ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. Its aim is to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

Today Association support more than 140,000 members and 404,000 students throughout their careers, providing services through a network of 83 offices and active centers. The global infrastructure means that exams and support are delivered - and reputation and influence developed - at a local level, directly benefiting stakeholders wherever they are based, or plan to move to, in pursuit of new career opportunities.

Accounting qualifications are synonymous with ambition and ability - a sign that you are capable of succeeding in any chosen field. And, as an ACCA member, you will have the potential to rise to the top.

All organizations, large or small, all over the world, in each and every employment sector and in every kind of business, need someone that can understand and manage the finances. Choosing a career as a professional accountant will put you in global demand and provide you with excellent job prospects.

A career in finance will not put you in a box or limit your options, with the right qualification, you could work in any country – accountancy is one of the few professions that transcends national borders. Finance professionals are in demand in places far afield – from the Bahamas to Beijing – so once you have obtained the appropriate paperwork, it´s less a case of ´where can you go?´, and more ´where do you want to go?´

Part 1 is designed to test the basic principles of accounting, the role of financial information and an understanding of key managerial issues. This stage sets the scene for the accountancy profession. The examinations concentrate on basic knowledge and skills which form the platform from which professional competence can be developed. The knowledge and skills will be tested separately by subject and will be limited to straight-forward examples of application required as a prelude to more complex problems in Part 2.

Compulsory papers:

• Accountant in Business
• Management Accounting
• Financial Accounting

Assessment:

Part 1 examinations will make extensive use of objective testing formats and will be ultimately available through Computer Based Testing.

This stage continues the introduction of the new subject areas, develops students’ analytical skills and introduces students to the problems and situations that they will meet. It covers all the core technical skills which finance professionals should possess, regardless of where they work. Papers in Corporate & Business Law and Financial Reporting (papers 2.2 and 2.5) have been added to this Part to develop students’ understanding of the legal framework in which businesses operate and to reinforce students’ financial accounting skills at this level.

Part 2 tests the application of the theory in the context of recognisable problems and conceptual understanding. It will consolidate knowledge of current principles, practices and techniques and begin to develop students’ ability to criticise current practices. Questions will present practical scenarios requiring students to select the best answer from a range of available solutions in order to achieve the specified objective.

Compulsory papers:

• Corporate and Business Law
• Performance Management
• Taxation
• Financial Reporting
• Audit and Assurance
• Financial Management

Assessment:

Examinations will be assessed through a mixture of computation questions, case scenarios and essays. It will be set at a level equivalent to the final examinations of a UK bachelor degree.

The main aim of Part 3 is to establish evidence of competence to practise as a professional accountant in public practice, public sector or in industry and commerce. This requires candidates to demonstrate not only that they have mastered the range of required knowledge, skills and techniques, but also that they are able to apply them in a managerial context. Students will be expected to show evidence of the necessary personal qualities and interpersonal skills required of the professional accountant.

Compulsory papers:

• Professional Accountant
• Corporate Reporting
• Business Analysis

Assessment: