Time for a change, advice needed.

sReq | uTeK

Okay, so please stay with me on this one it may be slightly long winded but any advice would be massively appreciated.

As the title says I'm thinking about a change in profession.

I currently work in as an IT Support Technician, my job whilst stable is just not for me, I don't think I'm in it for the long haul and would like a change.

My current job entails a high degree of attention to detail and number crunching. I've always liked numbers and have always been good with them. I do dabble in some accounting related tasks while in my job if asked to cover for people, Invoicing / Vat etc and I enjoy it.

I'm quite a technical person, something which I've heard their maybe a gap in the market, for mainly relating to IT Auditors.

This is where I need your help.

It seems I have 2 routes I could go down.

Route 1 - I go an enroll in a degree as a mature student (part time) Maintaining my current role and salary. This would enable me to get a degree in business, finance or Accounting related which I would be keen too hold as I have aspirations of one day opening my own business and this degree while broad will benefit me in the long run.

Questions I need answering.

Is there a degree in a Dublin college that I can enroll in for September 2013 that is taking mature students and that will allow me to gain exemptions from sitting CAP1, obviously so long as I obtain honors on graduation.

Route 2 - I enroll in ATI I do the 2 years part time and then go onto the CAI/ACCA and sit their exams, F1-F9 - Cap1, Cap2, FAE and gain my relevant 3.5 years experience whilst doing so.

Now this is what I'd like to ask, is doing the F1-F9 exams recognizable by the
NFQ as a degree, for instance if I ever wanted to go into another program in a college and cited that I have the ATI + the ACCA F1-F9 exams would this count as a degree in their eyes or not.

I'm not looking for the quickest way to get certified. I'm 27 and have time on my hands, but I am looking for the way that will allow me to benefit the most.

I would prefer to study with the CAI if truth be told.

Also I'd be interested in hearing peoples thought on the elevation program do I have 4 years to complete F1-F9, CAP1 , CAP2 and FAE then 3.5 years is needed in relevant work experience.

If this was obtained is this equivalent to a degree/Masters in the NFQ's eyes.

smcgiff

Any of the chartered quals such as CIMA, CAI and ACCA are recognised at Masters level. Not sure if CPA got around to applying yet, I thought they had.

ACCA are the F1 - F9 papers and CAI/Elevation are the CAP 1's etc.

I suggest going straight into Elevation if you want to do CAI.

If you want to get a degree qualification then ACCA students with papers complete to F9 are allowed to submit a thesis to Oxford Brookes university to get a degree qualification.

Good luck

sReq | uTeK

smcgiff wrote: »

Any of the chartered quals such as CIMA, CAI and ACCA are recognised at Masters level. Not sure if CPA got around to applying yet, I thought they had.

ACCA are the F1 - F9 papers and CAI/Elevation are the CAP 1's etc.

I suggest going straight into Elevation if you want to do CAI.

If you want to get a degree qualification then ACCA students with papers complete to F9 are allowed to submit a thesis to Oxford Brookes university to get a degree qualification.

Good luck

Hi smc thank you kindly for your reply.
I've got a few questions I'm hoping you won't mind answering.

Why would I choose the elevation route over going down a part time degree route,

Would jumping into an elevation program without any real accountancy background be a tad difficult.

Regarding submitting a thesis to Oxford what would this entail, is this degree recognised as a level 8 by the NFQ. Is the thesis based on work experience also?

smcgiff

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

Hi smc thank you kindly for your reply.
I've got a few questions I'm hoping you won't mind answering.

Why would I choose the elevation route over going down a part time degree route,

Would jumping into an elevation program without any real accountancy background be a tad difficult.

Regarding submitting a thesis to Oxford what would this entail, is this degree recognised as a level 8 by the NFQ. Is the thesis based on work experience also?

Hi,

If you want to become an accountant you'd take the elevation route. If you want an accounting based qualification then you might consider the degree route. You'd be working towards exemptions, but would then need to switch to the CAI qual to become qualified.

The elevation route is aimed at those with no accounting experience starting off. They are not easy exams, but far from impossible.

Note the ACCA route degree is from Oxford Brookes University (consistently voted best new university in the UK) not Oxford University. I'm not sure if it's NFQ registered. Probably not, as it's UK based. It would be the equivalent though I imagine. The thesis is a 5k word submission based on a company you've worked for or know about.

ianuss

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

Hi smc thank you kindly for your reply.


Regarding submitting a thesis to Oxford what would this entail, is this degree recognised as a level 8 by the NFQ. Is the thesis based on work experience also?

It's level 9 HETAC.

For more info see;

http://www.accaglobal.com/en/student/qualification-resources/bsc.html

An excerpt from wiki;

Legal & mutual recognition

URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Chartered_Certified_Accountants&action=edit&section=11"]edit[/URLEurope

URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Chartered_Certified_Accountants&action=edit&section=12"]edit[/URLUnited Kingdom and Republic of Ireland

• The ACCA or Chartered Certified Accountant qualification is fully recognised in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
  • Under its Royal Charter, ACCA works in the public interest.
  • ACCA is a Designated Professional Body under the Financial Services and Markets Act, business activities.
  • ACCA is a Recognised Professional Body under the Insolvency Act to issue permits to individual Chartered Certified Accountants to conduct insolvency appointments.
  • ACCA is a Recognised Qualifying Body and Recognised Supervisory Body in relation to company auditing under the Companies Act of 1989.
  • ACCA is a member of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB). Members of these bodies are deemed to hold equivalent-level qualifications and advertisements for jobs often state that an organisation is looking for a CCAB-qualified individual.
  • Full members of Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies organisations including ACCA can apply for ICAEW membership subject to certain criteria.[5]
  • Only ACCA, ICAEW, Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and Association of International Accountants are able to authorise members to conduct audit, insolvency and investment business work in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
• Outside these countries, legal recognition by government authorities and mutual recognition by equivalent overseas institutes, varies. Where full legal or mutual recognition is not available, ACCA members can sometimes obtain advanced standing in terms of sitting local accountancy examinations. ACCA's strong global reputation may obviate the need to acquire a local designation.
• Similarly, many (universities and educational providers will recognise ACCA as equivalent to at least a Bachelor degree in accountancy, for the purpose of obtaining credit towards a local Masters degree or an advanced study program.

The Irish Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) assigned ACCA Qualification to Level 9 of the Irish National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in 2008. Level 9 holds Irish postgraduate qualifications, such as postgraduate diplomas and masters degrees.
In 2011, the Professional Oversight Board published information for the first time about its concerns over self-regulation by particular institutes. Press reports highlighted comments about ACCA, which had implemented recommendations to improve its examination syllabus, but needed to pay greater attention to monitoring long-time members.[6]



It's not quite a thesis you have to do, it's more of a company appraisal. You are supposed to comment on the overall performance of a company (both financial and non-financial).

The degree is graded taking in to account your results in exams F4-F9 and then also the appraisal. ACCA haven't released how these marks or grades are weighted (AFAIK).

sReq | uTeK

smcgiff wrote: »

Hi,

If you want to become an accountant you'd take the elevation route. If you want an accounting based qualification then you might consider the degree route. You'd be working towards exemptions, but would then need to switch to the CAI qual to become qualified.

The elevation route is aimed at those with no accounting experience starting off. They are not easy exams, but far from impossible.

Note the ACCA route degree is from Oxford Brookes University (consistently voted best new university in the UK) not Oxford University. I'm not sure if it's NFQ registered. Probably not, as it's UK based. It would be the equivalent though I imagine. The thesis is a 5k word submission based on a company you've worked for or know about.

Thank you kindly for the replies.

Surely I would be better off choosing the ACCA route for these reasons.
Completing F1-F9 and submitting a thesis would allow me to avail of a Level 9 HETAC, which is the same as a level 8 NFQ?

Would this degree (Level 9 Hetac) be recognized by universities in Ireland if i were to go for post graduate courses?

How quickly can one complete F1-F9 is there a set time frame, or can you choose when to sit the exams?

ianuss wrote: »

It's level 9 HETAC.

For more info see;

http://www.accaglobal.com/en/student/qualification-resources/bsc.html

An excerpt from wiki;

Legal & mutual recognition

URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Chartered_Certified_Accountants&action=edit&section=11"]edit[/URLEurope

URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Chartered_Certified_Accountants&action=edit&section=12"]edit[/URLUnited Kingdom and Republic of Ireland

• The ACCA or Chartered Certified Accountant qualification is fully recognised in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
  • Under its Royal Charter, ACCA works in the public interest.
  • ACCA is a Designated Professional Body under the Financial Services and Markets Act, business activities.
  • ACCA is a Recognised Professional Body under the Insolvency Act to issue permits to individual Chartered Certified Accountants to conduct insolvency appointments.
  • ACCA is a Recognised Qualifying Body and Recognised Supervisory Body in relation to company auditing under the Companies Act of 1989.
  • ACCA is a member of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB). Members of these bodies are deemed to hold equivalent-level qualifications and advertisements for jobs often state that an organisation is looking for a CCAB-qualified individual.
  • Full members of Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies organisations including ACCA can apply for ICAEW membership subject to certain criteria.[5]
  • Only ACCA, ICAEW, Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and Association of International Accountants are able to authorise members to conduct audit, insolvency and investment business work in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
• Outside these countries, legal recognition by government authorities and mutual recognition by equivalent overseas institutes, varies. Where full legal or mutual recognition is not available, ACCA members can sometimes obtain advanced standing in terms of sitting local accountancy examinations. ACCA's strong global reputation may obviate the need to acquire a local designation.
• Similarly, many (universities and educational providers will recognise ACCA as equivalent to at least a Bachelor degree in accountancy, for the purpose of obtaining credit towards a local Masters degree or an advanced study program.

The Irish Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) assigned ACCA Qualification to Level 9 of the Irish National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in 2008. Level 9 holds Irish postgraduate qualifications, such as postgraduate diplomas and masters degrees.
In 2011, the Professional Oversight Board published information for the first time about its concerns over self-regulation by particular institutes. Press reports highlighted comments about ACCA, which had implemented recommendations to improve its examination syllabus, but needed to pay greater attention to monitoring long-time members.[6]

Thank you kindly, that was very insightful.



It's not quite a thesis you have to do, it's more of a company appraisal. You are supposed to comment on the overall performance of a company (both financial and non-financial).

The degree is graded taking in to account your results in exams F4-F9 and then also the appraisal. ACCA haven't released how these marks or grades are weighted (AFAIK).

ianuss

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

Thank you kindly for the replies.

Surely I would be better off choosing the ACCA route for these reasons.
Completing F1-F9 and submitting a thesis would allow me to avail of a Level 9 HETAC, which is the same as a level 8 NFQ?

Would this degree (Level 9 Hetac) be recognized by universities in Ireland if i were to go for post graduate courses?

How quickly can one complete F1-F9 is there a set time frame, or can you choose when to sit the exams?

I'm not going to suggest one option over another but I would say that the ACCA route would give you what you're looking for.

AFAIK, yes, the Oxford Brookes would allow you to study post-grad in Ireland. It's a recognised BSc degree in Applied Accounting.

How long it would take can vary widely from person to person. There are 2 exams sittings every year (June & December) and you can take 4 at most at any one time. As well as that you would have to pass an ethics module before becoming eligible to sit the research project element. Closing dates for these research projects are March and November.

There have also been some changes with the ACCA qualification in recent years. As you pass exams you get a diploma in something or other......I'm sorry I can't give any more info (because that's about all I know tbh) but all the information is available on their website, or you could conatct their Dublin office.

smcgiff

ianuss wrote: »

It's level 9 HETAC.

The ACCA prof qual is recognised as HETAC level 9, Masters level, and has been credited by HETAC.

I doubt if the degree is level 9 (don't know any that are). Probably level 8, but I doubt if it has formally been accredited.

sReq | uTeK

ianuss wrote: »

I'm not going to suggest one option over another but I would say that the ACCA route would give you what you're looking for.

AFAIK, yes, the Oxford Brookes would allow you to study post-grad in Ireland. It's a recognised BSc degree in Applied Accounting.

How long it would take can vary widely from person to person. There are 2 exams sittings every year (June & December) and you can take 4 at most at any one time. As well as that you would have to pass an ethics module before becoming eligible to sit the research project element. Closing dates for these research projects are March and November.

There have also been some changes with the ACCA qualification in recent years. As you pass exams you get a diploma in something or other......I'm sorry I can't give any more info (because that's about all I know tbh) but all the information is available on their website, or you could conatct their Dublin office.

Massive massive help thank you kindly to you both, I believe ACCA is the way forward for me.

ianuss

smcgiff wrote: »

The ACCA prof qual is recognised as HETAC level 9, Masters level, and has been credited by HETAC.

I doubt if the degree is level 9 (don't know any that are). Probably level 8, but I doubt if it has formally been accredited.

Grand, apologies if I'm incorrect. I'm only going on what I can remember from a seminar that ACCA held before. My memory may be a bit hazy.

sReq | uTeK

ianuss wrote: »

Grand, apologies if I'm incorrect. I'm only going on what I can remember from a seminar that ACCA held before. My memory may be a bit hazy.

Just off the phone with ACCA.

F1-F9 when obtained and degree obtained by submission to Oxford brooks will give you an equivalent of HETAC Level 8, doing the professional P1-P7 Upon completion will give you HETAC level 9, masters equivalent.

that's what the guy on the phone has indicated.

Honestly though, you guys have been a massive help.

ianuss

No problem. Good luck with whatever you decide.

sReq | uTeK

Hi all.

I had one last question.

The degree you obtain from Oxford brooks, is this a 1:1 2:1 or 2:2 or are you graded on the grades of modules F1-F9.

I'm just worried about obtaining these and applying for the big 4 big 10. Will this hinder me in any way ??

smcgiff

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

Hi all.

I had one last question.

The degree you obtain from Oxford brooks, is this a 1:1 2:1 or 2:2 or are you graded on the grades of modules F1-F9.

I'm just worried about obtaining these and applying for the big 4 big 10. Will this hinder me in any way ??

Afaik, grades from some of the papers plus the 5k submission go to the make up of the grade. Best to ask acca themselves.

However, some of the big four will take on non cai as qualifieds for certain roles, they prefer to take on pre qualified aca's for the large bulk of their availabe starter positions.

ianuss

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

Hi all.

I had one last question.

The degree you obtain from Oxford brooks, is this a 1:1 2:1 or 2:2 or are you graded on the grades of modules F1-F9.

I'm just worried about obtaining these and applying for the big 4 big 10. Will this hinder me in any way ??

It's made up from your grades in papers F4-F9 and also the company appraisal project. I don't know the exact break-up of how those marks are allocated though. As said above, best off contacting ACCA directly.

sReq | uTeK

Thanks all.

I think the route I'm going to go down Is f1-f9 then submit for the degree. Hopefully if I get f1-f9 ill try or the big 4-10 and hopefully get in.

hmplantchick

Im currently studying year 1 of ati its a brill course and i love it. I am doing it through fas this means the fees are paid for by fas and they give me an allowance ever week that matches your social welfare payment. After the two years i will be a fully qualified accounting technicians with a diploma. I can go into any accounting course in college and do 2years and qualify as an accountant. If you are good with numbers and have an interest i suggest you give it a try