UNSW Handbook - Back to Home

Direct Find

Use this search only if you have an exact code for a Program, Stream, or Course, e.g. 3403, ACCTA13502, ACCT1501 or ACCT*.

Professional Recognition of Programs

For Undergraduate Students

commerce students

The degree programs offered by the Australian School of Business at the University of New South Wales are recognised by the following professional organisations in accordance with the details set out below.

Australian Computer Society (ACS)

The following qualifications in Information Systems have been accredited by Australian Computer Society (ACS) for its provisional membership at the Professional Level.
Course
Campus
Final Year of Accreditation
Level Accredited
Bachelor of Commerce (Information Systems) (Co-op)
 
Kensington Campus
2018
Professional
Bachelor of Commerce (Information Systems)
 
Kensington Campus
2018
Professional
Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Information Systems
 
Kensington Campus
2018
Professional
Bachelor of Information Systems
 
Kensington Campus
2018
Professional
Bachelor of Information Systems (Co-op)
 
Kensington Campus
2018
Professional

The ACS is responsible for the accreditation of professional ICT education programs in Australia. It is also signatory to the Seoul Accord (www.abeek.or.kr/accord/contents.jsp). The Seoul Accord is a multi-lateral mutual-recognition agreement among agencies responsible for accreditation or recognition of tertiary-level computing and IT-related qualifications in Australia, US, Canada, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan which provides graduates from accredited degree programs global recognition. The number of Seoul Accord signatories is expected to grow, and the activities of the Accord signatories are intended to assist growing globalization of mutual recognition of Computing and IT-related qualifications.


Completion of an accredited ACS degree program along with appropriate industry experience is a pathway to professional certification as a Certified Professional (http://www.acs.org.au/sfia-certification/acs-certification). The ACS Certified Professional certification is accredited by the International Professional Practice Partnership (IP3).

Australian Human Resource Institute (AHRI)

The following qualifications in Human Resource Management have been accredited by the National Accreditation Committee (NAC) of the Australian Human Resources Institute for its membership program.
  • Bachelor of Commerce major in Human Resources Management
  • Bachelor of Economics major in Human Resources Management
  • Combined Business programs major in Human Resources Management
Accreditation is granted for a period of three years. Further information on membership and membership benefits can be found on AHRI website www.ahri.com.au.

Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)

The Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) program has been approved by the Australian Securities and investment Commission (ASIC) authorised assessors as meeting ASIC’s training requirements in relation to RG146 Tier 1 qualification in the following specialist knowledge areas:

  • Financial Planning

  • General insurance

  • Generic Knowledge

  • Life Insurance

  • Managed Investments

  • Securities

  • Skills

  • Superannuation


    • For ASIC compliance against the stated specialist knowledge areas, students must complete the following courses:
    building
    Accreditation of FINS courses with ASIC (RG146) and the Financial Planning Association will further assist graduates to find employment and begin the path to achieving Certified Financial Planner (CFP) status.

    Further information on becoming a CFP professional can be found on FPA website www.fpa.asn.au

    CPA Australia

    CPA Australia has accepted specific UNSW undergraduate courses for the purpose of its membership qualifications. Associate membership of CPA Australia requires the minimum qualification of an accredited undergraduate degree with a major in accounting, and completion of accredited courses in accounting, finance and business areas to satisfy the minimum core knowledge requirements. See lists of approved courses.

    If you are unable to fit these courses in as part of your degree requirements, you may wish to enrol in additional classes as non-award.

    Students may confirm academic entry requirements for the CPA Program with CPA Australia at www.cpaaustralia.com.au

    Summary of Required Courses:
    Notes:

    1. The Honours equivalents of ACCT3563, ACCT3583 and ACCT3708 may be substituted, namely: ACCT3573, ACCT3593 and ACCT3718.

    2. It is no longer mandatory to include ACCT3708 (or ACCT3718) and TABL2751 but it is desirable to do so. Otherwise Auditing and Taxation must be completed in the CPA Program.

    3. The following courses may be substituted for ECON1203 Business and Economic Statistics:
    • MATH1041 Statistics for Life and Social Sciences;
    • MATH1151 Mathematics for Actuarial Studies and Finance 1A;
    • MATH2801 Theory of Statistics;
    • MATH2901 Higher Theory of Statistics;
    • PSYC2001 Research Methods 2.

    Students undertaking the combined Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws programs
    Students undertaking the combined Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws programs should substitute the following four courses for TABL1710 and TABL2741 listed above.
    In addition, BCom/LLB Students need to complete TABL2751 or:

    Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA)

    FINSIA members have access to a number of career support services and publications specifically related to professionals in the financial services industry. Finance graduates may apply for recognition of prior learning under the Financial Services Associate (FSA) Program to reduce course work requirements. The FSA program fast-track its membership to the Associate level. Business graduates with three years of relevant work experience may apply directly for associate membership with FINSIA.

    Students are encouraged to seek further information from the FINSIA website

    Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA)

    Graduates who have completed an undergraduate degree with a major in accounting are eligible under the Institute's admission requirements to enter the ‘Chartered Accountants Program’ leading to membership, provided they have completed accredited courses in the core knowledge areas. See lists of approved courses.

    If you are unable to fit these courses in as part of your degree requirements, you may wish to enrol in additional classes as non-award.

    Students may confirm academic entry requirements for the ‘Chartered Accountants Program’ with ICAA at www.charteredaccountants.com.au/Candidates/The-Chartered-Accountants-Program/Entry-requirements/Accredited-courses.

    Summary of Required Courses:
    Notes:

    1. The Honours equivalents of ACCT3563, ACCT3583 and ACCT3708 may be substituted, namely: ACCT3573, ACCT3593 and ACCT3718.

    2. The following courses may be substituted for ECON1203 Business and Economic Statistics:
    • MATH1041 Statistics for Life and Social Sciences;
    • MATH1151 Mathematics for Actuarial Studies and Finance 1A;
    • MATH2801 Theory of Statistics;
    • MATH2901 Higher Theory of Statistics;
    • PSYC2001 Research Methods 2.
    Students undertaking the combined Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws programs
    Students undertaking the combined Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws programs should substitute the following four courses for TABL1710 and TABL2741 listed above.
    In addition, BCom/LLB Students need to complete LEGT2751 or

    Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)

    The Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) has approved UNSW for the purpose of its membership qualifications.

    Associate membership of IPA may be obtained with the qualification of an accredited undergraduate degree with a major in accounting, and completion of courses in accounting, finance and business areas to satisfy the minimum core knowledge requirements.

    IPA does not have a list of individual courses for completion at particular institutions. The body prefers to assess individual programs with reference to the educational standards of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). However, if students complete the requirements for CPA Australia or ICAA, they should meet the IFAC standards. See lists of approved courses.

    The Institute of Actuaries of Australia

    The UNSW actuarial program is fully accredited by the Institute of Actuaries of Australia recognised for exemptions by the Institute of Actuaries (London) for the Core Technical subjects and relevant courses are approved for VEE by the Society of Actuaries (SoA). To qualify as an actuary in Australia requires the completion of, or exemption from, subjects in the professional syllabus of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia.

    Qualification as an Associate of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia (AIAA) is attained on completion of the courses in Parts I and II along with a 3 year Practical Experience Requirement (PER) and completion of The Professionalism Course. Qualification as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia (FIAA) requires the completion of subjects in Parts I, II and III of the professional actuarial examinations and the Professionalism Course.

    Part I is covered by the relevant subjects in the Bachelor of Actuarial Studies.

    For Part II there are two parts: Part IIA: the Actuarial Control Cycle, and Part IIB: Investment and Asset Modelling. Part II is studied at UNSW in three courses as part of an honours year or a 4th year of a combined degree program or after graduating and is made up of courses which cover actuarial principles and actuarial practice along with an Asset Modelling course.

    Part III consists of modules completed by distance education through The Institute of Actuaries of Australia usually on a part-time basis after completing the Part I and Part II subjects. UNSW has professional recognition of its relevant Risk Management courses for ST9/CERA qualification which also counts as a module for the Part III.
    students
    Entry Requirements

    Part I
    Students can complete the Part I courses as part of their university program. Success at gaining the exemptions requires above average grades (65% and above). Those aiming to enter the actuarial profession should normally expect to gain most of the exemptions and should be aiming to obtain at least an average 70% mark in their University studies.

    Part II
    The requirements are:
    • completed all Part I courses with exemptions or
    • have a minimum average mark in the ACTL courses of 65% and only 1 or 2 Part I courses to complete.

    Other Professional Recognition
    The Faculty of Actuaries and the Institute of Actuaries in the UK offer exemptions from the equivalent subjects in their syllabus if students have obtained exemption through the Institute of Actuaries of Australia. This covers only Part I subjects. However, Fellows of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia can obtain Fellowship of the Institute of Actuaries (London) if they wish to practice in the UK or Europe.

    Students who have completed an actuarial studies major and obtained exemptions from the Part I subjects of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia can apply for waivers of some of the examinations of the Society of Actuaries (North America), under VEE credit. Fellows of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia can apply for admission as an Associate of the Society of Actuaries if they wish to practise in North America.

    Fellowship of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia (FIAA) is recognised by local actuarial societies in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and Japan. The actuarial societies in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia do not conduct their own examinations. For more information, please go to Institute's website www.actuaries.asn.au

    Undergraduate Information

    Study Levels

    Undergraduate Study Postgraudate Study Postgraduate Research Study Non-Award Study

    UNSW Quick Links

    Apply Online Fees and Financial Assitance Academic Calendar