Swinburne University of Technology - Melbourne Australia
Future Students - Courses
Course Description:
Accountants are much more than just ‘number crunchers’ - they are business professionals and valued members of management teams. Accounting is the ‘language of business’ and those skilled in it are able to operate on a global stage: evaluating, analysing and communicating the financial position of an organisation or individual. Accountants inform key business decisions and increasingly may progress to senior management or board positions. The Bachelor of Business (Accounting) is designed to equip students with the skills ideal for a career in accounting and beyond. The course is structured to assist in the intellectual, social and personal development of the student as preparation for entrance to a range of specialist and generalist business professions. The course prepares students for a career in business, whether domestic or international, recognising that the business world is a global one in the 21st century.
Aims & Objectives:
In addition to assisting with students working towards the attainment of the university’s graduate attributes, Bachelor of Business (Accounting) graduates will be: comprehensively knowledgeable about accounting and finance appropriate for entry-level positions in the accounting and finance fields able to evaluate the financial position of an organisation through the examination of financial statements and non-financial data able to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of accounting and apply these accurately and correctly strong analytical problem solvers who are able to operate within an ethical framework excellent communication in both written and verbal contexts adaptable and able to implement principles into a range of different contexts globally able to satisfy the academic admission requirements for the accounting professional bodies
Course Structure:
The Bachelor of Business (Accounting) totals 24 units (300 credit points) and consists of a business major of 18 units of study and the balance of the degree consists of a minor of four units of study, two additional units and the not-for-credit unit, HBG0004 Careers in the Curriculum. Units normally carry 12.5 credit points. In each year, four units per teaching period (eight per year) normally constitute a full-time load of 100 credit points and two units per teaching period (four per year) normally constitute a part-time load of 50 credit points. All 18 units of study listed below must be completed within this structure and an additional six units of study are required to make up a minor (four units) and electives. A minor consists of four pre-determined units of study from one specialisation. An elective is a subject not part of an undertaken major, co-major or minor. Refer to co-majors and minors listed below. Students wishing to enrol in units of study that are not a formal part of this course will be required to seek approval from the faculty manager prior to enrolment. Course restrictions A minimum of 100 credit points must be completed at Swinburne University. This regulation must be observed in degree plans that include unit exemptions; studies completed through international exchange, cross-institutional study or study abroad. Students will not be allowed to study more than 26 units (325 credit points) as part of the Bachelor of Business. A unit can only be counted once as part of a major or minor. Where there is an overlap of units a substitute unit has been identified in the relevant cognate area. Students are not permitted to enrol in units where they have completed other units that are deemed to be equivalent. Equivalent units cannot both be used for credit. Careers in the Curriculum (CIC) In addition to the above, students must complete a compulsory unit of study HBG0004 Careers in the Curriculum to be awarded the degree. Careers in the Curriculum (CIC) is an innovative unit designed to assist Swinburne students to enhance their employability and career prospects. It is usually undertaken in the second year of your course and is compulsory for all undergraduate students who commence their course from 2007 onwards. Students studying CIC will not incur a HECS or fee debt for the unit as the cost will be met by the university as part of an initiative to enhance students' career skills. Prerequisites/Corequisites Students must have passed prerequisites/corequisites listed for each unit of study and must check that they have fulfilled these requirements before enrolling. Unit of study convenors must be consulted if students wish to enrol in a unit of study for which they do not have the stated requisites. Final Year Experience – Major Projects As part of the Swinburne Model for Professional Learning, we would expect that all incoming undergraduates from 2007 will undertake 25 credit points of professionally focused final year major projects within their programs of study. Entry with advanced standing may require alternate study sequences to be undertaken.
Major specialisation:
The following business specific co-majors/minors discipline areas are available: Accounting. Chinese # Economics. # Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Finance. # Human Resource Management. International Business. Italian. Japanese. Law. # Management. Marketing. # Available as minor only Note: Not all minors will be available in 2009. Please refer to each discipline area above for more information. Electives Plus Sequences Electives Plus sequences provide Swinburne degree students with options to broaden their career skills and strengthen their employability by selecting from units of study outside their degree discipline. Students undertaking this course can choose to study Electives Plus sequences of up to four units from one of the following themes: Design: Process and Strategy Electives Plus sequence Effective Communication Enterprising Marketing Establishing and Running a Business Information Orientation and Knowledge Management Language Practice and Culture Multimedia: Web Development The Networked Economy Undergraduate Research Skills Electives Plus sequences are available in all Swinburne degree programs, subject to timetabling constraints, with the exception of double degree programs, specialist double major degrees, and where entry has been approved with advanced standing.
Units of Study:
Foundation Units HBC110N Accounting for Managers HBH110N Organisation and Management HIT1401 Introduction to Business Information Systems HBE110N Microeconomics HMB110 Quantitative Analysis A OR HMB111 Quantitative Analysis B Introduction to Business Law (HBL111N) Specialisation Units HBC220N Financial Information Systems HBC224N Finance HBC228N Management Accounting for Planning and Control HBC229N Analysis for Competitive Advantage HBC221N Financial Accounting HBC330N Accounting Theory HBC225N Auditing HBL221N Company Law HBC331N Taxation HBE220N Macroeconomics HBG0004 Careers in the Curriculum Capstone Units HBY301N Project Practicum HBY302N Major Project Six additional units of study must be completed. These units of study may be taken as a minor and electives or pathway units.
Industry-Based Learning:
An optional Industry-Based Learning (IBL) unit may be undertaken by local students who have entered university after completing Year 12 at the completion of 100 credit points at Swinburne. Pathway students who have entered with exemptions may register with the IBL office once completing one semester of their degree. The IBL program is available to students who have a pass result. Due to government regulation, the IBL program is not available to international students who hold a student visa. An academic staff member is assigned to each student who has an IBL placement. The role of the staff member is to act as a mentor to the student by means of visits and email and phone contact. After each visit with the student, the academic mentor completes a ‘mentor visit report form’ detailing the student’s progress and job satisfaction, with a copy being forwarded to the IBL office. All visits are logged as per the IBL policy of the University. The Faculty of Business and Enterprise has a full-time IBL manager to liaise with undergraduate students and employers. The IBL program also has an academic convenor who ensures that the program is academically rigorous and meets the student's learning needs.
Honours:
An Honours degree at Swinburne provides students, who have a demonstrated academic ability, with an opportunity to pursue their undergraduate studies to an advanced level: to deepen their intellectual understanding in their major area of study; and to develop their research skills. Honours students work independently but in close consultation with a supervisor on a substantial project of their choice. Students are required to collect and analyse data and produce a substantial written thesis (15,000 to 20,000 words) on their findings. The Honours course is a recognised point of entry into postgraduate research studies. For further information contact the Faculty of Business and Enterprise.
Education Abroad:
Swinburne offers International Exchange Programs as well as other Education Abroad Programs to help internationalise your degree. International Exchange is an academic program allowing you to study at a Swinburne Partner Institution for one or two semesters during your degree. Swinburne's Partner Institutions offer many relevant subjects as well as a secure base to explore a different culture. Your studies whilst on exchange can be credited towards your Swinburne degree, provided they are relevant and approved by Swinburne. For further information visit the Swinburne Abroad website.
Career Opportunities:
Students with studies in accounting find rewarding work in industry, commerce, the public sector, the financial industry or business consulting and public accounting. After experience as either a graduate accountant or within a professional accounting practice; many new, varied and exciting career paths could open up for graduates in general consultancy roles, general management or increasingly into financial planning.
Professional recognition:
Graduates fulfil the requirements for recognition by the CPA Australia (CPAA), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia (ICAA) and the National Institute of Accountants (NIA).
Graduate Attributes:
The intent of the course is for graduates to have well-developed attributes that will equip them for their early career and life. Specifically graduates will potentially be: capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace, or community effective and ethical in work and community situations adaptable and able to manage change aware of the local and international environments in which they will be contributing (eg. socio-cultural, economic, natural) In order to build all of the graduate attributes, the Bachelor of Business aims to: ensure that the body of knowledge and technology imparted in the program will be relevant to immediate and potential employment opportunities develop self-confidence through learning experiences aimed at an understanding of the unit areas and including the development of life-long learning skills offer Industry-Based Learning (IBL)* and experiential learning opportunities that link theoretical learning with applied practical work experience develop creativeness and analytical skills provide an understanding of the conventional ways of seeking answers to particular problems, including use of library and other reference sources such as the internet and electronic information sources develop multi-disciplinary applied research skills through the honours year option develop both written and oral communication skills, and teamwork capacities develop perspective and general knowledge by a study of a variety of disciplines and of their relationship to one another, forming an integrated, holistic business understanding develop an ability and willingness to adapt to change, given the turbulent, competitive and volatile nature of many businesses develop a broad understanding of the business and social environment, and especially its global and complex nature develop skills and attitudes conducive to life-long learning * Please note that IBL is not available to international students who hold a student visa.
* Please note that IBL is not available to international students who hold a student visa.
Entry Requirements:
Successful completion of an appropriate Victorian Year 12 or its equivalent, such as an interstate or international Year 12 qualification. 2009 VCE Prerequisites: Units 3 and 4 - a study score of at least 20 in English (any). Non-Year 12 For Australian TAFE qualifications undertaken in Australia, the following criteria will be used: Associate degree holders - Minimum requirement - credit grade average (at least 65% or above) with no fail grades in their business units in the final year. Advanced diploma holders - Minimum requirement - credit grade average (at least 65% or above) with no fail grades in their business units in the final year. Diploma holders - Minimum requirement - 50 percent of grades achieved are Distinctions (75% or above) with no fails in their business units. Certificate IV - Minimum requirement - 75 percent of grades achieved are Distinctions (75% or above) with no fails in their business units. Where Australian TAFE qualifications are delivered offshore, equivalent grades will be adopted. Partially completed tertiary qualifications Applicants must also have completed a minimum of one year (100 credit points) of equivalent full-time study - Minimum requirement - Credit grade average (65% or above) with no fails in their business units. Special Entry Applicants who do not satisfy any of the above requirements (including applicants with a non-competitive Year 12 completed a minimum of two years prior to the time of application) are required to sit a STAT Multiple Choice test run by VTAC. Not all eligible applicants can be offered a place as quotas do apply.
ENTER:
2008 Round 1 Clearly in ENTER 75.20 (CSP)
Credit Transfer:
Applicants with prior tertiary studies that satisfy part of the academic requirements of this course may be granted ‘credit’ and/or entry into the course with ‘advanced standing’. University policies apply and applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis. For most degrees Students will be granted matched exemptions for foundation units or some Stage 2 units only. For further information refer to ‘Swinburne Pathways: Credit Transfer Guide’ at: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/corporate/marketing/pathways//
Pathways (articulation):
An advanced credit transfer system, known as the Pathways program, is in place at Swinburne. Through Pathways, students with one or more of a wide range of post-secondary qualifications (both local and international) can gain entry into a course with advanced standing. Certain subject requirements must be met and an acceptable standard of results achieved in order to gain admission and for maximum credit to be granted. For most degrees students will be granted matched exemptions for foundation units or some Stage 2 units only. For further information refer to 'Swinburne Pathways: Credit Transfer Guide at: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/corporate/marketing/pathways// Note: Eligibility for credit does not guarantee a place in the course: acceptance depends on the number of applicants and available places.
Recognition of Prior Learning:
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process where a student may be granted credit or partial credit towards a qualification in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. However, it must be noted that RPL is not normally recognised for Undergraduate qualifications. Students may not obtain RPL for the Professional Practice units. Further details for students considering Higher Education courses: http://www.swin.edu.au/corporate/registrar/ppd/files/stuinf.htm
Course Fees:
Swinburne offers domestic undergraduate students Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens or holders of an Australian permanent resident visa are classified as domestic students. All other students are considered international students. HELP The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) is a suite of income contingent loans for Australian citizens and holders of Australian permanent humanitarian visas. HELP consists of: HECS-HELP (previously HECS) – is available to eligible Commonwealth supported students. It provides students with a loan to cover their student contribution amount. Students are eligible for a 20% discount if they choose to pay all, or at least $500, of their student contribution up-front. FEE-HELP (previously PELS) – is available to eligible fee paying undergraduate and postgraduate students. It provides students with a loan to cover their tuition fees (lifetime maximum $81,600 from 1 January 2008). The FEE-HELP limit is indexed on 1 January each year. OS-HELP – is available to eligible Commonwealth supported students, who wish to study overseas, with a loan to cover expenses such as accommodation and travel. Note: New Zealand citizens and holders of other Australian permanent resident visas do not have access to HELP loans. These students must pay their student contributions or tuition fees up front without a discount. For further information on your support and study options visit the 'Going to Uni' website at: http://www.goingtouni.gov.au For information about Swinburne's fees visit: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/fees
Note: New Zealand citizens and holders of other Australian permanent resident visas do not have access to HELP loans. These students must pay their student contributions or tuition fees up front without a discount.
Scholarships:
For information about scholarships at Swinburne visit: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/scholarships
Application Procedure:
Applications must be made through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). VTAC code: 34181 (CSP), 34183 (Int. Fee) For further information, visit the VTAC website at: http://www.vtac.edu.au
Further information:
Submit an Online Enquiry Tel: 1300 368 777 Email: study@swinburne.edu.au Faculty of Business and Enterprise website
