University of Otago - Accountancy

Accountancy

The language of business

“An accounting degree from Otago Everyone uses accounting in their everyday lives – whether they know it
can open a lot of doors for you. or not. Online banking, filling out IRD forms, checking pay slips – all involve
If you also qualify as a Chartered accounting concepts. Accounting is the art and science of measuring,
Accountant then it makes it possible interpreting and communicating financial information.
for you to decide which doors you
actually want to open.” At Otago we have a range of interesting and challenging study options in
accountancy and finance – and as accountancy is a professional course,
Jared Le Roy – BCom, Dipgrad, you’ll have the opportunity to join one of New Zealand’s Chartered
CA (Chartered Accountant) Accountancy organisations during your study.
Crowe Horwath

0800 80 80 98 | otago.ac.nz | txt 866 | [email protected]

Why study Accountancy? Student exchange Double major/degree options

Accounting is the language of business. As The University of Otago has exchange Many students do a double major or double
such, it is probably the most useful tool you agreements with more than 90 institutions in degree, such as a BCom in Accounting and a
can have when entering the business world. If over 30 countries. If your marks average B or Bachelor of Laws. Other students choose to
you understand the concepts and terminology better, you may qualify to attend one of these study accounting papers to enhance their other
of accounting, you will have a good grasp of institutions for one semester or for a year. degrees, such as Arts, Physical Education and
business problems and their solutions. Science. No matter what degree you’re studying,
You pay only your New Zealand fees and accounting is invaluable.
Accounting is about providing facts and complete your qualification within the same
information systems, and helping other people to timeframe as if you’d never been away. Professional options
understand those systems so they’re equipped Commerce students are also encouraged to
to plan and make decisions. participate in one of the more than 50 specific To enhance and add value to your Otago BCom
business exchanges the School of Business offers. in Accounting we recommend you become a
Accountants can really make a difference in member of one or more of the professional
an organisation. Otago accounting graduates Accountancy at Otago accounting associations. If you wish to work in
usually gain decision-making roles themselves New Zealand as a public practitioner or auditor
within a very short time in the workplace. Far Accountancy is a major of the Bachelor of the Chartered Accountants of Australia and
from being bean counters, they have a dynamic, Commerce, a three-year degree programme. New Zealand (CAANZ), or Certified Practising
challenging role. Accountants (CPA Australia) are the pathways
Accounting falls into two main areas: to take.
No matter what career you’re aspiring for, you
will find accounting skills invaluable. • Financial accounting, which is largely about Otago’s Department of Accountancy and Finance
producing financial information about has connections with several professional
Background required organisations for people outside those associations to suit different career aspirations:
organisations; and
There are no subjects you have to have done Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
in order to study accountancy – you don’t even • Management accounting, which is about (ACCA)
have to have studied it at school. You might planning, monitoring and record-keeping accaglobal.com
find English and Maths useful subjects to study within organisations.
though as accounting requires analytical skill. Chartered Accountants Australia and
In your first year you will learn the basic New Zealand (CAANZ)
Careers in Accountancy concepts, principles and techniques of charteredaccountantsanz.com
accounting and learn how to produce financial
For an Otago accounting graduate the world statements used by most organisations – the Chartered Institute of Management
really is your playground. Many graduates balance sheet, the profit and loss account and Accountants (CIMA)
start their careers in Chartered Accountancy the cash flow statement; and how accounting cimaglobal.com
firms, often working in taxation or auditing or systems meet the information requirements of
as advisors to small businesses. For many, this organisations – plans, forecasts, results. CPA (Australia)
is a stepping stone; within three or four years, cpaaustralia.com.au
they move on to larger organisations such as Beyond first year, you’ll develop those basic skills
government departments, businesses and non- and learn more about the role of accounting in
profit organisations and, within 10 years, their different business contexts.
skills may have earned them a management
rather than an accounting role. New Zealand’s Teaching style
top five accounting firms come to Otago every
year to recruit graduates. You may find you Because of the large numbers of students,
have a job lined up before you’ve even finished the first year is lecture-based. In subsequent
your degree! years, most teaching is done in seminar groups,
allowing you to conduct your own research. You’ll
also do a lot of case studies, practical work on
computers and group sessions where you and
your colleagues organise your own projects.

Profile Christine Wright BCom(Hons)

Business Analysis Manager – Lyttleton Port of Christchurch

A seismic shift wasn’t required to entice Business Planning Team for the mobile phone For questions about
Christine Wright to study accounting at Otago, company O2. She also travelled extensively Accountancy
but she did find herself only a few blocks throughout Europe before returning to
away from the epicentre of the February 2011 New Zealand. otago.ac.nz/accountancy
Christchurch earthquake.
Christine is now the Business Analysis Manager
Otago’s reputation for providing a quality for Lyttleton Port of Christchurch, which was at
education, plus securing a room at the the centre of the February 2011 earthquake.
legendary Knox College made choosing to study
at Otago an easy decision. “My role is extremely people focussed,
working alongside people from all areas of the
“I particularly liked that my accounting classes organisation. I’m involved in planning, strategy,
were relatively small and not entirely ‘lecture’ forecasting, Board reporting, pricing, project
based, with a number of courses using practical evaluation and more recently assisting with the
application, lectures and group presentations.” insurance claim resulting from the quake, and
determining the priorities of the multimillion
Before graduating Christine secured a job dollar rebuild projects.”
with Ernst & Young through the University’s
Graduate Recruitment Programme. Christine is proof that an accounting degree
provides numerous work and lifestyle
“I worked in their Assurance team and opportunities.
progressed to Assistant Manager where I led
many large audit jobs including Sealord, AMP “Don’t think you’ll end up sitting at a desk in
and the Ministry of Education. I also gained my isolation looking at numbers all day. The dull,
‘Chartered Accountant’ qualification.” grey suit wearing ‘stereotypical’ accountant is a
thing of the past.”
Her OE beckoned so Christine headed to
Dublin, Ireland where she worked in the

February 2016