Master of Commerce specialisation in Accounting - Taught 180

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Behind every successful business is a good accountant. Study Accounting with us and prepare yourself for a career in either financial accounting or management accounting. Financial accounting involves the presentation of financial statements and techniques for their analysis. Management accounting explores the use of accounting data for managerial planning, decision making, and control.

The University of Auckland is ranked first in New Zealand and in the top 100 globally for Accounting and Finance.* As a leading accounting and finance education provider in the Asia-Pacific region, we are renowned for research excellence and innovative teaching. Professional bodies that recognise our Accounting programmes include CAANZ, CPA Australia, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the CFA Institute.
*QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024

Postgraduate study in Accounting
You can study Accounting in three postgraduate programmes offered at the Business School.
Postgraduate study with us will prepare you for senior or specialised career roles in the areas of financial accounting, auditing, management accounting and business analysis. An academic career specialising in accounting is also an option.

Courses taught at postgraduate level include:
- Research Methods in Accounting
- Governance Issues in Accounting
- Financial Accounting Research
- Contemporary Auditing Research
- Research in Management Control
- Research in Revenue and Cost Management
- Accounting Information and Capital Markets
- Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting
- Sustainability Accounting Research

When you graduate, you could become an accountant or auditor in a chartered accountancy practice, in industry, or in the public sector. You could also work as a business consultant or financial manager in a manufacturing, service or consultancy organisation.

Prerequisite: A major in Accounting including ECON 221 or MATHS 208 or STATS 208, or an equivalent course as approved by the Head of Department

A student required to complete 180 points for this degree may substitute up to 30 points from other 700 level courses offered at this University as approved by the Programme Director.

Complete 180 points for one of the following:

180 points for Dissertation Pathway, or
180 points for Research Project Pathway, or
180 points for Applied Research Consultancy Project Pathway

Dissertation Pathway

Complete 180 points comprising:

30 points for all Compulsory Courses, and
15 points from Group 1 Elective Courses, and
15 points from Group 2 Elective Courses, and
60 points from Group 3 Elective Courses, and
Either:
60 points for all Dissertation - 1 Semester, or
60 points for all Dissertation - 2 Semesters

Compulsory Courses

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 701 - Research Methods in Accounting (15 points)

BUSINESS 713 - Responsible Business (15 points)

Group 1 Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

ACCTG 707 - Applied Accounting Research (15 points)

Group 2 Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

BUSINESS 704 - Quantitative Research Methods (15 points)

BUSINESS 705 - Qualitative Research Methods (15 points)

ECON 720 - Econometric Methods (15 points)

Group 3 Elective Courses

Complete exactly 60 points from the following:

ACCTG 702 - Governance Issues in Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 708 - Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 709 - Sustainability Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 711 - Financial Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 714 - Contemporary Auditing Research (15 points)

ACCTG 721 - Research in Management Control (15 points)

ACCTG 722 - Research in Revenue and Cost Management (15 points)

ACCTG 771 - Accounting Information and Capital Markets (15 points)

ACCTG 780 - Special Topic: Sustainability Accounting and Integrated Reporting (15 points)

ACCTG 781 - Special Topic: Efficiency and Productivity Measurement (15 points)

Dissertation - 1 Semester

Complete 60 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 791 - Dissertation (60 points)

Dissertation - 2 Semesters

Complete 60 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 791A - Dissertation (30 points)

ACCTG 791B - Dissertation (30 points)

Research Project Pathway

Complete 180 points comprising:

30 points for all Compulsory Courses, and
15 points for all Applied Accounting Research Course, and
15 points from Group 1 Elective Courses, and
At least 60 points from Group 2 Elective Courses, and
0 to 30 points from Group 3 Elective Courses, and
30 points for all Research Project

Compulsory Courses

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 701 - Research Methods in Accounting (15 points)

BUSINESS 713 - Responsible Business (15 points)

Applied Accounting Research Course

Complete 15 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 707 - Applied Accounting Research (15 points)

Group 1 Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

BUSINESS 704 - Quantitative Research Methods (15 points)

BUSINESS 705 - Qualitative Research Methods (15 points)

ECON 720 - Econometric Methods (15 points)

Group 2 Elective Courses

Complete at least 60 points from the following:

ACCTG 702 - Governance Issues in Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 708 - Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 709 - Sustainability Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 711 - Financial Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 714 - Contemporary Auditing Research (15 points)

ACCTG 721 - Research in Management Control (15 points)

ACCTG 722 - Research in Revenue and Cost Management (15 points)

ACCTG 771 - Accounting Information and Capital Markets (15 points)

ACCTG 780 - Special Topic: Sustainability Accounting and Integrated Reporting (15 points)

ACCTG 781 - Special Topic: Efficiency and Productivity Measurement (15 points)

Group 3 Elective Courses

Complete 0 to 30 points from the following:

ACCTG 701 - Research Methods in Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 702 - Governance Issues in Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 707 - Applied Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 708 - Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 709 - Sustainability Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 711 - Financial Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 714 - Contemporary Auditing Research (15 points)

ACCTG 721 - Research in Management Control (15 points)

ACCTG 722 - Research in Revenue and Cost Management (15 points)

ACCTG 771 - Accounting Information and Capital Markets (15 points)

BUSINESS 704 - Quantitative Research Methods (15 points)

BUSINESS 705 - Qualitative Research Methods (15 points)

BUSINESS 710 - Conducting Research (15 points)

BUSINESS 713 - Responsible Business (15 points)

BUSINESS 714 - Advanced Consulting Methods - Level 9 (15 points)

ECON 700 - Special Topic (15 points)

ECON 701 - Microeconomic Theory (15 points)

ECON 704 - Directed Study (15 points)

ECON 706 - Information and Digital Economy (15 points)

ECON 711 - Macroeconomic Theory and Policy (15 points)

ECON 712 - Topics in Money, Banking and Finance (15 points)

ECON 720 - Econometric Methods (15 points)

ECON 722 - Applied Microeconometrics (15 points)

ECON 723 - Time Series and Panel Data Econometrics (15 points)

ECON 748 - International Economics (15 points)

ECON 766 - Political Economy (15 points)

ECON 777 - Economic Development and Wellbeing (15 points)

ECON 780 - Climate and Energy Economics (15 points)

ECON 786 - Behavioural and Applied Economics (15 points)

FINANCE 701 - Research Methods in Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 702 - Governance Issues in Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 705 - Empirical Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 707 - Applied Finance Research (15 points)

FINANCE 710 - Financial Machine Learning (15 points)

FINANCE 751 - Modern Corporate Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 761 - Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis (15 points)

FINANCE 762 - Risk Management (15 points)

GLMI 700 - Directed Study (15 points)

GLMI 701 - Competing Globally (15 points)

GLMI 702 - Global Talent Management (15 points)

GLMI 703 - Global Digital Strategy - Level 9 (15 points)

GLMI 704 - Global Sustainability (15 points)

GLMI 705 - People, Performance and Well-being - Level 9 (15 points)

GLMI 706 - Working in an Age of Uncertainty (15 points)

GLMI 707 - Organisational Change (15 points)

GLMI 708 - Self-leadership and Professional Growth (15 points)

GLMI 709 - New Ventures and Global Connectivity (15 points)

GLMI 710 - Leveraging Innovation Ecosystems (15 points)

GLMI 711 - Strategic Entrepreneurship in Action (15 points)

GLMI 712 - Contemporary Approaches to Innovation and Business Design (15 points)

GLMI 780 - Research Project - Level 9 (30 points)

INFOGOV 700 - Environment of Information Governance (15 points)

INFOGOV 701 - Information Research in Practice (15 points)

INFOGOV 704 - Artificial Intelligence Regulation - Level 9 (15 points)

INFOGOV 705 - Information Privacy: Theory and Application - Level 9 (30 points)

INFOSYS 700 - Digital Innovation (15 points)

INFOSYS 703 - Managing with Artificial Intelligence (15 points)

INFOSYS 704 - IT Consultancy (15 points)

INFOSYS 706 - Digital Sustainability (15 points)

INFOSYS 709 - Contemporary Issues in Information Systems Practice - Level 9 (15 points)

INFOSYS 720 - Information Systems Research - Level 9 (15 points)

INFOSYS 722 - Data Mining and Big Data (15 points)

INFOSYS 727 - Advanced Information Security (15 points)

INFOSYS 735 - Cloud Computing Architecture (15 points)

INFOSYS 750 - Quantitative Methods in Information Systems (15 points)

INFOSYS 751 - Qualitative Methods in Information Systems (15 points)

INFOSYS 757 - Project Management and Outsourcing (15 points)

LAWCOMM 702 - International Arbitration - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 730 - Special Topic: Regulation of International Trade - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 731 - Special Topic: Commercial Law in Asia - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 732 - Special Topic: Contractual Interpretation - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 733 - Special Topic: Shaping the Law in the Tech Driven Era - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 737 - Special Topic: Financial Markets Regulation - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 772 - Intellectual Property and Practice (15 points)

LAWCOMM 793 - Patent Law - Level 9 (15 points)

LAWCOMM 796 - Trade Marks and Related Rights - Level 9 (15 points)

MKTG 701 - Foundations of Marketing Thought (15 points)

MKTG 705 - Advanced Consumer Research (15 points)

MKTG 710 - Digital Advertising Dynamics (15 points)

MKTG 712 - Digital Marketing Strategy (15 points)

MKTG 713 - Business-to-Business Marketing Dynamics (15 points)

MKTG 714 - Contemporary Issues in Marketing Research - Level 9 (15 points)

MKTG 715 - Future of Marketing Work - Level 9 (15 points)

OPSMGT 700 - Healthcare Analytics and Operations (15 points)

OPSMGT 702 - Contemporary Issues in OSCM Practice (15 points)

OPSMGT 741 - System Dynamics and Complex Modelling (15 points)

OPSMGT 752 - Modelling Methods in Operations Management (15 points)

OPSMGT 760 - Advanced Operations Systems - Level 9 (15 points)

OPSMGT 766 - Fundamentals of Supply Chain Coordination (15 points)

OPSMGT 780 - Sustainable Transformation (15 points)

Research Project

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 790 - Research Project (30 points)

Applied Research Consultancy Project Pathway

Complete 180 points comprising:

30 points for all Group 1 Compulsory Courses, and
30 points for all Group 2 Compulsory Courses, and
15 points from Group 1 Elective Courses, and
At least 60 points from Group 2 Elective Courses, and
0 to 15 points from Group 3 Elective Courses, and
30 points for all Applied Research Consultancy Project

Group 1 Compulsory Courses

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 701 - Research Methods in Accounting (15 points)

BUSINESS 713 - Responsible Business (15 points)

Group 2 Compulsory Courses

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 707 - Applied Accounting Research (15 points)

BUSINESS 714 - Advanced Consulting Methods - Level 9 (15 points)

Group 1 Elective Courses

Complete exactly 15 points from the following:

BUSINESS 704 - Quantitative Research Methods (15 points)

BUSINESS 705 - Qualitative Research Methods (15 points)

ECON 720 - Econometric Methods (15 points)

Group 2 Elective Courses

Complete at least 60 points from the following:

ACCTG 702 - Governance Issues in Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 708 - Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 709 - Sustainability Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 711 - Financial Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 714 - Contemporary Auditing Research (15 points)

ACCTG 721 - Research in Management Control (15 points)

ACCTG 722 - Research in Revenue and Cost Management (15 points)

ACCTG 771 - Accounting Information and Capital Markets (15 points)

Group 3 Elective Courses

Complete 0 to 15 points from the following:

ACCTG 701 - Research Methods in Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 702 - Governance Issues in Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 707 - Applied Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 708 - Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting (15 points)

ACCTG 709 - Sustainability Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 711 - Financial Accounting Research (15 points)

ACCTG 714 - Contemporary Auditing Research (15 points)

ACCTG 721 - Research in Management Control (15 points)

ACCTG 722 - Research in Revenue and Cost Management (15 points)

ACCTG 771 - Accounting Information and Capital Markets (15 points)

BUSINESS 704 - Quantitative Research Methods (15 points)

BUSINESS 705 - Qualitative Research Methods (15 points)

BUSINESS 710 - Conducting Research (15 points)

BUSINESS 713 - Responsible Business (15 points)

BUSINESS 714 - Advanced Consulting Methods - Level 9 (15 points)

ECON 700 - Special Topic (15 points)

ECON 701 - Microeconomic Theory (15 points)

ECON 704 - Directed Study (15 points)

ECON 706 - Information and Digital Economy (15 points)

ECON 711 - Macroeconomic Theory and Policy (15 points)

ECON 712 - Topics in Money, Banking and Finance (15 points)

ECON 720 - Econometric Methods (15 points)

ECON 722 - Applied Microeconometrics (15 points)

ECON 723 - Time Series and Panel Data Econometrics (15 points)

ECON 748 - International Economics (15 points)

ECON 766 - Political Economy (15 points)

ECON 777 - Economic Development and Wellbeing (15 points)

ECON 780 - Climate and Energy Economics (15 points)

ECON 786 - Behavioural and Applied Economics (15 points)

FINANCE 701 - Research Methods in Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 702 - Governance Issues in Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 705 - Empirical Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 707 - Applied Finance Research (15 points)

FINANCE 710 - Financial Machine Learning (15 points)

FINANCE 751 - Modern Corporate Finance (15 points)

FINANCE 761 - Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis (15 points)

FINANCE 762 - Risk Management (15 points)

GLMI 700 - Directed Study (15 points)

GLMI 701 - Competing Globally (15 points)

GLMI 702 - Global Talent Management (15 points)

GLMI 703 - Global Digital Strategy - Level 9 (15 points)

GLMI 704 - Global Sustainability (15 points)

GLMI 705 - People, Performance and Well-being - Level 9 (15 points)

GLMI 706 - Working in an Age of Uncertainty (15 points)

GLMI 707 - Organisational Change (15 points)

GLMI 708 - Self-leadership and Professional Growth (15 points)

GLMI 709 - New Ventures and Global Connectivity (15 points)

GLMI 710 - Leveraging Innovation Ecosystems (15 points)

GLMI 711 - Strategic Entrepreneurship in Action (15 points)

GLMI 712 - Contemporary Approaches to Innovation and Business Design (15 points)

GLMI 780 - Research Project - Level 9 (30 points)

INFOGOV 700 - Environment of Information Governance (15 points)

INFOGOV 701 - Information Research in Practice (15 points)

INFOGOV 704 - Artificial Intelligence Regulation - Level 9 (15 points)

INFOGOV 705 - Information Privacy: Theory and Application - Level 9 (30 points)

INFOSYS 700 - Digital Innovation (15 points)

INFOSYS 703 - Managing with Artificial Intelligence (15 points)

INFOSYS 704 - IT Consultancy (15 points)

INFOSYS 706 - Digital Sustainability (15 points)

INFOSYS 709 - Contemporary Issues in Information Systems Practice - Level 9 (15 points)

INFOSYS 720 - Information Systems Research - Level 9 (15 points)

INFOSYS 722 - Data Mining and Big Data (15 points)

INFOSYS 727 - Advanced Information Security (15 points)

INFOSYS 735 - Cloud Computing Architecture (15 points)

INFOSYS 750 - Quantitative Methods in Information Systems (15 points)

INFOSYS 751 - Qualitative Methods in Information Systems (15 points)

INFOSYS 757 - Project Management and Outsourcing (15 points)

LAWCOMM 702 - International Arbitration - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 730 - Special Topic: Regulation of International Trade - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 731 - Special Topic: Commercial Law in Asia - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 732 - Special Topic: Contractual Interpretation - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 733 - Special Topic: Shaping the Law in the Tech Driven Era - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 737 - Special Topic: Financial Markets Regulation - Level 9 (30 points)

LAWCOMM 772 - Intellectual Property and Practice (15 points)

LAWCOMM 793 - Patent Law - Level 9 (15 points)

LAWCOMM 796 - Trade Marks and Related Rights - Level 9 (15 points)

MKTG 701 - Foundations of Marketing Thought (15 points)

MKTG 705 - Advanced Consumer Research (15 points)

MKTG 710 - Digital Advertising Dynamics (15 points)

MKTG 712 - Digital Marketing Strategy (15 points)

MKTG 713 - Business-to-Business Marketing Dynamics (15 points)

MKTG 714 - Contemporary Issues in Marketing Research - Level 9 (15 points)

MKTG 715 - Future of Marketing Work - Level 9 (15 points)

OPSMGT 700 - Healthcare Analytics and Operations (15 points)

OPSMGT 702 - Contemporary Issues in OSCM Practice (15 points)

OPSMGT 741 - System Dynamics and Complex Modelling (15 points)

OPSMGT 752 - Modelling Methods in Operations Management (15 points)

OPSMGT 760 - Advanced Operations Systems - Level 9 (15 points)

OPSMGT 766 - Fundamentals of Supply Chain Coordination (15 points)

OPSMGT 780 - Sustainable Transformation (15 points)

Applied Research Consultancy Project

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

ACCTG 759 - Applied Research Consultancy Project (30 points)