MSc/MBA in Accounting and Finance Management

Galego

Hello,

Very interested in taking this Masters.

Could anyone tell me anything about it?

The MBA option seems a good plus to the MSc and also offers some good ACCA exemptions.

Hope to get some replies.

Cheers.

Dellboy2007

It doesn't give you F5 or F6. I'd be more inclined to go for a good degree that offers you all the F papers. ACCA papers are hard enough as it is, better off getting the maximum exemptions you can.

Galego

Dellboy2007 wrote: »

It doesn't give you F5 or F6. I'd be more inclined to go for a good degree that offers you all the F papers. ACCA papers are hard enough as it is, better off getting the maximum exemptions you can.

It also gives exemption for F6 should the elective Advance Taxation run. The problem is that it only runs due to demand and has not run in the past few years.

This programme is similar to the content of the Professional level Papers in ACCA and provides a good grounding to sit the Professional level papers. I personally think this is a big plus.

A good degree will take 3 years (full time) while this Masters 1 year (full time) or 2 years (part-time). I personally do not see how anyone could be better off doing a good degree than a good Masters (assuming the student has already accounting background).

Dellboy2007

Galego wrote: »

It also gives exemption for F6 should the elective Advance Taxation run. The problem is that it only runs due to demand and has not run in the past few years.

This programme is similar to the content of the Professional level Papers in ACCA and provides a good grounding to sit the Professional level papers. I personally think this is a big plus.

A good degree will take 3 years (full time) while this Masters 1 year (full time) or 2 years (part-time). I personally do not see how anyone could be better off doing a good degree than a good Masters (assuming the student has already accounting background).

Fair point. So what is your background? Have you got any ACCA exemptions so far?

Galego

Dellboy2007 wrote: »

Fair point. So what is your background? Have you got any ACCA exemptions so far?

BSc in Business Studies - Accounting Major.

I applied for exemptions and was granted the first 4 Fs.

I could take the ACCA route and study the rest of F and P exams but I'd rather study a Masters in Accountancy and if this gives me more ACCA exemptions then that is a bonus.

I always wanted to have a postgraduate plus ACCA is not recognized in the country I am from while a Masters is so in the case I come back then at least this comes to something useful.

Are you yourself studying the ACCA exams?

andrewire

I did the MSc in IBM which shares some modules with the Accounting and Finance stream. To be honest, I wouldn't go to GCD if I had the choice of going back in time. The administration is dreadful. Lecturers are good (most) but then again the courses are designed in a way that you learn a bit about a bunch of modules but you don't really know anything in detail. Courses are too generic.

I'd say about 98% of the students in the Accounting and Finance stream are Chinese, which would be fine if they could at least make an effort and speak English. The ones I shared classes with had virtually no English (which says a lot about the school) and made classes boring because they seemed to have no opinions about anything. No offense intended. It might be a cultural thing.

Anyway, sorry if I'm being pessimistic. The truth is, this isn't the place to get an MSc in Business, Finance or an MBA. Go somewhere with a good reputation.

Galego

andrewire wrote: »

I did the MSc in IBM which shares some modules with the Accounting and Finance stream. To be honest, I wouldn't go to GCD if I had the choice of going back in time. The administration is dreadful. Lecturers are good (most) but then again the courses are designed in a way that you learn a bit about a bunch of modules but you don't really know anything in detail. Courses are too generic.

I'd say about 98% of the students in the Accounting and Finance stream are Chinese, which would be fine if they could at least make an effort and speak English. The ones I shared classes with had virtually no English (which says a lot about the school) and made classes boring because they seemed to have no opinions about anything. No offense intended. It might be a cultural thing.

Anyway, sorry if I'm being pessimistic. The truth is, this isn't the place to get an MSc in Business, Finance or an MBA. Go somewhere with a good reputation.

Thanks for the input - really appreciate it.

Did you do the MSc full time or part-time? Do you think the part-time could be any different than the full time?

I have to do mine part-time, due to work commitments, so I am left with no too many choices / colleges.

So far my choices are this MSc/MBA at GCD, MSc in Accounting at the Independent Colleges or MSc in Strategic Management Accounting in Smurfit. To be honest, I do not think I have a chance to get in Smurfit but I submitted my application anyway.

From your point of view, would you rather choose The Independent Colleges than the GCD?

I have a meeting tomorrow with the person who runs the MSc/MBA in Accounting and Finance Management at GCD so I hope to get a better understanding of the course.

andrewire

Galego wrote: »

Thanks for the input - really appreciate it.

Did you do the MSc full time or part-time? Do you think the part-time could be any different than the full time?

I have to do mine part-time, due to work commitments, so I am left with no too many choices / colleges.

So far my choices are this MSc/MBA at GCD, MSc in Accounting at the Independent Colleges or MSc in Strategic Management Accounting in Smurfit. To be honest, I do not think I have a chance to get in Smurfit but I submitted my application anyway.

From your point of view, would you rather choose The Independent Colleges than the GCD?

I have a meeting tomorrow with the person who runs the MSc/MBA in Accounting and Finance Management at GCD so I hope to get a better understanding of the course.

Hi Galego,

I did it full-time but I have heard the part-time route has normally a more mature 'audience' which is good. Most --if not all-- students work so this can mean they are tuned in. I don't know much about Independent Colleges so can't say anything about them... Smurfit is all about reputation: I don't think they are that good either.

Anyway, I think most of the problems we have were a consequence of having way too many modules per semester, hence more assignments, etc. I think they should reduce the number of modules and make it a bit tighter. ALthough the part-time option might be an entirely different story. I think you only take three modules per semester so that's much better than eight per semester as we did. Not only that, one semester we had 12 assignments to submit in the space of three weeks or so.

To be fair, I think most of the issues I had with this course are commonplace in our university/college system. They don't encourage you to think but to remember a bunch of theories that at the end of the day, are useless. e.g. there's no point in learning Michael Porter's stuff without actually having a critical understanding of it. Some lecturers are excellent at this, others just limited themselves to reading notes. It might be different with this Accounting & Finance degree though since it's more numerical and less waffley than business.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Galego

andrewire wrote: »

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thanks for your answer again. You are great help!

Could you tell me a bit more about the exams? Are they like the typical undergraduate exam? Studying long hours and scanning everything to write down as much as possible in your 3-4 hours exam. I’d hate a Masters to be like that – just memorizing theories without being critical or understanding them.

Speaking to the guy who runs the Masters at the Independent Colleges, he made me think their Masters is more “out of the box” sort of thing. I am meeting him next week to discuss further details in the course.

I really do not find any other colleges in Dublin which could offer a Masters in Accounting/Finance part-time which could have good reputation and good learning method.

Out of interest, do you feel the money you invested in your Masters was worthy? Was the Masters worth the effort?

Which Masters / Colleges were you looking at the time and why you chose the GCD one?

Thanks again.

andrewire

Galego wrote: »

Thanks for your answer again. You are great help!

Could you tell me a bit more about the exams? Are they like the typical undergraduate exam? Studying long hours and scanning everything to write down as much as possible in your 3-4 hours exam. I’d hate a Masters to be like that – just memorizing theories without being critical or understanding them.

Speaking to the guy who runs the Masters at the Independent Colleges, he made me think their Masters is more “out of the box” sort of thing. I am meeting him next week to discuss further details in the course.

I really do not find any other colleges in Dublin which could offer a Masters in Accounting/Finance part-time which could have good reputation and good learning method.

Out of interest, do you feel the money you invested in your Masters was worthy? Was the Masters worth the effort?

Which Masters / Colleges were you looking at the time and why you chose the GCD one?

Thanks again.

You're welcome.

Exams: You have described them so accurately! I'm afraid you're right. I always said to them exams were more like memory tests and not a relevant assessment. It was all about 'outline', 'explain', 'describe'... Plus, they would ask you long questions that no-one could ever finish on time... Exam grades were usually low. I think Griffith and their lecturers had this idea that lower grades means 'tough' school which is completely untrue. Some lecturers would even tell you they don't give marks over 70. Of course, there were exceptions as well but I found it very annoying you were destined to have a low grade no matter what.

I don't think it was worth the expense to be honest. I mean, it looks nice on my CV and for some employers it might be quite an attractive thing to see but I have to say I didn't enjoy it at all. I thought it would expand my horizons and I honestly felt scammed. I think the main problem was the administration. Those guys wouldn't listen to anybody. Lecturers had good intentions and tried hard to teach you things, but they were constrained by their boss. Assignments had to be long and tedius, but not insightful. How dare you have an opinion!!

When I enrolled in this course the degree was awarded by a British university (Nottingham Trent) which is a good, reputable institution. I thought it was an advantage anyway but they got rid of that because it was expensive. Now the degree is awarded by HETAC. I chose Griffith because they also gave people the option to pay in installments so the expense wasn't as big. And the campus was very close to my place and work.

Anyway, I don't know much about the Accounting and Finance stream. It might be a completely different story. Although we shared about six or seven modules together.

I hope I'm not making you feel depressed!!!!!! On the countrary, look for new opportunities. It will certainly make a difference if you go to the right place!

Galego

andrewire wrote: »

You're welcome.

Exams: You have described them so accurately! I'm afraid you're right. I always said to them exams were more like memory tests and not a relevant assessment. It was all about 'outline', 'explain', 'describe'... Plus, they would ask you long questions that no-one could ever finish on time... Exam grades were usually low. I think Griffith and their lecturers had this idea that lower grades means 'tough' school which is completely untrue. Some lecturers would even tell you they don't give marks over 70. Of course, there were exceptions as well but I found it very annoying you were destined to have a low grade no matter what.

I don't think it was worth the expense to be honest. I mean, it looks nice on my CV and for some employers it might be quite an attractive thing to see but I have to say I didn't enjoy it at all. I thought it would expand my horizons and I honestly felt scammed. I think the main problem was the administration. Those guys wouldn't listen to anybody. Lecturers had good intentions and tried hard to teach you things, but they were constrained by their boss. Assignments had to be long and tedius, but not insightful. How dare you have an opinion!!

When I enrolled in this course the degree was awarded by a British university (Nottingham Trent) which is a good, reputable institution. I thought it was an advantage anyway but they got rid of that because it was expensive. Now the degree is awarded by HETAC. I chose Griffith because they also gave people the option to pay in installments so the expense wasn't as big. And the campus was very close to my place and work.

Anyway, I don't know much about the Accounting and Finance stream. It might be a completely different story. Although we shared about six or seven modules together.

I hope I'm not making you feel depressed!!!!!! On the countrary, look for new opportunities. It will certainly make a difference if you go to the right place!

Wow, you are giving me some great inside information! They do not tell you these things on the open days! :-) :-)

One thing.

Were you working while you studied this Masters full time? If so, fair play to you!

Ok - I am now off to meet the lady who runs the Masters in Accounting and Finance. Let's see if she is any nice.

Galego

@ andrewire.

Forgot to ask you.

Did you apply for the MBA?

How does the MSc become a MBA?

orangeytree

Hi Galego,

The points that andrewire is making are very valid, at the end of the day everybody can give you their perspective on how they experienced the programme, some may be bad some may be good.

My experience so far was good, yes, administration is a bit of nightmare but I think it also comes into play to think what kind of student you are, because at the end of the day the Independents or the Smurfits are not going to change your studying and learning habits. It is about what you want to achieve and how you use your qualification.

I think it is also up to you to get the most out of the course. I did the programme part-time and my specific group was very competitive, everybody were already working in different industries and this always gave us a global perspective of things. Yes, we did have to learn boring theories but we also learnt how to apply them to real life (or I must say... when you are already working getting the idea of how to apply a theory is a lot easier, or so that was my experience)

Lecturers are excellent at Griffith, (ok, not all of them, there is always one that may not be as good but there is definitely a good standard of lecturing) in my class there were only 2 Asians (If that is an issue at all (?!)) and I also got to meet people from other countries. In general I had a good experience and I would recommend it.

Galego

orangeytree wrote: »

Hi Galego,

The points that andrewire is making are very valid, at the end of the day everybody can give you their perspective on how they experienced the programme, some may be bad some may be good.

My experience so far was good, yes, administration is a bit of nightmare but I think it also comes into play to think what kind of student you are, because at the end of the day the Independents or the Smurfits are not going to change your studying and learning habits. It is about what you want to achieve and how you use your qualification.

I think it is also up to you to get the most out of the course. I did the programme part-time and my specific group was very competitive, everybody were already working in different industries and this always gave us a global perspective of things. Yes, we did have to learn boring theories but we also learnt how to apply them to real life (or I must say... when you are already working getting the idea of how to apply a theory is a lot easier, or so that was my experience)

Lecturers are excellent at Griffith, (ok, not all of them, there is always one that may not be as good but there is definitely a good standard of lecturing) in my class there were only 2 Asians (If that is an issue at all (?!)) and I also got to meet people from other countries. In general I had a good experience and I would recommend it.

Thanks for your input on this matter, really appreciate it.

Just out of curiosity. Which Masters did you study? The Accounting and Finance or the IBM?

Thanks.

andrewire

orangeytree wrote: »

Hi Galego,

The points that andrewire is making are very valid, at the end of the day everybody can give you their perspective on how they experienced the programme, some may be bad some may be good.

My experience so far was good, yes, administration is a bit of nightmare but I think it also comes into play to think what kind of student you are, because at the end of the day the Independents or the Smurfits are not going to change your studying and learning habits. It is about what you want to achieve and how you use your qualification.

I think it is also up to you to get the most out of the course. I did the programme part-time and my specific group was very competitive, everybody were already working in different industries and this always gave us a global perspective of things. Yes, we did have to learn boring theories but we also learnt how to apply them to real life (or I must say... when you are already working getting the idea of how to apply a theory is a lot easier, or so that was my experience)

Lecturers are excellent at Griffith, (ok, not all of them, there is always one that may not be as good but there is definitely a good standard of lecturing) in my class there were only 2 Asians (If that is an issue at all (?!)) and I also got to meet people from other countries. In general I had a good experience and I would recommend it.

Hello!

I don't want to create a controversy but with relation to the Asian students, their nationality doesn't matter at all. The problem was their lack of interaction with either other non-Asian students or lecturers, AND their poor level of English. Of course they were exceptions, but the majority just sat there speaking in Chinese and playing with their computers/phones/dictionaries. They could have been Irish, Pakistani, American, Japanese, etc. who go to another country and don't make an effort to interact outside their bubble. In my personal experience they were Chinese.

But then again, I did the MSc full-time. Part-time students are normally more mature as you have pointed out with your story. And re lecturers, I only disliked one because he was quite unethical in his teaching style. The rest were good or excellent. I think I said this before but just in case!

smithuser

Hello Everyone,
i would like join MSc in Accounting on Part-time basis.
i have applied for the part-time with Griffiith college and got the full time offer for 2011-12 by mentioning no part- time course running this year. dont know what to do because as i am working full time basis. i like to do the part time study.
any advise will be great help

marianna123

Andrewire, all full time courses which I attended (except one) were like that. :-( If there are few students from the same country, there is no communication in English, what makes me sad and angry. :-(

Completelly agree with you! If you come to another country for a period of time - improve your language skills (English or any other), meet new people and new cultures!!! If you want to talk you own language all the time and have friends from your own country only, why travelling so far, you can stay where you are...

Once I was lucky, had 5 students in the class, each of us from another country, only communication possible in English. :-)

I hope I wont be sitting alone and have nobody to talk to in Griffith all day long. :-//

Sorry, have nothing to say about Msc/Mba course, but had to give my comment.