Accounting Technician Certificate (One Year)

The Certificate for Accounting Technicians is awarded upon successful completion of the First Year and the Diploma for Accounting Technicians is awarded upon successful completion of both the First and Second Year, plus the completion of Work Experience requirements.

Work Experience requirements are based on Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria of the units which make up the Accounting Technicians Ireland Diploma for Accounting Technicians.

Employers at home and abroad know that Accounting Technicians Ireland graduates have this real and relevant experience, which adds to the strength of our qualification over other ‘class-only’  courses.

Our graduates can go straight into an interview and discuss strengths which were developed ‘on-the-job’ as well as in the classroom.

Whether you choose to study the Certificate or the Diploma for Accounting Technicians, our qualification will put you on the fast track to success in your accounting career. Both qualifications are designed to meet the strong and specific demand for qualified Accounting Technician professionals in all Irish sectors, and to support the continuing development of those already in employment.

Our syllabus has been carefully designed to equip graduates with an array of transferable business skills and a technical knowledge of finance and accountancy practice. The Work Experience component on the Diploma ensures graduates further increase their chances on the jobs market by bringing real, ‘on-the-job’ experience to interviews.

Ultimately the qualification increases employment opportunities for a broad range of accounting and finance roles and will enable progressive opportunities to senior financial management at a later stage of an Accounting Technician’s career. Moreover, it opens doors to further accounting studies via exemptions with professional bodies and higher education institutes.

In First Year students study:

• Financial Accounting
• Taxation
• Law & Ethics
• Business Management

This mix of subjects is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in business as well as a strong foundation in accountancy.

Second Year

Second Year modules can also be taken on a part-time or full-time basis. The second year subjects are as follows:

• Advanced Financial Accounting
• Advanced Taxation
• Management Accounting
• Integrated Accounting Systems (IAS)

On successful completion of Second Year, students may become Affiliate Members of Accounting Technicians Ireland, allowing them to maintain their professional affiliation while they complete the work experience requirement of the Diploma.

Entry Requirements

School-leavers in the Republic of Ireland should have a Leaving Certificate with pass grades in:

Five ordinary level subjects (including English and Maths/Accountancy at either level.)

OR

Two ordinary level and two higher level subjects (including English and Maths/Accountancy at either level.)

OR

Applied Leaving Certificate applicants should contact the Student Services Team on 01 649 8180 for further information.

Please note – for Leaving Cert 2017 applicants, pass grade is O5. For Leaving Cert applicants of previous years, pass grade is D3.

School-leavers in Northern Ireland should have obtained one A-Level or two AS-Levels. Students should also have grades in English and at least one subject from Maths or Accountancy not lower than grade C at GCSE level.

Prior Learning may provide an entry route for applicants who do not meet any of the above criteria. Those who have successfully completed a nationally recognised qualification such as QQI/FETAC award in the Republic of Ireland or QCA and BTEC National Diploma in Northern Ireland may be eligible to register.

Exemptions

If you have completed relevant qualifications within the last six years, you may be eligible for exemptions from certain first year exams.

To be considered for exemptions, these relevant qualifications must be a minimum of QQI Level 6 in the Republic of Ireland or Level 4 in Northern Ireland (or higher). Please note that exemptions are not available for second-year exams.

You can apply for exemptions free of charge, though there is a charge of €50/£40 to accept any exemptions that are offered. The closing date to apply for exemptions is October 2, 2017.