To be successful, businesses need to understand their cashflow and how to interpret financial data to make future decisions. That’s where accountants come in.
If you’re interested in shaping a career in this field, you might be wondering where to study accounting. There are many advantages of studying accounting at UQ including our strong global rankings and hands-on extracurricular activities that will prepare you for exciting future career opportunities.
How to study accounting at UQ
You can study accounting as a major in UQ’s Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours). Courses cover advanced topics including:
- financial reporting and strategy
- business analysis
- environment and methodology of auditing
- costing systems and cost management
- commercial law and taxation law.
There are a wide range of scholarships available to help UQ students cover tuition and accommodation fees, and more. Explore your scholarship options and learn how to apply.
Why study accounting at UQ? Here are 5 convincing reasons
#1 in Queensland for accounting and finance
Want to know where to study accounting to learn from leading academics and gain practical, industry-relevant capabilities? We’ve got you covered. According to QS World University Rankings 2024, UQ is the #1 university in Queensland and #61 university in the world for accounting and finance. We work hard to maintain these rankings by regularly updating our programs and the way they're delivered to align with the latest industry practices and student interests.
What makes us one of the best universities for studying accounting is our passionate and engaging teachers. When they’re not in the classroom, they’re busy translating the latest research into practice. Our academics work closely with industry and have won many prestigious awards, competitive research grants and fellowships.
I chose to study at UQ because it is regarded as one of the best universities for accounting and finance.
Proven graduate outcomes
According to Jobs and Skills Australia, the demand for accountants is expected to increase by 8.9% in the next 5 years to 2028, with continued growth until 2033 (Australian Government, Your Career). Graduates typically find careers as accountants or advisers in accounting firms, public and private corporations, management and consulting firms, small businesses, banks and other financial institutions, government departments and not-for-profit organisations.
UQ has a 93.6% graduate employment rate (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023) and studying accounting with us will prepare you for a diverse number of roles including:
- chartered accountant
- chartered management accountant
- chartered public finance accountant
- company secretary
- stockbroker
- forensic accountant
- auditor.
Current student Campbell Carr believes the fundamental knowledge and technical skills he’s gained from studying advanced business at UQ will give him a competitive edge in the job market upon graduation.
Through in-person presentations, programming and statistical analysis and learning about complex financial and accounting concepts, this degree has prepared me for a career in my field of choice.
Eligibility for professional accounting memberships
If you study accounting at UQ, you may be eligible for membership into professional organisations including:
- Association of Certified Chartered Accountants
- Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute
- Certified Institute for Management Accountants
- Certified Practising Accountants Australia
- Financial Services Institute of Australasia
- Governance Institute of Australia
- Institute of Public Accountants.
You can prepare for membership accreditation with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and Certified Practicing Accountants Australia by completing an accounting major as part of your Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours) or Bachelor of Commerce.
Career support services and internships
When you study accounting at UQ, you’ll have exclusive access to a Careers and Employability team who have extensive recruitment and industry experience. You can book one-on-one sessions with these specialists to discuss your career goals and get help preparing for job interviews. You can also make the most of the wide range of careers and industry networking workshops and events on offer.
Our Student Work Experience Program or work-integrated learning courses will help you stand out from the crowd in a highly competitive job market. UQ accounting students have previously completed work-integrated learning projects with Suncorp and City of Brisbane Investment Corporation, among others. There’s also the opportunity to complete a subsidised international immersion experience.
The University’s strong industry connections can help you land exciting internships too. Here are a few of the organisations where our students have completed accounting internships in the past:
- Pitcher Partners
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
- Ernst & Young (EY)
- BDO
- Commonwealth Bank
- Grant Thornton
- Lee & Associates Accountants
The practical experience and networks you’ll gain from participating in work-integrated learning opportunities and internships through UQ will set you up for success in your future career.
UQ's networking opportunities have allowed me to connect with industry professionals, offering insights into how the industry works, which boosts my confidence as I prepare to enter the competitive accounting industry.
Exciting student life
At UQ, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get involved in student life and explore hobbies and interests outside of your studies. There are over 200 student-run clubs and societies where you can meet like-minded people and pursue passion projects. If you’re interested in building peer networks in your field, you may wish to join the UQ Business Association or UQ Banking Club.
Commerce graduate Zhi Qi (Julia) Toh says UQ’s various student events, programs and clubs helped her settle into life at UQ.
In my first year, I joined a mentoring program where I made friends and learnt more about UQ.
"I also joined clubs such as the Financial Management Association of Australia (FMAA) and the UQ Business Association (UQBA), which hosted networking events that allowed me to learn more about the accounting industry in Australia," she says.
So, is UQ the best place to study accounting? Only you can decide. But we think we’ve made some pretty compelling arguments for starting your journey to a career in accounting with us.
Explore the accounting major in UQ’s Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours) to discover more reasons to put us as your first QTAC preference.
