Higher Diploma in Professional Accounting. (HDAC)

Link to PAC (on-line application)

This is a one year full time programme designed for honours graduates who may not have taken major accounting specialisms in their undergraduate studies, but who wish to pursue a professional accounting qualification.  The programme modules are designed to mirror in terms of standard and complexity the syllabi of the CAP 1 examinations of  Chartered Accountants Ireland. One of the principal outcomes of the programme is that graduates will on successful completion of the programme have entitlement to CAP 1 exemptions (50% or higher grade required in each module) and equivalent exemptions from other professional accountancy bodies. Course co-ordinators will work closely with the professional Accountancy bodies to ensure that the content and direction of all course modules also help prepare students for the final stages of the professional accounting examinations.

On completion of the programme graduates will be able to:

• Understand the principles of financial accounting and the main business and accounting structures.
• Understand and be able to apply the principles of double entry book – keeping to a set of financial records.
• Be able to prepare a set of accounts for a range of business structures.
• Understand the principles of financial management, investment appraisal and working capital control and be equipped to provide relevant information and advice to both organisations and individuals.
• Be equipped with an understanding of management accounting as a basis for developing the tools and knowledge required to meet management information needs.
• Have the knowledge and skills to deal with most routine issues in personal income tax and vat.

Successful graduates from the programme will on completion of the programme, have an option of enrolling for the M.A. in Accounting at NUI Maynooth, the successful completion of which, will enable them to qualify from a further level of examinations (CAP 2) of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Entry requirements.

Applicants will be expected to have achieved a 2.1 result or better in their undergraduate degree programme.

H. Dip. Accounting: Module Descriptions

Financial Accounting
Topics studied will include accounting fundamentals, double entry bookkeeping, accounts preparation, and international accounting standards.

Taxation
Topics studied will include the income tax system, VAT, and the completion of tax forms.

Management Accounting
Topics studied will include the fundamentals of management accounting, cost accumulation, information for decision making, information for planning, control and performance measurement, specialist cost and management techniques, advanced decision making techniques, budgeting, advanced variance analysis, and performance measurement and control.

Law for Accountants
Topics studied will include the fundamentals of the Irish and European legal process, the laws the directly affect businesses and organizations, the legal and regulatory framework context for conducting enterprise, the laws on contracts, torts and intellectual property rights, the design of private, public and community/voluntary organizations and the creasing of appropriate legal structures. 

Finance for Accounting
Topics studied will include investment decisions, working capital management, financing decisions, and finance and the individual.

For Further Information Contact:

Dr. Bridget McNally,
Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting,
Room 24, Rhetoric House,
NUI Maynooth,
Co. Kildare
Ph: 01 7083728
email: Bridget.mcnally@nuim.ie