Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting

Postgraduate DiplomaPGDipPA

This full-time professional qualification is designed for accounting graduates who want to complete the CA Program while still at university and hit the ground running when they enter the workforce.

120 points, 10 months (January to October)

Study full-time only. Open to both domestic and international students.

Hamilton

The first intake is January 2025.

Waikato Management School

January each year

Why study the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting?

Our new Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (CA Program) allows accounting graduates to complete all eight modules in the CA Program for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) before entering the workforce.

This full-time, 10-month programme develops the advanced knowledge required to become a Chartered Accountant. This course starts in January each year and finishes in October.

Normally it would take nearly three years to complete the CA Program through online study and exams, while also working full-time as a junior accountant. Instead, you can get it all done at university in less than a year!

Another major benefit of this qualification is that graduates may be eligible for a 1-year credit towards the three years of Mentored Practical Experience (MPE) required to achieve full CA membership. ** See details below.

The PGDipPA (CA Program) is delivered by the University of Waikato in partnership with CA ANZ. It's ideal for anyone who has already graduated from our Bachelor of Business in Professional Accounting , or our Master of Professional Accounting, or an equivalent qualification accredited by CA ANZ. Please see 'Entry requirements' below for more details.

Study with your peers in a supportive learning environment at the University of Waikato's campus in Hamilton, under the guidance of our experienced accounting lecturers.

In addition to completing all eight modules in the CA Program, you will gain research and report writing skills in two specialist accounting topics. Choose from the following options:

International Accounting (ACCTN506)
Forensic Accounting (Fraud and Analytics) (ACCTN541)
Advanced Financial Reporting (ACCTN502)
Advanced Management Accounting (ACCTN531)

The CA Program Exams will be held at the end of each module and externally assessed by CAANZ for quality assurance purposes.

Graduates of this programme will be in great demand with employers in both the government and corporate sectors.

1-year credit towards Mentored Practical Experience

Students who already have a bachelor's or masters degree accredited by Chartered Accountants (CA ANZ) and then complete this research-based postgraduate diploma may be eligible for a one-year credit towards the three years of Mentored Practical Experience (MPE) required for CA membership.

To apply for this MPE credit, graduates should submit copies of their research abstracts alongside their final academic transcript when they apply for provisional CA membership with CA ANZ.

Part-time study options

If you are a NZ citizen or permanent resident and would prefer to study part-time for the CA Program, please take a look at our Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Accounting (CA Program) instead.

120 points, 10 months (January to October)

Study full-time only. Open to both domestic and international students.

Hamilton

The first intake is January 2025.

Waikato Management School

January each year

Degree information

Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting
PGDip in Professional Accounting (CA Program) - 120pts - January intake
Each of the eight modules below is worth 7.5 points. Each module is 8 weeks in duration and there are 4 contact teaching hours per week. The start dates of each module may be subject to change, depending on the timetable set by CAANZ. The taught research papers are worth 30 points each and are one trimester in duration.
Select a tile for more information.
January to March
ACCTP512 Risk & Technology
ACCTP512 Risk and Technology7.5 points Risk and Technology analyses how businesses create and protect stakeholder value with a focus on risk management, data and technology arising from existing and emerging technologies, process automation and the use and application of data.Full paper details
ACCTP513 Financial Accounting and Reporting
ACCTP513 Financial Accounting and Reporting7.5 points This paper requires candidates to apply International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), or local equivalents, and regulatory and ethical requirements to account for and report on a diverse range of business transactions and events.Full paper details
ACCTP517 Audit and Risk
ACCTP517 Audit and Risk7.5 points This paper develops a student’s knowledge and skills required for applying professional judgement and professional scepticism in addressing risk in auditing areas where significant professional judgement is required in the context of the audit of general-purpose financial statements.Full paper details
A Trimester - February to June
Choose either: ACCTN506 or ACCTN541
Choose either:
ACCTN506 International Accounting
ACCTN541 Fraud Auditing and Analytics
ACCTP514 Business Performance
ACCTP514 Business Performance7.5 points This paper is concerned with equipping students with skills for critiquing the performance of a business and supporting decision-making. The ability to critique the performance of a business and provide advice in the execution of business strategy is an essential skill for Chartered Accountants.Full paper details
ACCTP516 Tax
ACCTP516 Tax7.5 points This paper is concerned with the core knowledge and skills of tax required to provide advice and services for a range of transactions and events appropriate to the jurisdiction.Full paper details
ACCTP519 Data Analytics and Insights
ACCTP519 Data Analytics and Insights7.5 points This paper will enable students to identify, analyse and solve business problems using data analysis techniques and modern business intelligence tools. Students will develop effective techniques to communicate insights. Full paper details
B Trimester - July to October
Choose either: ACCTN502 or ACCTN531
Choose either:
ACCTN502 Advanced Financial Reporting
ACCTN531 Advanced Management Accounting
ACCTP515 Accounting for Mātauranga Māori and Sustainability
ACCTP515 Accounting for Mātauranga Māori and Sustainability7.5 points In Sustainability for Accountants, students will develop their awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts on organisations, and the role Chartered Accountants play in linking these issues to broader business agendas. Students will also develop an awareness of Mātauranga Māori and its contribution to sustainability decision-making.Full paper details
ACCTP518 Integrated Chartered Accounting Practice
ACCTP518 Integrated Chartered Accounting Practice7.5 points This paper requires students to build on and integrate existing technical knowledge, critical thinking, and professional skills to provide business advice. Students will embed an ethical approach in the application of these skills and communicate insights effectively to meet the needs of a variety of audiences.Full paper details
This information is provisional and subject to change.
CA Professional Modules
Research papers
Who is this course suitable for? Entry requirements
To be accepted for this course, you need to have already completed one of the following qualifications:
Waikato’s Bachelor of Business (Professional Accounting pathway) with at least a B-minus grade average across the 300 Level papers; PLUS you must also have completed the Ethics and Business* CA module from CAANZ.
Waikato’s Master of Professional Accounting (180 points) – which includes business ethics
An equivalent bachelor's or master's degree accredited by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), and subject to approval by the University of Waikato’s Academic Board.
If you do not meet these entry requirements, please talk to one of our study advisors in the Management Student Centre to find out what additional papers you may need to complete first. Email msc@waikato.ac.nz
* This two-week ethics module is offered four times a year in January, March, June, and September. Enrolments close two weeks before the start date. You can study the module online through CAANZ, once you have applied to gain provisional membership of CAANZ.
Domestic tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
Domestic tuition costs
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 27 November 2024.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. View information about fees free study.
Graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Accounting (CA Program) will have completed either an undergraduate degree qualification with the CA academic pathway (and the CA Program Business Ethics Subject); or the Master of Professional Accounting (180 points) qualification.
The PGDipPA programme of studies will extend their core skills and knowledge in Accounting and Business papers. This programme covers the CA Program in the areas of:
- Risk & Technology
- Financial Accounting & Reporting
- Taxation
- Business Performance
- Audit & Risk
- Integrated CA Practice

Each of the eight modules below is worth 7.5 points. Each module is 8 weeks in duration and there are 4 contact teaching hours per week. The start dates of each module may be subject to change, depending on the timetable set by CAANZ. The taught research papers are worth 30 points each and are one trimester in duration.

Select a tile for more information.

January to March

ACCTP512 Risk & Technology

ACCTP513 Financial Accounting and Reporting

ACCTP517 Audit and Risk

A Trimester - February to June

Choose either: ACCTN506 or ACCTN541

ACCTP514 Business Performance

ACCTP516 Tax

ACCTP519 Data Analytics and Insights

B Trimester - July to October

Choose either: ACCTN502 or ACCTN531

ACCTP515 Accounting for Mātauranga Māori and Sustainability

ACCTP518 Integrated Chartered Accounting Practice

This information is provisional and subject to change.

CA Professional Modules

Research papers

Why study at Waikato

Internationally recognised

This qualification is endorsed by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, making it your passport to work overseas, and opening the door to a huge range of benefits.

Top 1% globally

Waikato Management School sits in the top 1% of business schools globally thanks to our prestigious Triple Crown Accreditation (EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB), which we've held since 2005.