M.Sc in Accounting for 5K from northampton

Hi,

I completed ACCA (UK british certification) last year and have not been able to use it as I mainly work in the education business. I was offered the option below from Northampton University that requires only a paper to graduate with a M.Sc in Accounting and Finance, the program is about 3 thousand pounds.

I wonder if it would be a good idea to get it. I teach business and this credential might help to get extra work in some local schools.

Accounting and Finance (top-up from AIA, ACA, ACCA and CIMA) MSc - The University of Northampton

I wonder if any has experience with British qualifications and its use in the Canadian market.

I have no intention to work in Accounting so it would only be used to teach.

 

Welcome to the ACCA. There are a few of those top-up programs out there with similar pricing for uk/eu students as Northampton. The pricing for non-uk/non-eu students could be 3 to 4 times higher. Did you confirmed if Canadians are eligible for this low rate?

 

Hi,

Yes, the 3K (british pounds) is for international students. The full program is 9K but you don't have to do the course work but the dissertation if you hold the ACCA.

I already have a doctorate but was doing the ACCA as a backup plan (In case I couldn't find work for teaching IT management). ACCA can be converted as a CGA in Canada but this needs few more classes and I would need to pay about 1K a year to maitain it.

The M.Sc is about 5K canadian but I don't need to take any CPDs points or pay membership fees. The Dissertation is only a paper that I have to do anyways as part of my research duties so it is just the money that I wonder if it is worth it.

The M.Sc might open the door to teach in few executive finance and accounting programs but I'm not too sure about how this degree would be received in the Canadian market. Most Canadian programs in Accounting and Finance are two year programs that require a lot of course work so I'm not too sure if employers would see this as a "quickie" degree.

I wonder if it would be better to covert to a CGA but I really don't have much use for it and most of the teaching jobs need a master in accounting or finance anyways.

I just want to use the designation for something and the M.Sc looks interesting but don't know if it is worth the 5K.

 

Hi RFValve,

I would think about it the other way round. As you say, the only degree you need is a MA or MSc in accounting. So I would not consider converting to a CGA at all, sounds like a waste of money and time to me. I assume the Canadian university system is closer to the American one, so IF an employer really questions the top-up degree you still can explain it with the difference in the UK and Canadian system.
After all, when you need the Master to reach your goals, I would not ask if it is worth it at all (It is obvious), I would ask how to achieve that goal the best way! Are there any similar programs in Canada?

 

No, in Canada there are no Master's in Accounting that can be completed distance. There are probably only few Universities in Canada that offer this program. Not many people want to make a career in teaching accounting.

Also, the few programs that exist, will not transfer any credit or very few credits. The ACCA credential is not considered an Academic credential.
The british program transfers 2/3 of the credits because of ACCA. This is very unusual for a master's degree.

 

Okydd,
I remember you hold some accounting designations and wanted to do the PhD thing. Have you thought about getting a M.Sc instead of a PhD? If all you want is to use it to teach, the MSc should do the job and it is a lot cheaper than the PhD.