Business analyst
  • Company auditor
  • Financial accountant
  • Forensic accountant
  • Market analyst

In 5-10 years, you’ll progress to roles such as:

  • Senior Consultant
  • Manager
  • Senior Accountant
  • Senior Auditor

And in 15-20 years you could be a successful:

  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  • Partner
  • Director
Professional Accreditation

Commerce graduates with a major in accounting are eligible to apply for associate membership of:

Each body has individual requirements that must be met to obtain full membership.

Graduate pathways from this major

COURSEWORK

The Accounting major leads to a range of professional specialisation pathways, in or outside of your discipline, that will prepare you for a wide range of professions.

Some of our business and economics focused graduate study options include:

RESEARCH
Honours

Honours is an optional fourth year of study that gives you the opportunity to draw together your undergraduate studies and focus on an exciting piece of original research thesis and complete advanced level subjects. Honours can prepare you for employment or graduate research.

  • Offered in Accounting, Actuarial Studies, Economics and Finance majors.
Doctoral Programs

If you’re interested in a pathway to academia or becoming an industry expert in accounting, you can undertake further study at Melbourne Business School.

They offer a Doctoral Program in Accounting which involves 2-year Master of Commerce + 3-year PhD research.

Profile

Sankitha Samaraweera

When it came time for Sankitha Samaraweera to choose where to undertake his undergraduate study, the University of Melbourne’s Bachelor of Commerce was the perfect fit.

“What cemented my decision was the reputation of the Accounting department at the University of Melbourne, and the rankings it gets internationally for accounting and finance. I was also fortunate enough to receive a Bachelor of Commerce Global Scholarship, which gave me a fee remission for my studies.”

After finishing his BCom, Sankitha went on to work for a company that produces accounting software for self-managed superannuation, later returning to Melbourne Business School for the Master of International Business.

“I wanted to apply my accounting skills in that setting, looking at business in a broad way. In my undergrad I built a really strong foundation and I learned some fantastic technical skills, and now at the postgraduate level I’m taking on big-picture management skills, things like communication and leadership skills.”

Sankitha is using his studies as an opportunity to think about the future of work. His interdisciplinary focus has given him a chance to think about some of the challenges emerging in the business world and what the role of accountants and managers might be in the future. Read his full story.