Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) Majoring in Accounting
Dunedin, New Zealand
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Introduction
Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) Majoring in Accounting
The Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree programme enables each student to develop his or her own interests in business and related subjects. Students are able to create individualised courses using a range of papers offered across teaching departments in the School of Business and University as a whole. Students have the flexibility within the BCom degree to combine two specialisations and graduate with a double major.
Why study Accountancy?
Accounting is the financial language of business and non-profit organisations. As such, it is probably the most useful tool you can have when entering the business or non-profit world. If you understand the concepts and terminology of accounting, you will have a good grasp of business problems and their solutions.
Accounting is about providing financial information to help organisations plan and meet their various financial, tax or audit obligations. Creating user-friendly, flexible reports requires a team focus and the ability to incorporate other types of information.
Accountants can really make a difference in an organisation. Otago accounting graduates usually gain decision-making roles after a short time in the workplace. Far from being bean counters, they have a dynamic, challenging role. No matter what career youโre aspiring to, you will find accounting skills invaluable.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
Curriculum
Every degree Program
- shall consist of papers worth not less than 360 points,
- shall include at least 180 points for papers above 100-level of which at least 72 points shall be for papers above 200-level,
- shall satisfy the requirements for at least one of the major subjects listed above. No paper above 200-level may count for more than one Major Subject Requirement,
- shall include the following Required Papers*: BSNS 111, BSNS 112, BSNS 113, BSNS 114, BSNS 115
- may include one or more optional minor subjects which satisfy the Minor Subject Requirements listed in Commerce Schedule A, or Arts and Music Schedule A, or Science Schedule A, or Applied Science Schedule A, or BHealSc Schedule Part 2. No paper may count for both a Major and a Minor Subject Requirement or for more than one Minor Subject Requirement unless that paper is at 100- or 200-level and is specified as compulsory for both Requirements,
- may include papers which are not listed in Commerce Schedule C
- up to 90 points; or
- as specified in the Commerce Major Subject Requirements and/or the Commerce subjects in the Minor Subject Requirements; or
- as specified in the Minor Subject Requirements.
Major subject areas
For a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree you must major in at least one of the following subjects:
- Accounting
- Economics
- Finance
- Human Resource Management
- Information Science
- International Business
- Management
- Marketing
- Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- Tourism
Minor subject areas
Selecting a minor subject is not compulsory and there may be other combinations of papers more appropriate to your degree. There are no particular subject requirements for the other papers of your degree, but if you wish you may have another subject specified as a minor subject in your degree by passing the prescribed papers for any of the listed subjects.
Program Outcome
Many students do a double major or double degree, such as a BCom in accounting and a Bachelor of Laws. Majors in information systems or finance are other good combinations. Other students choose to study accounting papers to enhance their other degrees, such as arts, physical education and science. No matter what degree youโre studying, accounting is invaluable
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
For an Otago accounting graduate, the world really is your playground. Many graduates start their careers in chartered accountancy firms, often working in taxation or auditing or as advisers to a range of businesses. For many, this is a stepping stone; within three or four years they move on to larger organisations such as government departments, businesses and non-profit organisations and within 10 years, their skills may have earned them a management rather than an accounting role.
New Zealandโs leading accounting firms express a strong preference for Otago-trained graduates, so look out for our recruitment fairs held in early March each year.
Many employers prefer Otago accounting graduates. They particularly like students that engage in the variety of social, extra-curricular and academic opportunities that Otago offers
Program delivery
Application details
Applicants must apply online. They should also attach all the necessary supporting documents which includes scanned copies of their official high school or foundation transcripts (awards gained, marks, grades); scanned copies of the relevant official transcripts of previous university study; and provide proof of their identity this is usually achieved by providing a certified copy of the personal details page of their passport or a birth certificate (in English). Applicants may also be required to submit an Educational Credential Evaluators report (ECE). As soon as applicants have completed their online application, their proof of identity document must be posted to International Office, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. International student applications for semester 1/summer school study close: Oct-31; Semester 2 study close: Apr-30.